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What Did You Do Today?
osage outlaw:
I did some knife work today. They got 3 normalizing cycles and then a heat treat quenched in warm oil. My little gas forge works but I want to make a new one with kaowool instead of plaster. I need to move the torch inlet more towards the front opening to allow for longer blades. Tomorrow I'll temper them twice for 2 hours at 400 degrees.
From top to bottom the steel is an old machete, an old sawmill blade, and an old file. The machete had a soft tip after the heat and quench. I heated it up a second time and got it hotter than the first attempt. That seemed to do the trick. A sharp file won't cut any of the blades now. I was very happy with how the sawmill blade turned out. I was worried it wouldn't harden enough to make a knife. I have more knife blanks from that steel. I drilled all the holes in the file knife to lighten it up a little. It's a thick file and the holes keep the weight down.
bubby:
Looking good!!!
Danzn Bar:
On your way to some cool knives...
DBar
osage outlaw:
Thanks guys.
Bill, I think I'm going to take the top knife to the trade blanket at the September Scottsburg shoot. I might work on that handle shape a little bit before I finish it up.
lebhuntfish:
Clint, check out YouTube on how to make a coffee can Forge.
A couple of things I picked up is, angle the touch so the flame is swirling inside of the fire chamber. And try using map gas instead of propane. Map gas burns a LOT hotter than propane. That might help some with your current setup. It should get the whole chamber hot for you.
The knives look awesome though! Can't wait to see the finished product!
Patrick
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