Opinions on Design

Gene Kimmi

Gene Kimmi

KNIFE MAKER
A few evenings ago, I was setting around and came up with this design for a new project.



It will be an integral design with the blade, guard, keyhole and tang being all one piece. I am thinking of a mosaic damascus with a twist pattern border on it. I like the idea of domed damascus pins. I can see many challenges to completing this, lots of time forging the damascus, then lots of milling. Length is about 14 1/2"

Any opinions or ideas?
 
I like it! I'm curious about the guard face also. It looks interesting.

Someday when I actually know what I'm doing a keyhole design is on my list.
 
Gene, be darn sure you keep posting photos for a full fledged WIP follow along - that is NICE design and will really show your skills.
 
KenH said:
Gene, be darn sure you keep posting photos for a full fledged WIP follow along
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I'll second this. I've done integrals before, and I thnk they are a PITA. I can't see how to do a keyhole without having a mill, however. I'm looking forward to seeing the forged pre-shape.
 
I'll definitely be doing a WIP when I get to start on this one. As far as the forging process, my plan at the moment is to forge a rectangular billet the overall size and 3/4" thick, then notch a v in the blade point end and forge weld that back together so the twisted border comes together at the tip.



At this point, I don't see that much forging to shape can be done without distorting the damascus pattern, so I plan to cut away a lot of the billet, then mill the shape of the guard and keyhole. If anyone has other ideas of how to go about this, I'm open to them.

Thanks for all the comments. I'm hoping I haven't bit off more than I can chew on this idea.
 
Just thought I'd post to say that I am getting started on this one. I have decided to do a 7 bar Turkish twist for the damascus instead of the mosaic.



I've got the steel cleaned up and plan to get it welded up and forged down tonight. This one will likely take a while to finish as I still have a bunch of orders on the books.
 
Gene Kimmi said:
I'll definitely be doing a WIP when I get to start on this one. As far as the forging process, my plan at the moment is to forge a rectangular billet the overall size and 3/4" thick, then notch a v in the blade point end and forge weld that back together so the twisted border comes together at the tip.



At this point, I don't see that much forging to shape can be done without distorting the damascus pattern, so I plan to cut away a lot of the billet, then mill the shape of the guard and keyhole. If anyone has other ideas of how to go about this, I'm open to them.

Thanks for all the comments. I'm hoping I haven't bit off more than I can chew on this idea.
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Your idea is better for sure I think but here is another. The only thing I can come up with is to run one continuous bar of your twist across both sides and the point end of the mosaic billet. I think my way might be more work because I have never tried to forge a Damascus billet into a long narrow shape to go around the outside of a separate billet. You would have to round over the point end of your mosaic billet first but it could work.
 
I have the billets forged out and ready to cut and re-stack. Both were 15 layer billets, so I'll cut into thirds and forge making a 45 layer billet. Next, I'll cut in 1/2 to make 90 layers. From there. I'll forge round and twist.

Here are the 2 billets in the forge along with a 114 layer billet I'll twist and make a few hunters out of.



Here they are forged out. They are approximately 1/2" thick, 1 1/2" wide and 13" long.

 
That's really cool looking! Am I understanding this right... Is the front portion/guard going to be damascus and flow with the pattern in the blade? That looks tricky. What material are you thinking for the scales?
 
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