KITH 2019 WIP

[MichaelP]

1095 and 15N20, seven layers folded to fourteen, folded to twenty-eight, folded to fifty-six, then twisted. I'll get some pics of a blade blank with an etch later in the week. I'm thinking about a friction folder with a Whitetail tine handle with some copper or pure nickel elements but I'm still not set on the final design. More to come!

edit-for reasons beyond my technical understanding the photos loaded in the reverse order. I'm better with hammer and anvil than computers

Edited January 14, 2019 by MichaelP

[MichaelP]

Update. I spent the day at the Ms Craft Center and walked away with some goodies that have my head swimming as far as options. I hand hammered some cable and got a quick etch in muriatic. I used the press there to draw down some wrought from 1 1/2" square to 3/8" flat bar and now I'm wondering if there is a way to incorporate the wrought into a blade as small as the KITH project. The little 1095-15N20 blade turned out pretty slick but it is just a simple twist pattern. Ahg! too many choices and I really want to up my game on this one. I have a cold rainy weekend ahead so I'll get some more photos of some of my material options up and hopefully some of the other entrants will chime in with preferences.

[Zeb Camper]

You could do multibar. What blade shape are you using, and how big? 

[MichaelP]

The parameters for KITH are max blade length of 4". The friction folder I originally envisioned would be a slender, upswept point that would roughly match the curve of a whitetail antler tine. Now that I have the wrought I'm thinking about a small seax or maybe even a friction folder with a seax type blade. It's not a very large canvas to work on so I don't know how busy I can make the patern and still have it work visually. I have spent the past six years or so making blades in the 5" to 7" range, overall length of 10" to 12". That's the comfort zone and I really want to break out of it. That's why I signed up for this and now I'm thinking a smaller knife is going to offer as many challenges as a larger blade! I think I want to stay with a friction folder because that's already outside my norm. I'm sticking with simple steels and or low alloys because that's what I can heat treat but other than that I'm hoping to expand on what I've been doing. This site has really opened my eyes to the way larger blades were historically "built up" from smaller pieces. For this project I would like to come up with something more historically accurate in it's method of construction while staying in the size range.

[Zeb Camper]

You are right about small blades being a challenge. Everything has to be perfect because there isnt much there. Historically speaking, I'll bet these smaller blades wouldnt have been patterned. But, san mai or a piled (layered) construction is more likely. 

If you want some historical inspiration, check out the book "knives and scabbards" (medieval finds from excavations in London). I bought it on Jeroen's reccomendation. 

But, do whatever you want! Who's to say they would have never done a tiny blade in patternweld? I plan on doing mine like this. Mine will only be reminiscent of history. 

I edited the proper name in. Its got a picture of a dude filing on a handle. 

Edited January 18, 2019 by Zeb Camper

[MichaelP]

Thanks for the book recommendation! I don't need much prodding to expand my library and that sounds like a good resource.