Rob Toneguzzo Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 (edited) Hi Guys, I was sitting on my back deck today and was having a creative conflict. I know I have a Seax sheath to finish and was doing some research to get inspiration for that but instead I became distracted with some very cool examples of the smaller broken back Seax and decided to fire the forge. I started with a sandwich of 1075, 15n20 and 1075 and forge welded it together. I then cut grooves in that billet with my bur grinder and did the same on an old post drill shaft. Then I cut a thin strip of 15n20 and did the most dodgy stack ever created as you can clearly see. Anyhow despite that I set the welds and forged out the blade. (Blade is about 5 inches) complete with messy borax scale. More to come as time permits. Edited May 9, 2020 by Rob Toneguzzo 3 "Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes" - Tom HALL - Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary LT Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 I am all eyes watching Rob. I have something “vaguely” similar in process. Not sure if it will work but yours gives me hope! Gary LT 1 "I Never Met A Knife I Didn't Like", (Will Rogers) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Toneguzzo Posted May 10, 2020 Author Share Posted May 10, 2020 Thanks Gary, good luck with your project. Did a rough grind before heat treat tonight. Boy an overnight soak in vinegar and a new belt makes such a difference. 3 "Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes" - Tom HALL - Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua States Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 Whoa. Dodgy or not, that looks like it worked a treat. Sometimes you just have to jump on those inspirations when you get them. 1 “So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.” The only bad experience is the one from which you learn nothing. Josh http://www.dosgatosdesignsllc.com/#! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg J.States Bladesmith | Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71 https://www.etsy.com/shop/JStatesBladesmith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 Looks good so far! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Myers Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 Is that the wolf's tooth design I hear about?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Toneguzzo Posted May 11, 2020 Author Share Posted May 11, 2020 8 hours ago, Brian Myers said: Is that the wolf's tooth design I hear about?? Essentially yes Brian but a rough dodgy way of going about it. My aim here was more to get a wavy line through the blade rather than a tooth pattern hence the wavy grooves and 15n20 between. If I was going to do a wolf tooth I would take more care in cutting and matching up the teeth bringing them to points rather than curves. I would also make more contrast in the steels like a twist or multi layer bar etc and I would not put the layer in between. I have a plan for a toothy blade in my head. Anyhow quench/ heat treat went well and I got a bit of a glimpse of the worm in the weld. Now to go through the grits and etch. 3 "Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes" - Tom HALL - Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Toneguzzo Posted May 12, 2020 Author Share Posted May 12, 2020 Well I have had some great success and learned some lessons with this. I am very happy and not so happy With this blade. Good thing is I know exactly where I went wrong and what to do next time. Pros - I am happy with the blade geometry. The welds were spot on. I got a cracker heat treat. One side of the blade pattern was exactly what I was hoping for. Cons - The other side of the blade pattern is not exactly what I was hoping for. Where I went wrong - I chose to do a san mai stack for the lower part of this blade but even though I forged it to the blade geometry I was after I did not take into account the thin layers of 1075 sandwiching the 15n20 were not forged even and when it came to final grind I lost the contrast I was after due to the uneven distribution of my san mai layers. If I was doing this again instead of 3 layers I would have gone for 12 or more or stuck with a solid bar of 1075 instead of the same mai. Anyhow I have learnt heaps from this which is what it’s all about and hopefully it may also be of help for someone else. Now....All I have to do is make a kick arse handle to hopefully redeem myself 3 "Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes" - Tom HALL - Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Christenberry Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 Well it may not have been exactly what you were after, but I think it turned out really nice. Honestly, I like it. Chris www.chrischristenberry.com WHEW!!! If I could only know now what I "thought" I knew back then.................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 Agreed! I see what you were going for, but I like what you got as well. Congrats on a tough weld! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Toneguzzo Posted May 12, 2020 Author Share Posted May 12, 2020 Thanks guys , I really see how pattern welding becomes so darn addictive! I’m already planning the next one. 1 "Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes" - Tom HALL - Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dougherty Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 Cool! Now you have me thinking though -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua States Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 (edited) 8 hours ago, Rob Toneguzzo said: Thanks guys , I really see how pattern welding becomes so darn addictive! I’m already planning the next one. We gots him we did. Infected another one we have. Heh heh heh. I know how you feel about that blade. Dang it does look great on that one side though. The other side still looks cool, but put a handle on that suckah and let it live. Edited May 13, 2020 by Joshua States 1 “So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.” The only bad experience is the one from which you learn nothing. Josh http://www.dosgatosdesignsllc.com/#! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg J.States Bladesmith | Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71 https://www.etsy.com/shop/JStatesBladesmith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Toneguzzo Posted May 13, 2020 Author Share Posted May 13, 2020 1 hour ago, Joshua States said:. The other side still looks cool, but put a handle on that suckah and let it live. Josh......I feel a handle idea coming on.... still a bit cloudy but I am sure it will get clearer with the help of a few after work beers. 1 "Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes" - Tom HALL - Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Colwell Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 well those welds are awesome! The sanmai thing cause me nightmares (or at least headaches). I have to do a lot of sanmai because it was standard on Chinese swords made for the army/emperor and most of the ones owned by wealthy people. I have gotten really obsessive. I have a milling machine, and for the last weld, the one that creates the sanmai billet, I mill all the pieces flat. Plus, I weigh them, and I make sure each of the outside plates is the same thickness and has the same mass. That way, the center plate is in the center given the mass and the volume. If you start it out that way, it will end up that way. Or, at least, it will end up that way unless you really work hard to shift it. Even then, I am not 100% certain you could shift it very far. That's been my experience, anyway. But, if there is a difference in the mass or volume on either side of the center, you are in trouble. For what it's worth. I think that blade looks really good. Especially the side that came out as you wished. I agree that it should live, too. 1 please visit my website http://www.professorsforge.com/ “Years ago I recognized my kinship with all living things, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on the earth. I said then and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.” E. V. Debs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Toneguzzo Posted May 14, 2020 Author Share Posted May 14, 2020 9 hours ago, Kevin Colwell said: well those welds are awesome! The sanmai thing cause me nightmares (or at least headaches). I have to do a lot of sanmai because it was standard on Chinese swords made for the army/emperor and most of the ones owned by wealthy people. I have gotten really obsessive. I have a milling machine, and for the last weld, the one that creates the sanmai billet, I mill all the pieces flat. Plus, I weigh them, and I make sure each of the outside plates is the same thickness and has the same mass. That way, the center plate is in the center given the mass and the volume. If you start it out that way, it will end up that way. Or, at least, it will end up that way unless you really work hard to shift it. Even then, I am not 100% certain you could shift it very far. That's been my experience, anyway. But, if there is a difference in the mass or volume on either side of the center, you are in trouble. For what it's worth. I think that blade looks really good. Especially the side that came out as you wished. I agree that it should live, too. Thanks Kevin, really appreciate the advice and it makes very good sense. "Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes" - Tom HALL - Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Toneguzzo Posted May 26, 2020 Author Share Posted May 26, 2020 Well I have some more progress on this build. I sourced the wood from an old rifle stock and decided on copper fittings. Now on to some carving. 2 "Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes" - Tom HALL - Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Christenberry Posted May 26, 2020 Share Posted May 26, 2020 Really liking this knife, Rob. Anxious to see what you do in the way of carving. 1 Chris www.chrischristenberry.com WHEW!!! If I could only know now what I "thought" I knew back then.................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Toneguzzo Posted May 27, 2020 Author Share Posted May 27, 2020 In the past I have almost exclusively used a dremel to carve but this time I have used some chisels and gouges I made from an old rasp. Very slow careful going but here is the progress so far. 2 "Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes" - Tom HALL - Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Christenberry Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 I really like the design, Rob. No offense intended, but you need some real wood carving tools. You're tearing the wood fibers and not cutting them. Your cuts should be almost shiny. A set of Dockyard miniature tools would be an excellent choice for knife handle carving. 1 Chris www.chrischristenberry.com WHEW!!! If I could only know now what I "thought" I knew back then.................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Toneguzzo Posted May 27, 2020 Author Share Posted May 27, 2020 38 minutes ago, Chris Christenberry said: I really like the design, Rob. No offense intended, but you need some real wood carving tools. You're tearing the wood fibers and not cutting them. Your cuts should be almost shiny. A set of Dockyard miniature tools would be an excellent choice for knife handle carving. No offence taken and I appreciate the advice. Will look that up Chris. Thanks.Did some test clean up with sandpaper so will see how it comes up. "Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes" - Tom HALL - Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Myers Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 I got my ex a set of carving tools from Flexcut. They've changed their lineup over the years, but this is their basic set. And I can attest...these suckers are sharp! I actually tried to test the edge of the chip knife by running my thumb across the edge, like I've done with hundreds of knives...and it cut me like a laser! https://www.flexcut.com/home/product/fr310-beginners-palm-set 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Christenberry Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 (edited) 9 hours ago, Rob Toneguzzo said: No offence taken and I appreciate the advice. Will look that up Chris. Thanks.Did some test clean up with sandpaper so will see how it comes up. I keep forgetting commercial links are allowed here on this forum. Here's where I get mine. https://mountainwoodcarvers.com/collections/dockyard These are really miniature tools. The handles are about the diameter of a pencil................but man are these tools perfect for what you are doing. Edited May 27, 2020 by Chris Christenberry 1 Chris www.chrischristenberry.com WHEW!!! If I could only know now what I "thought" I knew back then.................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Toneguzzo Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 Well here it is all finished. Had some challenges but I learnt heaps and am overall happy with the result. I will be taking Chris’s advice and get some finer carving tools. 4 "Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes" - Tom HALL - Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Christenberry Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 I like it, Rob. I've never carved a knife handle, but will certainly consider it for the future. Chris www.chrischristenberry.com WHEW!!! If I could only know now what I "thought" I knew back then.................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now