Knife making competition

[southey]

Found a rusty old file behind a wood shed, I have annealed I it in a camp fire, will get too filing the bevel before bending.

[S.C.M.]

*snip*

One showing how it fits in my hand.

Overall I really like this knife. I've put about 20 hours into it and the rewards are great. I'm also very pleased with the purple heart scales a the colour is all natural and I think the bras bolster and pins are a very nice compliment.

Hope you all like.

interestingly, the knife looks best in your hand, IMHO. Pity you can't see much of the handle, as the colour looks good in that photo.


also, are we allowed to make a knife, post it, then say, actually, I think this one is better, I'll enter this one in the comp?

[dave53]

Made own blade

1, abominable_scouse_monster
2, Belabear
3, DaveBromley
4, Bilmo
5, Fat ferret
6, TurboGirl
7, southey
8,leighwill
9, Dave53...... Heat treament needed.

Bought or modified blade

1, angst
2, mountainm
3,man of tanith
4, Dannytsg
5, Water Gypsy
6, resnikov
7, dave53
8,

Pro

1, Brancho
2, HillBill
3, Lannyman8
4, Gill
5, Stew
6,
7,
8,

[capt.dunc]

S.C.M

so ... what did you make the blade from, capt.dunc?

i used some iron bar, no idea of its carbon content, but i had the blade out in the woods the other day and it holds a good edge (it's the second knife i've cut from this bar and the first one has held it's point during throwing practice as well as it's edge). you can see the bar in my first picture and if you look at the end nearest the blade you'll notice it's flared out a bit where i was thinning and widening it on the anvil, i should of taken a picture before i removed the rough shaped knife from the stock.

[capt.dunc]

ps the iron cost about 6 quid i can't remember the exact price, leather was some free off cuts from a friend, as was the antler.

[grey- array]

Made own blade

1, abominable_scouse_monster
2, Belabear
3, DaveBromley
4, Bilmo
5, Fat ferret
6, TurboGirl
7, southey
8,leighwill
9, Dave53...... Heat treament needed.
10, grey-array ( Hand Forged blade, first timer)

Bought or modified blade

1, angst
2, mountainm
3,man of tanith
4, Dannytsg
5, Water Gypsy
6, resnikov
7, dave53
8,

Pro

1, Brancho
2, HillBill
3, Lannyman8
4, Gill
5, Stew
6,
7,
8,


I made the blade I'm going to use for the contest at the moot, after having looked at two of Dave Budd's demo's, I so very cheekily asked him If I could possibly make myself a blade for the competition, and as the clouds parted, the birds sang, and the fiery liquids ( yeah Dave your forge water made quite an impression ^^) stirred the stomages of the faint. he decided to give me a chance, again thank you Dave ( Ruud on his bare knees)
Having never done anything as forging it was quite the adventure but here we go this is my blade its just over 4 inches long
with a tang of 4 and 3/4 of an inch.
The blade tapers near the edge which was quite a challenge, and then to get the bend right, but it went pretty nicely ( beginners luck thank you very much ^^)
and the spine thickness is about 2 mm.






The spine is a bit edgy but then again, its fresh from the forge. What is your guys opinion file the spine smooth
or just go for that nice straight from the forge look so you can see the quality of the smith ( okay might not be to good at this point but then again its shows that its genuine right? )
Throw some opinions in
ps The steel I'm not sure about which it was anymore, but I will pm Dave about that
Yours sincerely Ruud

pps better build myself a forge, I got the bug

[HillBill]

Nice one.

Its your knife mate, you should do with it what pleases you.

[Angst]

respect to the man ruud.....i'm jealous!!!!!!!! well done m8! wish i coulda been there....

a

[grey- array]

Nice one.

Its your knife mate, you should do with it what pleases you.

That is very true Mark, thanks, I will keep the genuine look so I always will have my first attempt to look back onto.
Raw and un-filed so I can see where I came from
Yours sincerely Ruud

[grey- array]

respect to the man ruud.....i'm jealous!!!!!!!! well done m8! wish i coulda been there....

a

Thanks Angst, and hey hope to see you on next years moot then ey ^^
yours sincerely Ruud

[Dark Horse Dave]

Hi all

I know I put my name down for this competition right at the start, but I fell off the list somewhere along the line. I've been on my hols too, so haven't kept up with things. Anyway, while I was away I had a go at making a handle for a stick tang blade. This is my second attempt, and I've tried to learn from the good advice I got on my first (here, if anyone's interested: http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=77834).

It's a Polar 77mm hammered carbon blade (£16), a brass bolster (£3) and a lump of birds eye maple (£8). I'm quite pleased with it, though Mrs DHD reckons the handle is a bit too wide. I think I'll leave it as it is though, and have a go at another one (it's good fun, and I can see how people get into it as a hobby).

Anyway, enough rambling; here it is:

[Dannytsg]

Nice work DHD

[HillBill]

Nice one

[brancho]

Ruud and DHD those are looking good

[warrenbond]

Ill enter this if thats ok.
got a couple of ideas and this will be the kick up the **** i need to get started

[HillBill]

Hows it going Warren?

I'm trying new things too, should be interesting.

Glad to have you aboard mate.

[warrenbond]

Its all good Mark thanks, hope your well mate.
not done much lately had a few weeks off watching the olympics, these should be ok when i get them done though
looking forward to seeing what you come up with mate

[HillBill]

I'm good thanks.

Aye, looking forward to yours too, as well as everyone elses Be good to see what folk can conjure in the name of friendly competition.

Put you on the list mate.

[HillBill]

Made own blade

1, abominable_scouse_monster
2, Belabear
3, DaveBromley
4, Bilmo
5, Fat ferret
6, TurboGirl
7, southey
8,leighwill
9, Dave53...... Heat treament needed.
10, grey-array ( Hand Forged blade, first timer)

Bought or modified blade

1, angst
2, mountainm
3,man of tanith
4, Dannytsg
5, Water Gypsy
6, resnikov
7, dave53
8,

Pro

1, Brancho
2, HillBill
3, Lannyman8
4, Gill
5, Stew
6, Warren Bond
7,
8,

[Dark Horse Dave]

Just adding my name to the list:

Made own blade

1, abominable_scouse_monster
2, Belabear
3, DaveBromley
4, Bilmo
5, Fat ferret
6, TurboGirl
7, southey
8,leighwill
9, Dave53...... Heat treament needed.
10, grey-array ( Hand Forged blade, first timer)

Bought or modified blade

1, angst
2, mountainm
3,man of tanith
4, Dannytsg
5, Water Gypsy
6, resnikov
7, dave53
8, Dark Horse Dave

Pro

1, Brancho
2, HillBill
3, Lannyman8
4, Gill
5, Stew
6, Warren Bond
7,
8,

[HillBill]

Sorry mate, missed ya.

[grey- array]

Love that Dave, looks like a really nice carver
Yours sincerely Ruud

[Dark Horse Dave]

Thanks for the comments chaps.

I fancy another go now!

[lannyman8]

well as i bunked of work early today i have managed to get the file work finished sand the blade ready for the HT and have set the clay for the Hamon, might try and HT later on then try and polish her up tonight......

here's hoping it turns out ok....

nice work so far gets, this comp should be good.....

[HillBill]

Looking forward to seeing it. Hamon? Hope it turns out well mate, it can really transform a knife.

What steel you using? W2?

[lannyman8]

Looking forward to seeing it. Hamon? Hope it turns out well mate, it can really transform a knife.

What steel you using? W2?

think so its an old rasp type file, the metal is the hardest i have ever worked with, i even annealed another 2 times just to make sure, but its like rock still, i went through 6 drill bits trying to get the holes done.....

the hamon would have looked awesome and was going to be what i really really wanted on it most of all, but the clay was not dry so it flaked off, i dont have time to wait as it needs to be done this weekend, i wont have another chance now until i return from the sandy place......

will sort her out for now and have another "proper" go when i get back, im taking her with me you see....

ahh well, disappointed now...

[HillBill]

If its that bad drilling then it may need a hotter annealing/hardening temp. How did you do it? The clay needs to be pretty thick when doing the hamon.

Chin up mate, hamons and HT can be tried more than once on a piece of high carbon

[lannyman8]

it was annealed to a mid/light orange in my gas forge, having said that the drill bits are a new batch so it could be that i suppose?????

the clay was thick enough, it just did not have time to set totally dry, the moisture turns to steam forcing the clay away from the blade, bummer...

never mind, will have to try again when i come back, and even might just make another the same, its for me so no worries about waiting or rushing to get it done for now.....

[HillBill]

Mate, its the movement of the clay from its initial position as the moisture dries that gives the hamon. The more movement, the thicker the temper line. You get 2 colours, one above one below the temper line. The temper line is the distictive bit. No movement of the clay, no temper line.

Best way to get rid of moisture is to stick it in the oven at 80c or leave the door open. It wont create pressure in the form of steam to move the clay, but it'll dry it. Obviously you dont harden the blade with the clay on, just temper it. It creates a differential temper. But it needs a reasonably quick temper or two.

CHIN UP DUDE!!!!!!

[lannyman8]

ok i see now, i always thought it was from the HT with the clay on that formed the hamon??????

so when you temper do you do it to a blue/purple where the clay is not on the blade, and then the clay keeps the blade cooler underneath which means its a harder temper along the edge????