A sorry story

[30-30 Cal.]

I have four stock removal knives going to Ht, and I think these will be fine, maybe even good, I intend to post the results, good or bad. I also, for the 1st time, forged a blade under the supervion of a qualified bladesmith. Without blushing, I tell you how it went:

We spent a few hours working on a stock removal bowie I made, he offered advice and it turned out quite nice, it's one of the blades I'm sending out.

Then he said "cut'ya a piece of 5160.

Now, I had been there before, and I had played at making a knife with a horseshoe, sooo, now he wanted to get serious.The metal goes to the coal, quickly heats, out---"hold it this way, hammer here, no dammit, there, harder, softer, damn son, ya dropped it! do the point, now...."

The fact is.. I think I am afraid. Friggin steel comes ou red hot, I dropped it because my left hand would'nt work with my right hand...

"no matter, pick it up!" (That's after I did a nice little dance, a red hot piece of metal about to land on my foot, and, a few steps back puts me in a open coal forge).

Anyway, by a miracle, the blade was forged.

"Time ta' grind it"

Never saw so much equipment. "Put the magnetic on and grind flat."

Screwd that up. Now to flat grinding the blade.

Screwed that too, flat grinding is hard. One little bobble and...

So, shaking his head, he helped me fix all my screw up's. After we finished, he looked up and smiled and said "We got to get you a stencil, so you can put your name on it" I admit I quivered a bit, despite his efforts to correst my tremendous mistakes, it's not the best . But, hell, a guy has to start somewhere. I am happy a guy with so much exerience is willing to help.

Still, I found myself wondering as I was forging, grinding, etc, why? I can do a stock removal neater, better, and cleaner. Thus far, unless you do a damascus, I still see no advantage in forging vs stock removal.

Regards,

Dave

 

[Kit Carson]

Dave,
You're right. A sorry story
I grind. Only thing I forge is checks and I haven't done that lately.
:ducking:

 

[Russ Andrews]

30-30 Cal.
I had to chuckle some...not at you, but becauce it sounded so
familiar. There probably isn't a smith anywhere that hasn't seen a
red hot something going between his feet, or turning end-over-end
through the air.

It's a package deal. we screw up some at first, and hopefully.
if we stick with it we screw up less often as we figure out what to
do...or not to do.

Mostly, those who forge believe that forging CAN make a better blade,
and those who don't forge say it can't. I believe it can, if done properly.

Hope you keep at it.

Russ

 

[30-30 Cal.]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys. One good thing, that rascal IG hasn't seen this...yet (sigh).

Dave

 

[Matt Shade]

I have anger management issues. I like forging. Its the only part of knife makin where your supposed to beat the **** out of stuff.
Problem is I suck at it and each finished project leaves me needing to start another to work off the aggression