Zeb Camper 528 Posted April 13 @Conner Michaux Ferric is gonna be best. It needs to be diluted with water. 4 parts water to one part ferric. Lots of folks keep it in a big piece of PVC capped on the bottom. Use pipe dope (or whatever that PVC sealant/adhesive stuff is). You can get a cap for the top too. But lemon juice or white vinegar should give you a sneak peek. Doesnt have to be fresh. Just make sure your scale from the quench is cleaned off good. Good luck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conner Michaux 103 Posted April 13 (edited) Okay thanks! Ive got one more question, Can I use the vinegar before heat treat, just to see what pattern it is? Or will it etch to deep to be sanded off? Sorry for the never ending stream of questions! Edited April 13 by Conner Michaux Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeb Camper 528 Posted April 13 3 hours ago, Conner Michaux said: Okay thanks! Ive got one more question, Can I use the vinegar before heat treat, just to see what pattern it is? Or will it etch to deep to be sanded off? Sorry for the never ending stream of questions! You can, but it won't turn out as bold as hardened steel. And don't worry about asking too many questions. It's cheaper to ask questions. Etching actually causes a change in topography on the surface of a blade. The acid or salt will corrode the steel with the most carbon, or the lowest resistant alloys more aggressively than the other. So when you knock the oxides off, one is left lower than the other. The deeper the etch; the more contrast you'll get. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conner Michaux 103 Posted April 13 (edited) 9F73AAE7-A14F-4009-989C-8CA5F45D86AD.MOV Okay! Test etch is done I’m going to sand off the etch, and get ready for heat treat, I didn’t get around to it yesterday. Do you guys have any idea what pattern that is? Edited April 13 by Conner Michaux Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bruno 55 Posted April 13 3 hours ago, Conner Michaux said: Do you guys have any idea what pattern that is? Looking Good Conner. That pattern looks like it started as a small scale crushed W's maybe ? Maybe with a slight twist in it as well. Best I can tell anyway's, could be wrong... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conner Michaux 103 Posted April 13 600 grit on the bevels 400 on flats, that’s probably over kill for a blade that hasn’t been heat treated yet. But hey! It’s practice. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cody Killgore 33 Posted April 13 Finally found the time to build a bench for the coote. Runs great! I opted for the step pulleys on this one. Going to be perfect for what I intend to use it for. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nprovos 109 Posted April 13 We made some hearth steel a couple of weekends ago. Ran into some issues at first but Emiliano came to the rescue with sage advice. Here is a knife from the material after heat treatment. 7 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conner Michaux 103 Posted April 14 Once I sanded it to 600 I re etched for 10 minutes or so, and it got a much darker etch. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Longmire 1,582 Posted April 14 13 hours ago, nprovos said: We made some hearth steel a couple of weekends ago. Ran into some issues at first but Emiliano came to the rescue with sage advice. Here is a knife from the material after heat treatment. Looks great! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Chaddock 5 Posted April 14 Just have to put the final edge on it.....(yesterday) 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joshua States 859 Posted April 14 I made an axe drift. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clifford Brewer 256 Posted April 14 (edited) That looks to be a repurposed jack hammer bit, good score !!............... Bet hammerin it out was a chore though............. Edited April 14 by Clifford Brewer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jake cleland 239 Posted April 14 I ground half my thumbnail off right through the nail bed. I mean, I did some other stuff before that too, but that's the one that sticks in my mind... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joshua States 859 Posted April 14 22 hours ago, nprovos said: We made some hearth steel a couple of weekends ago. Ran into some issues at first but Emiliano came to the rescue with sage advice. Here is a knife from the material after heat treatment. Man that looks cool. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joshua States 859 Posted April 14 2 hours ago, Clifford Brewer said: That looks to be a repurposed jack hammer bit, good score !!............... Bet hammerin it out was a chore though............. You are correct, on both counts, but the 25# LG does wonders. I have several used JH bits. They actually sell them at the tool rental in Home Depot, but these were donated by a contractor friend. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jake cleland 239 Posted April 14 this is what I was working on when I got bit... 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joshua States 859 Posted April 15 (edited) 5 hours ago, jake cleland said: this is what I was working on when I got bit... I always say that the price goes up if it drew blood during the making. That means it has a spirit and knows what its purpose in life really is. BTW-That's a smoking Dirk blade Edited April 15 by Joshua States 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joshua States 859 Posted April 18 That little axe drift was lonely. So, I made him some friends. Other than a little wire wheel cleanup, these are all as-forged. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Longmire 1,582 Posted April 18 What, no spear socket mandrel? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Ward 64 Posted April 18 Little bit of “treat yo self” going on. Top one is for my dad and other two are for me. Should be finished tomorrow. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joshua States 859 Posted April 19 (edited) 15 hours ago, Alan Longmire said: What, no spear socket mandrel? The axeman cometh. Besides, I ran out of jackhammer bits...... Edited April 19 by Joshua States Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gerhard Gerber 169 Posted April 25 I have a new least favourite activity: pop riveting At least I've started with the aluminium cladding on my DIY canopy, DIY rubberizing of the load bed this weekend and maybe....hopefully mounting the canopy. More importantly, maximum 10 days before I can resume knife making.....even looking forward to hand sanding! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Troels Saabye 27 Posted April 25 I demolished 2 walls in a barn(build in the 1940--50's), and removed some iron railing to make room for a new shop at the farm ,hopefully I can sell some forged nails, charcoal and firewood there - during the removal I found what I believe to be Wrought iron in the concrete, but spark testing will hopefully reveal what it is. But that's a project for tomorrow, now I need some rest - smashing concrete with a sledge hammer is hard work.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
