Wes Detrick Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 The trend of not know what to categorize my knives as continues. Oh well. Lately, I have been thinking about textures in the materials I use. The more along this path I go, the more I like things that have some measure of disorder to them. I guess that is why I like things like hammered copper, forge finishes and rust bluing so much. They have character to them, and they contrast so nicely with other elements. In the case of this knife, I dig the way that the forge finish contrasts with the super smooth bone. It's cool looking and feels awesome in the hand. Oh, I really love how the hamon came out on this. It looks like smoke. Anyhow, here you go. Let me know what you think good or bad; I value your opinions. Steel : W2 with hamon Handle : Polished cow bone with copper rivets and lanyard hole OAL : 10.25 inches (~26 cm) Blade: 5.25 inches (~13.3 cm) 2 “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer." -Albert Camus http://www.krakenforge.net/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 that it so cool! I love the hamon R "He was born with the gift of laughter and a sense the world was mad" Sabatini Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb Harris Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 That hamon though... I love the bone, copper, and scale finishes. Lovely blade. Trying to make each knife just a little better than the last Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Ullrich Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Kick ass! I have always thought that one man of tolerable abilities may work great changes, and accomplish great affairs among mankind, if he first forms a good plan.... - Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hewitt Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 That is a very well executed package. The contrasts between the individual components really sets the whole thing off. That hamon is a thing of beauty though, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriel James Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 wow that hamon is crazy nice...!!! are those vertical lines in the blade there from the etch? when i did my last vinegar based etch it looked bad after i had such a deep etch... like there were scratches in the blade. But yours look deliberate... and add to the effect I hand sanded to like 3000g too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Detrick Posted January 5, 2016 Author Share Posted January 5, 2016 Thank you everyone I am glad that you like it, and that you all like the hamon as much as I did. It was completely unplanned for and just happened as a consequence of the claying (which was a little different) wow that hamon is crazy nice...!!! are those vertical lines in the blade there from the etch? when i did my last vinegar based etch it looked bad after i had such a deep etch... like there were scratches in the blade. But yours look deliberate... and add to the effect I hand sanded to like 3000g too No, not sanding marks, at least not that I am aware of. The blade was sanded out to 1000 grit, and I am horribly anal about getting out the previous lower grit marks as I move up in grits with sanding. But, anything is possible really. I just looked that knife again under strong light, and it's hard to see them with out looking really hard. Leave it to my camera and post processing to make them stand out though. “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer." -Albert Camus http://www.krakenforge.net/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukas MG Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 (edited) Wonderful. I like all the different materials, surfaces and how they play together. One minor point of critique is the plunge cut... I would have preferred to see it curving towards the point a bit, not with the grind straight up all the way to the spine. But that's really nit-picking. Lovely work all around. Edited January 5, 2016 by Lukas MG http://www.lukasmaestlegoer.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Cool! And you're a brave man to peen pins on thin bone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dougherty Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Wow, it's hard to study the handle with that hamon dragging my eyes away. The leather work is very tidy as well. -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Lipinski Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 I love it. I think this is the most hypnotic hamon I have ever seen! It plays perfectly with other things like bone, rough tang, hammered copper. To me it's a masterpiece! lipinskimetalart.blogspot.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin_Lyles Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Awesome Wes! That is a beautifully shaped blade and the copper against the forged tang just sets things off. That hamon is beautifully proportioned and smoke like. Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Abbott Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 That's a very nice piece. Materials & textures... you nailed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Lester Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Love the contrast between the bone scales and the forge finish on the handles. Well thought out and executed. Doug HELP...I'm a twenty year old trapped in the body of an old man!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emiliano Carrillo Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Wes! This is fantastic work My only nitpick, is like Lukas I would like to see the plunge go towards the blade at the spine. Otherwise it is beauty in every form! The hamon is exceptional, and the bone framed by the forge finish handle with the notch cut out for the copper washer is genius, truly beautiful design! You have blended the different textures and created something really terrific! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Detrick Posted January 5, 2016 Author Share Posted January 5, 2016 Thank you everyone! I am really glad that you like it, and that you love the things that I love about it. It's gratifying that I managed to do what I was trying to do and that you all see it. Thank for the compliments and your opinions. I always say it, but it is very humbling. Cool! And you're a brave man to peen pins on thin bone... It was a little nerve racking that is for sure I took it very slowly, and used a tiny hammer. Even then, I kept waiting for one to crack. Wonderful. I like all the different materials, surfaces and how they play together. One minor point of critique is the plunge cut... I would have preferred to see it curving towards the point a bit, not with the grind straight up all the way to the spine. But that's really nit-picking. Lovely work all around. Wes! This is fantastic work My only nitpick, is like Lukas I would like to see the plunge go towards the blade at the spine. Otherwise it is beauty in every form! The hamon is exceptional, and the bone framed by the forge finish handle with the notch cut out for the copper washer is genius, truly beautiful design! You have blended the different textures and created something really terrific! Lukas and Emiliano - You are absolutely correct about the plunge. I had originally intended the plunge to be a bit more sweeping, and it originally was, but then a quick moment of inattention quickly changed that plan. It was a bit frustrating and I had to walk away from the knife for a little while because I was so frustrated. I thought about not finishing it because of that, but I figured that I would see it through, and I am glad that I did. Even with that flaw, I am satisfied with it. And thank you both for the compliments. Emiliano - that is high praise indeed, thank you! “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer." -Albert Camus http://www.krakenforge.net/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Giagni Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I agree with everyone, that's a beautiful knife. I think the handle is my favorite part. The contrast between the rough textures in the copper and steel, and the smoothness of the bone is just perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh A Weston Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Excellent! The combination of the materials works incredibly well plus that hamon! Beautiful work. The Pixel Smith Facebook Etsy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orien M Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Fabulous piece, Wes...the lines and textures are awesome, the hamon looks like it's on fire! wow that hamon is crazy nice...!!! are those vertical lines in the blade there from the etch? when i did my last vinegar based etch it looked bad after i had such a deep etch... like there were scratches in the blade. But yours look deliberate... and add to the effect I hand sanded to like 3000g too Responding to this because I know exactly what caused those lines. It has nothing to do with sanding or polishing; those are bubble tracks, running up from the hamon/habuchi during the etch. I've had some truly severe versions of this from etching with the edge up, rather than down...the bubbles ran up and across the hamon, completely destroying the surface. The blade had to be completely re-finished to get the 'tracks' out, too... My hand-forged knives and tools at Etsy.com: http://www.etsy.com/shop/oldschooltools Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Page Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I absolutely love the contrasting textures you have going on here! The finish you got on the firescale in the handle is spectacular, and with the bone copper it's darn near perfect! That's too bad about the bubbles leaving tracks in the steel, I was going to say something about that but you're obviously already on top of it. Keep up the good work! John Not all those who wander are lost. -J.R.R. Tolkien-Shards of the Dark Age- my blog-Nine Worlds Workshop--Last Apocalypse Forge- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Responding to this because I know exactly what caused those lines. It has nothing to do with sanding or polishing; those are bubble tracks, running up from the hamon/habuchi during the etch. I've had some truly severe versions of this from etching with the edge up, rather than down...the bubbles ran up and across the hamon, completely destroying the surface. The blade had to be completely re-finished to get the 'tracks' out, too... Interesting. I've had bubble spots, but not tracks. I was suspecting it might be "ghost" grinder marks left over from the low grit stages, brought out in the etch the same way you can revive ground-off serial numbers on a pistol frame. Then again, that works because the numbers are stamped, and etching reveals the subtle difference in hardness that causes. That shouldn't work with grinding prior to HT, but stranger things have happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orien M Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 (edited) I feel pretty bad to add my horrific botch photo to Wes's awesome thread ...but it shows the effect, and the damage I'm talking about. This is a shear steel blade, sanded to 600 and etched 24 hours in vinegar, edge-up. After discovering this awful surface, I sanded (almost) all of the damage out, and re-etched with the blade facing edge-down; The hamon came out looking almost normal. I have gotten the little ripple-track effect before when etching correctly, too. Edited January 6, 2016 by Orien M My hand-forged knives and tools at Etsy.com: http://www.etsy.com/shop/oldschooltools Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Detrick Posted January 6, 2016 Author Share Posted January 6, 2016 Again, thank you everyone for the wonderful comments; I am glad that everyone has so many good things to say. You make me blush like a little girl Fabulous piece, Wes...the lines and textures are awesome, the hamon looks like it's on fire! Responding to this because I know exactly what caused those lines. It has nothing to do with sanding or polishing; those are bubble tracks, running up from the hamon/habuchi during the etch. I've had some truly severe versions of this from etching with the edge up, rather than down...the bubbles ran up and across the hamon, completely destroying the surface. The blade had to be completely re-finished to get the 'tracks' out, too... Wow, thanks for the great information Orien, and John. Hmmm, totally lame. See I etched this knife point down in my enchant tube, so that would explain exactly why your lines in your photo run parallel to the edge, and mine run vertically to the edge. Is there a way to prevent this? Maybe something to break up the bubbles in the enchant. Would dish soap work, since i know that can help decrease the surface tension. (Orien - please add as many pictures as you like, I am here for the education, and I totally appreciate you doing that) “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer." -Albert Camus http://www.krakenforge.net/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin carnecchia Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Beautiful knife, fantastic hamon and great use of materials in the handle. As to the marks, the way I heard it explained it, is that they are caused by residual strain at the bottom of the grinding scratch causing a difference at the rate the steel is being etched. So they're not scratches, but the steels memory of scratches if you will. You'll only see them above the hamon because that part of the blade isn't going above critical during heat treat. if you add one more normalization after grinding, it should help with that (assuming you take it to 200g or so prior). If I remember correctly, this theory was postulated by Kevin Cashen, and there is a discussion about it somewhere on the ABS forum. I can't speak as to whether it is correct, but I can verify that adding one more normalization step post grinding helps. Visit wrencoforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 That's what I was getting at with the serial number analogy, thanks! I don't think a vertical point-down etch would leave crosswise marks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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