Wick, you was right

[Old Creek]

i finally fired the forge up inspired to try to make a paring size knife from an old nicholson flat/round file i have had for over 20 years so i thought it might have been pretty good steel, just like you warned WIck on about the 4th heat it split. wasted coal and wasted time anad both are at a premium here in north west fla.

back to the drawing board.

creek

 

[LRB]

Not necessarily right in this case. Files don't normally get micro cracking from use, because if they flex very far, they break. However, they are sensitive to over heating on the one hand, and on forging too cold on the other. I'm sure a little tricky. All my file blades were stock removal.

 

[Old Creek]

Thanks Wick, it was my first try since high school and i may have had it to hot, i was going through coal pretty fast. first try at a coal forge as well.
I dont expect to make any high quality knives any year soon but i have a whole bunch of spring out of some old roll up doors in a couple of sizes and i am going to use it to learn how to move the metal around with hammers and learn some shaping. it looks like gas is going to be something to look into to, coal is hard to come by unless ordered and the shipping cost more than the coal.

creek