Basic Basket Weave Pattern

Today I heated it up to about 2100f and fluxed it to keep oxidation to a minimum and began flattening it slowly. It naturally developed high spots at the angles that Needed to be ground off. The main thing is to have it an even thickness otherwise the pattern is altered. Just continued to heat and slowly flatten, grinding away the thick spots as needed until it was flattened completely.

I drew the tang out some but this blade is longer than I need so I will shorten the bar and re-draw a tang later.

I began to form a tip on the anvil being careful to retain my basket weave. Its easy to form a tip by drawing and shaping but that would string out the pattern so I hammered it down and ground away the thickness on both sides several times. This should keep my basket weave pattern. I dont have a picture of what this is to look like so right now its generic shaped. Time to draw a plan and cut off the tang and forge some more later.

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Bruce, I have enjoyed your WIP threads alot. Thanks for sharing your expertise and the time and energy to photo and post.
 
WOW BRuce! That is way cool! I'll bet it is kinda scary folding out that accordian, or is it not to bad after you have done it a few times? This basket weave is an awsome pattern. It has always been one of my favorites.
Do you alway accordian cut yours billets or do you sometimes slice it up into squares and weld it back togethor. I think that is a fairy weld or fairy flip or something maybe?? I was just wondering if you would get more out of it by slicing it and rewelding it. Is it more uniform or just look better to accordian cut the billet?? Thanks for the info.
 
SPAknives said:
WOW BRuce! That is way cool! I'll bet it is kinda scary folding out that accordian, or is it not to bad after you have done it a few times? This basket weave is an awsome pattern. It has always been one of my favorites.
Do you alway accordian cut yours billets or do you sometimes slice it up into squares and weld it back togethor. I think that is a fairy weld or fairy flip or something maybe?? I was just wondering if you would get more out of it by slicing it and rewelding it. Is it more uniform or just look better to accordian cut the billet?? Thanks for the info.
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I like both the looks of the accordian cut and the angle tiled "ferry flip". I honestly think the accordian cut gives a stronger blade because there is no last minute welds that run perpendicular to the blade. Compression plays a big part of forge welding and too much compression can easily change the pattern. I have a broken blade that swayed me back to the old accordian. I dont want to be the final authority and say anything bad about the "flip" method but for a mosaic blade that is also a user I for one am convinced the accordian method is stronger. Some of my prettiest damascus is flipped and welded.
 
GREAT WIP Bruce 2thumbs

I'm not left with any questions at this point but wanted to say thanks for an unusual benefit of this thread.

I scrolled through the entire thread giving laymans explainations to my wife as we went. This thread makes it easily possible for someone who has no clue what a press, flux, forge weld, etch, billet, etc etc etc are to understand whats going on and see how the pattern develops. I think she now GET'S IT in a general sense at least :D

Thanks alot, Josh
 
Josh Dabney said:
GREAT WIP Bruce 2thumbs

I'm not left with any questions at this point but wanted to say thanks for an unusual benefit of this thread.

I scrolled through the entire thread giving laymans explainations to my wife as we went. This thread makes it easily possible for someone who has no clue what a press, flux, forge weld, etch, billet, etc etc etc are to understand whats going on and see how the pattern develops. I think she now GET'S IT in a general sense at least :D

Thanks alot, Josh
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Hi Josh, Thanks for your comments.
There really seems to be lack of questions here. I'm either explaining the steps well or people already know these steps. The title reads "Basic Basket Weave". Its a great place to begin with way more difficult patterns so I thought it has a purpose. With out the aid of a press I dont think it would be enjoyable, that said, there are some mini presses made nowadays that will do small billets like this one that can be fabricated and used on a small scale for the home shop.
 
Back to the tang. I notched where I want the shoulders with the bandsaw and drew out the tang. It needed to be the same thickness as the ricasso and curved to match the elk antler I chose. Also tuned up the blade with a hammer and the rough grinder being careful to not grind away pattern.

At the end of the forging I ran the blade through 3 normalizing cycles and into the digital oven at 1500f for 1 hour to make sure the grain size is down. I will also use the Ed Fowler method of 988f for 2 hours to stress relieve the blade. He is right, after I started doing that I have no warped blades from the quench. Thanks Ed.

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Thanks for the explanation on the accordian cut and ferry flip. I have wondered about the streangth of the ferry flip also. I guess as long as it is a good weld it should be pretty durable. I have used a few pieses of damascus that was made via ferry flip and they were awsome looking.

What do you do with the triangle pieces cut from the accordian?? Are they just junk now or do you make something else with them.

I second what JOSH D. said. Your threads are always entertaining and make it easier to understand. It is kinda funny I did the same thing with my wife. I showed her this thread and the pictures and kinda explained what was going on. She thought this was a very cool thread and awesome pattern. Thanks Bruce You Are The Man!!
 
I think the lack of questions comes from your clear, concise explanations with your pics Bruce, you are the king of WIP's. Im loving this one.

Sean
 
I appreciate it guys.
I've never shown my wife my threads. Once in a while I show her a picture or two but she is really unimpressed, maybe thats why I'm sycologically addicted to these WIPs. Its the only love I get.
 
Hello Mr.B,
i'm sorry to hear that. Let me tell you that it's great to have your own fanclub at home (i got my parents and girlfriend to do that:) ). But it comes with a price, my parents have new knives suspiciously often :)

Great knife, the pics of the acordian cut are very cool. I myself don't forge, and to see someone do that is very interesting for me. And informative :)

Ondrej
 
Bruce Bump said:
I appreciate it guys.
I've never shown my wife my threads. Once in a while I show her a picture or two but she is really unimpressed, maybe thats why I'm sycologically addicted to these WIPs. Its the only love I get.
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I bet we all know that one Bruce. I show my wife stuff while it's in the works and get a big, "That's nice." No interest until they're done, then the big "Cool!" Well, sometimes. ;)

We got plenty o' love for you going here Bruce! 2thumbs
 
Bruce. love the work and photos, explanations. Side benefit for me is the pictures of your press and dies. I have most of the pieces rounded up and am going to make a similar machine.
 
I guess Kaye does appriciate a good pattern but she never reads these threads and doesnt hang out in the shop at all. She used to complain about the money I spend on tools until I told her they are all hers when I die.:D
 
Bruce,

Wives of knifemakers probably need a support group of their own, LOL.

I'm guilty myself of explaining thing to my wife with a generic "working on a knife" description.

In your case perhaps approach could return you to "Fair haired boy of the Bump household" status :)

What are you really up too in the shop ?

Using the latest interactive training tools available to "Cyber Mentor" minions of aspiring knifemakers in the finer points and intricasies involved with the design, development, and creation of a world class custom knife. All without reguard for financial gains I might add.

A more charitable contribution to the knife world, I cannot concieve !

Thanks too both you and Kaye for the selfless sacrifice made on our behalfs.

-Josh
 
Josh Dabney said:
Bruce,

Wives of knifemakers probably need a support group of their own, LOL.

I'm guilty myself of explaining thing to my wife with a generic "working on a knife" description.

In your case perhaps approach could return you to "Fair haired boy of the Bump household" status :)

What are you really up too in the shop ?

Using the latest interactive training tools available to "Cyber Mentor" minions of aspiring knifemakers in the finer points and intricasies involved with the design, development, and creation of a world class custom knife. All without reguard for financial gains I might add.

A more charitable contribution to the knife world, I cannot concieve !

Thanks too both you and Kaye for the selfless sacrifice made on our behalfs.

-Josh
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Thanks Josh,
I think we all need support groups. We spend countless hours in the shop and on the web all with one common purpose, to build a better knife no matter what it costs. Sometimes it comes with a very high price with tools and divorce. Kaye is a trooper and supports my addiction. Admittedly she has a secure job and provides our household with health insurance. I have always said without her I would be forging behind Sears and living in a Frigidaire box. She sometimes thinks I am selling too cheap for the 21 years of investment I've put in. That is her major complaint. I keep telling her my first knife sold for $25 and she was thrilled about that.
I try to take off at least 1 day per week and shop or work in the yard or shop with her. Sundays are set aside for church and family if I'm not remodling the house.
 
After the normalizing, annealing and stress relief I ground the profile and surface ground the ricasso on both sides. Next the center of the edge will be scribed and rough grind the bevels before the heat treatment.

I was curious as to the pattern so I dipped it for a minute or two for a peek. Not bad.

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Looks like another nice one. That pattern is cool. I am going to have to give it a try sometime. Thanks for this WIP.
 
Bruce Bump said:
I appreciate it guys.
I've never shown my wife my threads. Once in a while I show her a picture or two but she is really unimpressed, maybe thats why I'm sycologically addicted to these WIPs. Its the only love I get.
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that's OK Sugar...we all lub you here...
 
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