What did you do in your shop today?

[Gerald Boggs]

Nice looking BillyO

 

Along with a few bits of other stuff, finished the handle and the axe play.  I wanted to see how simple doing this way would be and I think it's about as simple as it can get.  For those interested, stock was 1 1/4 by 5/16 mild.   The story about the first photo, I accidentally welded all of it and what you see, is three heats with a chisel.  Then after hammering the hell out of it, at the very last bit, the rest pops open :-(  Had to re-weld the whole thing.

 

 

[Mike Powell]

On 3/22/2020 at 8:32 PM, Alex Middleton said:

4" should do the trick to straighten your bevels out.  Just take it slow and you'll be fine.

Thanks to Alex we salvaged a rookie over zealous filing session!  We quenched this evening and he had a few of those walnut blanks stabilized.  Here are a few photos of them after knocking down the resin with 120 grit.

Any comments on best looking and best sides for the scales?

[billyO]

Thanks, Gerald!  

 

51 minutes ago, Mike Powell said:

Any comments on best looking and best sides for the scales?

Not sure about the best looking side, but one thing I pay attention to is to make sure the grain pattern doesn't allow for something like below as this can be a weak spot (especially with stabilized pieces) and I've had scales split here when then knife was dropped.  (Hope I'm getting my point across...)

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by billyO

[Mike Ward]

Finally made my own bench in my dads boat shop. Nice and sturdy for handsanding and a view too.

 

[Garry Keown]

Got these done today. A PH EDC (4 5/8 1095 blade) and  Hunter Skinner with 4  in 1084 blade) and both with paper micarta bolster and canvas micarta scales. Both going to Zimbabwe ( gifted) to a professional hunter and his wife who just passed her PH test.

 

[Chris Christenberry]

Nice, as always, Garry.

[Chris Christenberry]

Well, with no propane in-house, I've been twiddling my thumbs.  Repair kit for my Oxygen regulator arrived in the mail today, so I rebuilt it.................yup, "in the shop".  Great accomplishment, huh?

[Garry Keown]

Another one waiting for a sheath. Maple burl on a 3 inch EDC. Not the best pic but will get to that when all done and it goes in my various knives thread

[Gerald Boggs]

47 minutes ago, Chris Christenberry said:

Well, with no propane in-house

Why no propane?

[Alan Longmire]

1 hour ago, Gerald Boggs said:

Why no propane?

I assume he's out? IIRC Chris also has some post-surgery weight lifting restrictions. Slinging tanks is out for a while, in other words.

[Chris Christenberry]

Exactly, Alan.  Two more weeks from tomorrow until my weight restriction is lifted.  I've got two 20 pounders and one 100 pounder...............all empty.  But if the Mayor of our little metropolis still has us on lock down with non essential business' closed, I may still not be able to have any for a while.

[Chris Christenberry]

3 hours ago, Garry Keown said:

Another one waiting for a sheath. Maple burl on a 3 inch EDC. Not the best pic but will get to that when all done and it goes in my various knives thread

 

 

Garry,

 

I just threw that pic into Photoshop and lightened the handle up.  Boy, that's a beautiful piece of burl in that handle.  WOW!

[Garry Keown]

9 minutes ago, Chris Christenberry said:

 

Garry,

 

I just threw that pic into Photoshop and lightened the handle up.  Boy, that's a beautiful piece of burl in that handle.  WOW!

Yes and I have a few more handles worth in the shelf but unfortunately we are in lockdown with the post office deemed unnessary so I get to enjoy it for a few more weeks till the madness starts to fade.

[Gerald Boggs]

36 minutes ago, Chris Christenberry said:

Mayor of our little metropolis still has us on lock down with non essential business' closed,

That's too bad, in Virginia, just about the only places non essential are bars and social event places.  The Gov did "Stay in Place" today, but if you read the limitations, it's mostly to stop large gatherings.

[Ron Benson]

47 minutes ago, Gerald Boggs said:

That's too bad, in Virginia, just about the only places non essential are bars and social event places.  The Gov did "Stay in Place" today, but if you read the limitations, it's mostly to stop large gatherings.

Don't forget the Gov also said gun ranges are also non-essential...

[Jeremy Blohm]

Forged a ball peen hammer from a chisel plow tine.

[Zeb Camper]

3 hours ago, Gerald Boggs said:

That's too bad, in Virginia, just about the only places non essential are bars and social event places.  The Gov did "Stay in Place" today, but if you read the limitations, it's mostly to stop large gatherings

 On the steel industry side; the local suppliers cant get any more steel, the powder coater cant get powder, fencing installers cant order any product, etc. So what we're seeing is everything "essential" will be shut down and laying off very soon because the whole system is bound up like a coon dog passing a peach seed. The first place to lay off was the railroad. Same with anywhere else I'm sure, just looking at it from my perspective here. I know this had nothing to do with your statement, my bad. Hope you track down some propane, Chris!

 

Edit: thanks @Chris Christenberry I felt guilty about posting the full size so I cropped it a bit. But I'd hate to rob you of the full size:

 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by Zeb Camper

[Chris Christenberry]

Lovely shot, Zeb.  Serenity is welcomed amid chaos.  I downloaded your pic to Photoshop and lightened and finally realized there was a blade in the pic.    Cool.  Still like the pic, though.

[Gerald Boggs]

2 hours ago, Ron Benson said:

Don't forget the Gov also said gun ranges are also non-essential...

NOOOOO!!!! :-0

Edited March 31, 2020 by Gerald Boggs

[Gerald Boggs]

Just checked,  so far it's only indoor, so Colonial in Richmond is down, but I belong to Rivanna rifle and Pistol Club, plenty of outdoor ranges.

[Garry Keown]

Another done. A Safari knife with gidgee over ss bolster. That is about all on the bench for now. Needs a final clean up and sharpen with sheathwork still to come

 

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by Garry Keown

[Garry Keown]

With a bit of the day left I had a play at the forge this afternoon. I often get short pieces left from the bars I cut the blades from and have been giving them away to those who forge here in NZ but decided to have a go and see if my hand would stand the hammering. Have finger damage from lifetime of using hammers etc in the building industry and was surprised that it held out for this but I wouldn't want to do it every day. Neighbors cat has adopted me and is often in the shed and I know the grinder going dosent bother him but thought the hammering might. His camping up on one of the soft mats says it dosent.
I managed to gain near 2 1/2 inches from the short end of steel so quite pleased although didn't get the tang step down as I would like it so may have to revisit that area. Fairly sure I can salvage something from this exercise. Have it normalised (3 times) and cooling in the vise till I get back to it

Edited March 31, 2020 by Garry Keown

[Gerhard Gerber]

Finally started the handle on my first subhilt, didn't figure on the spacing being an issue but at this point I suspect I might need to learn and make this handle twice

While I was soldering on the subhilt the guard came loose again

 

Was planning on brass and rosewood, but I think I'm going to chicken out and use Tuffnol instead of the Rosewood....wood is not generally my friend

[Gerhard Gerber]

Theses blades are from 3mm thick 60mm wide 1070, and they stayed straight.

Shout-out to @Joshua States, thanks to your advice these are the best grinds I've done so far.

I did a hollow grind almost behind the edge and then ground out the hollow on a slack belt.

I put on a new belt for the one blade and it got away from me a bit and ate away the spine, I managed to blend this in, and since it stayed straight I dare say it's a better blade thanks to that slip.

One blade I only sanded with 400 grit post HT, the other I went back to 180 and up to 600.

Both a gifts and the recipients are obviously very pleased, I'd appreciate some opinions on whether I should sand the other blade more as well

[Gerhard Gerber]

This is a His & Her's set ordered by her, but they are no longer an item, so I get to choose what the handle looks like and they will go to good homes.

14C28N, shout-out to @Garry Keown, plate quench in foil worked a treat!
Process used was heat up to 850C (put the blade in at about 700C), ramp to 1050C and hold for 15 minutes, ramp to 1100C, hold for 5 minutes and quench.

For the larger blade I turned of the kiln and let it cool down with the blade inside, turned the kiln on at about 750C and followed the same process as above.

The smaller blade came out with a green tinge, the larger blade with rainbow colours, but both are hard.

The larger blade had a wobble in the edge, because it is wider and the hollow grind the whole bevel was super thin, major part of the reason I went the foil route. Managed to pull it within grinding range during the second temper cycle.