Grinding position

Heikki said:
I'm pretty sure it's an etched finish. I believe steel wool is involved. I think it's similar to the ferric/bleach combo I do on my axes, but I have yet to try it on a blade.

Most of the apprentices from Fiddleback Forge have done it. All those Georgia makers have nice clean grinds. They're the ones that influenced me early on in my knife making journey. Check out Osprey Knife and Tool, Fleming Knives, and WA Surls Knives. All worked with Andy Roy at Fiddleback at some point.
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Would love to know how you do your axes if you don’t mind sharing.
 
opaul said:
Would love to know how you do your axes if you don’t mind sharing.
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Here’s a link to a WIP that shows it:

Viking Axe Mod WIP

I started posting this in another thread and thought I'd make it a WIP so I could add more detail about the build as I progress. To give some background, this is the 3rd axe I've modded in this way, each one getting a bit more detailed. The first was a roofing hatchet that was found in the...
knifedogs.com

Happy to answer any questions about it.
 
If I caught right what I think she said is she does this in different styles to distinguish between different kinds of steel she uses. Mind Blown. But it seems most of her steel she uses is HC. But still.
 
She does good work. She posts a lot of photos on instagram. I think she started out making sheaths and migrated from the NW to Georgia and started her knife making career Appears quite a few makers (her included) apprenticed under Andy Roy with Fiddleback Forge. Names a little misleading since all his knives are stock removal. But regardless his work is top shelf.

From his site- “All of our knives are full tang knives that have been skeletonized, as well as sometimes tapered to reduce weight. Our knives are made from superior steels using the stock removal method, leading to a more consistent and stronger knife over forged blades.”
 
opaul said:
She does good work. She posts a lot of photos on instagram. I think she started out making sheaths and migrated from the NW to Georgia and started her knife making career Appears quite a few makers (her included) apprenticed under Andy Roy with Fiddleback Forge. Names a little misleading since all his knives are stock removal. But regardless his work is top shelf.

From his site- “All of our knives are full tang knives that have been skeletonized, as well as sometimes tapered to reduce weight. Our knives are made from superior steels using the stock removal method, leading to a more consistent and stronger knife over forged blades.”
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Yeap I watched a you tube video interview with her by someone at Blade show. Interesting video.
 
There was a goldsmith/knifemaker named Kenneth Guth from the Chicago area who experimented a lot back in the '80s with coating blanks with borax during the HT process. He got finishes like that, and one with spots I remember that he called "frogskin". A search on his name will show a couple more recent pieces with the effect.
Coat a couple steel(s) tabs with regular old 20 Mule Team and put it in the furnace at austenitizing temps. It'll eat it right up. There are other fluxes, too, of course.
 
fitzo said:
There was a goldsmith/knifemaker named Kenneth Guth from the Chicago area who experimented a lot back in the '80s with coating blanks with borax during the HT process. He got finishes like that, and one with spots I remember that he called "frogskin". A search on his name will show a couple more recent pieces with the effect.
Coat a couple steel(s) tabs with regular old 20 Mule Team and put it in the furnace at austenitizing temps. It'll eat it right up. There are other fluxes, too, of course.
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Only issue with that is how could you guarantee the structural soundness of the knife? Trying to understand process?
 
Gliden07 said:
Only issue with that is how could you guarantee the structural soundness of the knife? Trying to understand process?
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I'm remembering from the mid-'80s, but IIRC he did this with borax during austenitization. It may have been one of those other fluxes with flourite in it, though. Borax (sodium tetraborate) turns into boric acid at forge temps. Boric acid is really good at complexing metal ions and chewing stuff.

This is back in the days before forums where I'd see the guy maybe twice a year, things were still held a little closer to the chest back then, and my memory is really sketchy at my age. I apologize that's about all I have on it in storage! :)
 
IanF said:
I think you will achieve some similar results if you electro etch your blade but instead of using a felt pad lie you might for a makers mark, use a sponge. Give it a try - I think you might like the kind of finish you can get.
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Has anyone tried using a battery charger for etching?
 
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