Recent content by billyO

Thanks, Alden. I can't wait to use it. (I finished it a day before taking a 3 week leave from the shop).

Finished the new clamshell ribbon burner forge for the shop... And now that that's finished...my first completed knife in over a year... 8" crushed-w's chef's knife for my brother

I've used a utility knife, aka box-cutter. I suppose you could just coat it with some ITC-100 or other ceramic coating. If the Insboard was on the floor, or if you think it'll get abused by putting steel in and out, I'd use some refractory for extra protection. But if only on the...

Not sure I'd use the word "grinding", but yeah. I'd use a flap wheel (not a grinding disc) on an angle grinder just to soften the sharp corners. Like Doug said, you don't want to grind through the hardened face, so having a machined flat surface is not necessarily the goal here.

It's a decent size, so there might be plenty of good, usable face and edges after dressing.

Good morning, Haines. Not enough info (pictures or rebound information) to answer your question. Kinda like taking a picture of the hood ornament and asking how much the car is worth.

This is completely dependent on who you ask. While I haven't done a survey, I'd wager that some will say yes, it's less desirable, but most won't care. But if it were truly looked on as "less desirable", then less makers (well-known or not) would do it.

If they are unstabilized, then it's a reasonable price, IMO.

In general, keeping your extremities as close to the body and minimizing the joints that move is proper ergonomics and good practice when using any tool (or doing most functional activities outside of athletics, says the ex-physical therapist with 12 years of occupational rehab experience)...

$35 ea or $35 for all three?

If you have a metal scrap yard within driving distance you'll find something there. A manhole cover, a piece of schedule 80 pipe and a top plate is all you need. Our local one often has a pile of manhole covers or other plate steel that would be ideal.

Hello all, I wasn't sure if this goes here or the for sale section, but seeing as how I'm not selling it, only trying to let folks know it's available, I thought I'd start here. (Moderators, feel free to move if inappropriate.) One of my best friends, mentor and well-known blacksmith up here...

As indicated above, it depends on what you want the final product to look like, but it's not quite as simple as that (as with most things in blacksmithing). There are a few things to consider if you are trying to control the final outcome. One of the main things you need to consider is that...

Do a google search for your local blacksmith organization. A lot of knifemakers are also blacksmiths.