Second hidden tang and first full forge.

[believerjoe]

Still learning and adding skills, but happy so far.

I forged this out of 1095 and it took forever. Already have a new hammer on the way. Antler handle with ironwood. I crushed the turquoise and used the superglue technique. I wanted the wood to appear more distressed and missed the mark, but know how to do better next time. I milled out the end and inserted some textured copper and made the star out of 1095. Nice folks on here suggested the screw and I still need to filework it and get a final sanding done, but this is how it sits. I was thinking about cutting some crosshatching or something in the antler for another design element, but not sure yet. It would add grip and could put some black coloring in somehow.

I need to hear some critics, so I get better, so let it rip.... I have few tools but not an excuse.

 

[Chris Railey]

I think you are off to a grand start. I cannot wait to see your fifteenth forged knife. I like the shape a lot.

 

[believerjoe]

I think you are off to a grand start. I cannot wait to see your fifteenth forged knife. I like the shape a lot.

 

[believerjoe]

Thank you sir, but seriously a lot of time. The shape was really determined by what happened on the fly. I did not have anything in mind. I finally decided that I did not like the outer texture of the antler and ground down past it. It is red stag, so lots very little pith on the brow time.

 

[Bowland]

Just a wee question why do you think it took a long time to forge?

 

[believerjoe]

Just a wee question why do you think it took a long time to forge?

Because I have never done it before and I have no tools. Honestly the shape came out fairly quick, but then I hammered in the bevels and could not get it flat without messing up some other aspect. I would stop and try again several nights and finally it worked out. I will learn the tricks but this is how it all started for me. Also a 75 pound anvil works but the face is small and I spent more time getting it situated. In my mind a larger anvil is better, but I could be wrong.

 

[Bowland]

Because I have never done it before and I have no tools. Honestly the shape came out fairly quick, but then I hammered in the bevels and could not get it flat without messing up some other aspect. I would stop and try again several nights and finally it worked out. I will learn the tricks but this is how it all started for me. Also a 75 pound anvil works but the face is small and I spent more time getting it situated. In my mind a larger anvil is better, but I could be wrong.

Keeping the steel in the correct working range is the main error when starting out. Strike while the iron is hot right
Tools are always secondary
Do you understand pre forms before you start hitting it?
It's very very good to be able to forge that out early doors though

 

[opaul]

I like it. Great job.

 

[Sean Jones]

Nicely done. The only suggestion I have is the screw on the back. It looks like...well...a screw. I think it would help to give it a little pizzazz so it's not so evident that it's a screw. I think in another thread it was mentioned to maybe practice some patterns on other screws. I think a simple ray pattern would look nice. Other than that..great job!

 

[believerjoe]

Nicely done. The only suggestion I have is the screw on the back. It looks like...well...a screw. I think it would help to give it a little pizzazz so it's not so evident that it's a screw. I think in another thread it was mentioned to maybe practice some patterns on other screws. I think a simple ray pattern would look nice. Other than that..great job!

I’m going to do that! I just need to get some new needle files. I work slow...... lol

 

[tkroenlein]

Because I have never done it before and I have no tools. Honestly the shape came out fairly quick, but then I hammered in the bevels and could not get it flat without messing up some other aspect. I would stop and try again several nights and finally it worked out. I will learn the tricks but this is how it all started for me. Also a 75 pound anvil works but the face is small and I spent more time getting it situated. In my mind a larger anvil is better, but I could be wrong.

It's funny when I started learning to play the guitar, I couldn't hold onto the pick for more than a couple strums. Of course, in only a couple weeks it became much more natural. I was still a novice, but a lot clicked together pretty quick.

Same was true for forging a knife. I was all over that anvil. If I'd had a 4'x8' slab in front of me, I think it would've been too small too. 10 knives in and I was pretty comfortable. Now I use about 4 spots on it. And I'm still a novice. It gets easier.