Busy on the Forge

[jcmcclure]

The temps have been cooling off and I have been taking a little time to forge some blades that will be my bad weather projects this winter. Opinions and comments are welcomed.

 

[swathdiver]

They look mighty fine to me sir! Nice shape to the blades and wide shanks on the last two for comfortable handles. I made one for my wife and it had a narrow shank for the scales and is not as comfortable for her to use as the others, even though it has a great blade shape like yours.

 

[Nifeman]

Good looking blades ya got going. Gonna have to post the finished knives...Bud

 

[Treestalker]

Beautiful blade shapes and nice color forging heat, beautiful pictures. Do you inlet your tangs into the back of your handles then pin in place? I used to forge my tangs centered to leave handle material on top; Most of my blades had full tapered tangs for scales. Looks like you are definitely on the true path! Please let us know what steel you use and tempering methods, etc. Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup: :hatsoff: George.

 

[jcmcclure]

The blade that has color was a piece of 1085 that a member of this board sent to me. The other blades are all files. Wick send me a good message back in the spring about heat treating and I use the method that he shared with me...nothing special, normalizing, quenching, and then I have a small oven that I set on 425 and heat for an hour then cool (X3) and I get the straw color that is needed.

 

[lonehunter]

Nicely done

 

[Artificer]

Nice looking blades. Are the blades taper forged from the backs to the edges? What are the blade lengths and widths?

Gus

 

[jcmcclure]

I do my best to distal tamper the blades and honestly I will have to do some measurements to let you know what the lengths widths etc.

 

[Canute Rex]

I also say "nice shape." Graceful.

One idea that will make your life easier: Finish the face of your anvil. My mastersmith kept a mirror face on his anvil and all the pro blade forgers I ever visited have a mirror finish. If you polish your anvil and your hammer then the only marks in the blade will be the ones you put there. That means a lot less grinding and filing.

I took my most recently purchased anvil to a local machine shop and had them surface grind the face and then grind the bottom parallel with it. It's not a mirror, but close enough. Cost me $100, but well worth it for the time and sanding belts saved.

 

[jcmcclure]

I am a 100% self taught learner when it came to smithing. It is always good to hear others have to say and I am always learning something new. Thanks for the info.

 

[BillinOregon]

Nice work JC. The blades I have forged were not worth finishing. Yours look great.
That anvil sure has a lot of character. Any idea what make?

 

[jcmcclure]

It is a Fisher and at some point I knew the dates on it....as best I can remember its an early (first decade) 20th century. I have forgotten how I determined that, but thats what I remember.

 

[hoochiepapa]

I like your work. Lots of work.