Gary Mulkey Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 As I'm waiting on a delivery before I can proceed with my rapier, I've started a new Bowie project. I'm needing something to place in the Best Bowie Knife competition at the AKA Show in Sept. so this hopefully will be my contribution to the competition. This is the start of a cannister mosaic which will eventually get a semi-checkered ivory hilt. I'm doing this one after work, a couple of hours at a time. Hope you enjoy the trip through it's progression. 1 Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clifford Brewer Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 1 If ya can't be good don't git caught !! People who say stuff can't be done need to git the hell outta the way of people who do stuff !!! Show me a man who is called an expert by his peers And I will show you a good man to listen to ...... Show me a man who calls himself an expert and I will show you an egotistical asshole...............!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Christenberry Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Beat me to it, Clifford! Gary, I always enjoy watching your projects. 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...
Brian Dougherty Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Ok teach, I follow what you've done so far, and am trying to visualize the pattern you are going for. Eager to see how close I get 1 -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 I amy not always comment, but I too like watching your threads. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Mulkey Posted June 22, 2020 Author Share Posted June 22, 2020 (edited) The weather here was so hot & humid that I only managed a couple of hours of forge time today. This first photo shows three layers of 30 x 4 "W" pattern separated by multiple layers of both steels. This will give me two layers of 15N20 separated by one layer of 1080 between each of the three W layers. I didn't bother to trim them to length so you can see the back ends of them flaring out on the scrap end of the billet. Normally when preparing to square a billet on the bias I will forge it 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" square. This time in order to bend the added layers of the billet a little more just for effect I forged it 1" x 3" and then squeezed it on the bias in my squaring dies. [ I don't really know how much this will effect the pattern but should help.] Here's the billet squared on the bias (1" x 1") and ready to be cleaned up for a 4-way weld. I'm not positive and will etch the end after the 4-way weld to see what I have before making a decision, but I'm thinking that a second 4-way weld may be called for. Either way it will end up in a canoe for the final weld. Edited June 22, 2020 by Gary Mulkey 3 Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Mulkey Posted June 23, 2020 Author Share Posted June 23, 2020 (edited) 4-way welded pattern (I'm still debating on whether or not to do another 4-way) Handle material Edited June 23, 2020 by Gary Mulkey Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dougherty Posted June 23, 2020 Share Posted June 23, 2020 Cool! Do you think it was compressing down on the 3" dimension with the squaring dies that gave you the tighter pattern between the stripes and the more open pattern in the triangles? -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Mulkey Posted June 23, 2020 Author Share Posted June 23, 2020 Yes. It also added the wavy aspect to the lines. Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Mulkey Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Tiles cut and in annealing oven. 1 Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oberu Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 Man I'd love to at least once, get to play with some toys like you must have to be making tiles and such. My little shop is a blessing but it's without any of the typical stuff like belt grinders or power hammers. Anything I might say that sounds even vaguely negative would be out of shear jealousy. I can't wait to see what you come up with! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerhard Gerber Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 I'm told the saying is "give my left nut" because that's the important one, but I don't need it anymore so I would gladly give it up to spend some time under Gary's tutelage 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Mulkey Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 I didn't manage much shop time today but got the canoe started. Those of you who have taken my class will recognize what I'm doing here. Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Mulkey Posted June 26, 2020 Author Share Posted June 26, 2020 All of the pieces are now in the canoe. I'll try to get the canoe capped (after a coat of white-out) and welded tomorrow. Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Colwell Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 thanks for sharing the detail of your process. I enjoy it a lot. I have been in my, "clean shop" for months, polishing a katana and a guan dao, and I miss forging. I need to finish some hand work and then I can forge some more. The tiles in your "canoe" are cool. I thought you were going to cut angles on them and ferry flip them at first. Always amazes me when that many welds all set just right. I know they don't have much choice in the matter, but it is still always amazing. 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...
Gary Mulkey Posted June 28, 2020 Author Share Posted June 28, 2020 The shop temperature was approaching 105 before I finished but I got the cannister welded today: Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyO Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 49 minutes ago, Gary Mulkey said: The shop temperature was approaching 105 before I finished You are a lot tougher than me....I would have had to stop when it hit 90, and even then I would have questioned why I didn't stop at 85.... 1 RIP Bear....be free! as always peace and love billyO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Mulkey Posted June 29, 2020 Author Share Posted June 29, 2020 I started on the forge today but didn't last long as the summer heat & humidity convinced me to do other things. I opted for handle work and got my ivory handle cut out, slotted and one side checkered before calling it a day. 2 Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Mulkey Posted July 4, 2020 Author Share Posted July 4, 2020 I've been working on other projects recently but got time to forge this blade this evening after work: 1 Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 I like the way that's heading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Mulkey Posted July 4, 2020 Author Share Posted July 4, 2020 10 hours ago, Alan Longmire said: I like the way that's heading. Thanks, Alan. Hopefully it will turn out ok. Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua States Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 Oh I'm sure it will turn out more than OK Gary. 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...
Gary Mulkey Posted July 5, 2020 Author Share Posted July 5, 2020 (edited) I got my first real look at the pattern tonight. I decided to remove the ricasso from this one. I think it looks better without it. I'm still debating one what style of guard to give it. I have enough of the blade steel left to do either a guard or a butt cap. What do you think? Use it or make them from 416? Edited July 5, 2020 by Gary Mulkey 3 Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Christenberry Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 I'm no one to make any suggestions as to what you should do. But I do figure I've enough credibility to say that's one beautiful pattern you've got there. I'm enjoying this build. (oh, and I'm counting the days until the Hammer-in in September!) 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...
Joshua States Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 (edited) 23 hours ago, Gary Mulkey said: What do you think? Seeing as you asked, I'm a fan of high contrast. So I would opt for a 416 Guard, backed by a PW spacer and crown that with a butt cap from the blade steel. If you can get one of those crosses onto the butt of the handle, that would seriously set this off. Oh and I would keep the cross theme going in the guard. double branch with crosses top and bottom. Edited July 6, 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...
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