Broken back seax

[JTknives]

Well the billet is scrap and back to the forge tomarow. I just am to woried about it to pass it to a customer.
My downfall was giving it a O1 core which acted diffrent then I expected. Welded up fine but can be picky with over or under heating. So even though I think the "crack/fracture" in the core was just on the ends I won't chance it. So I will just forge up a billet of 15n20 and 1060 and use it as is. I might try and stick some 5160 between it. But never forge welded 5160 so I will need to look into that.

 

[Greenberg Woods]

Yep. O1 is seriously red short. I haven't heard of 5160 in a lamination. I would go with either W2 or 52100 for a core. Both are tough and hold a great edge.

 

[JTknives]

Guess that's true I could dig into my dons W2 stash

 

[JTknives]

Well billet number 2 is done. The 5160 core welded up real nice.
Here is my process, I think I need a bigger forge. It barely fit through the forge door lol.

 

[GHEzell]

Looking good man!
I'm working on one myself based off of #25, very similar in shape to your's.

5160 doesn't like to weld to 5160, but welds to most other carbon steels just fine.

 

[JTknives]

Yeah I was prepared to fight it but it stuck first try. I'm considering going hydrocarbon for welding from now on and think I will kinda miss the borax. I love setting a weld in the press and watching the liquid hot borax run out of the layers. It's a good sign when you flux and reheat and press and no flux comes out of the layers. Don't get me wrong I hate the sticky corrosive borax mess but it's been with me for so long lol.

 

[JTknives]

Well a slight change of events. I ended up using another billet I forged the other day and I think it was a good choice. This billet was the first billet I have made using no flux and dry welding it. I am VERY happy and think I will go fluxless from now on. It's 15n20 and 1060 stacked welded, forged down into a round bar and twisted. Then blade was forged from that. I was going for a very bold corse pattern and think it worked out well. My only compliant is it will be thinner then origanly planned but it should be fine. After removing all the forging marks It should sit right at around 3/16 on the spine maybe a titch less.
Here are a few pictures of the blade so far.

Here is the billet after its first dry welding.

After being drawn down and forged into a round bar, then twisted.

Then forged to shape, did not want to go to crazy here which would compress the layers along the edges and tip.

Then profiled

Then surface ground to clean up some scale

Then a quick etch and I say we are looking good.

 

[Metalhead0483]

Damn work computers... I can't see the pics and it's killing me. Looking forward to getting home and having a look

 

[JTknives]

Ok update, I hit the grinder today and started working the edge bevels and I will say this. I love not having to worry about plunge cuts. Running the flat grind all the way out and off the tang is genius. So grinding edge bevels is done and I will start working on the wrought iron furniture tomorrow. It's in the etching tank right now doing a test etch to check it out. But I am shocked how perfect that dry welding is. Not a pit, spot or de lam anywhere on that blade.

 

[JTknives]

Here it is with a quick etch.

 

[Ferahgo]

I figured that this thread could use an extra pic



I am subscribed to this thread. I cannot wait to see it finished.

 

[S.Alexander]

That's purdy! Nice work so far.

 

[abbydaddy]

That seax is going to make someone very happy. I know I would be happy to get it. I feel like the wide banded twisted Damascus is perfect for the project. The subtle curves are right on.

 

[MarkJeffrey]

Awesome! thanks for the WIP

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Looking good. Go borax-less and never look back.

 

[JTknives]

After much consideration and pondering I decided to make another blade. I know this is turning into musical blades but only the best will do for a customer. The blade ended up nice but not as authentic as I was shooting for in its thickness so I made a much thicker billet and ground it to a more perioid corect thickness. It also has the corect taper from the tang area being thinner and thicker where the brake in the back is. This blade really feals good, good weight and balance. I can see why this blade was so popular for so long. Customer is ecstatic about the new blade and tickled pink with the efforts to hit it as corect as possible. So far I'm into these billets and blades about 30 gal of propane lol but the experience is priceless. I have really enjoyed the learning process on this build and see many more seax blades in my future.

 

[timos-]

very nice JT!

 

[CraneWing]

Well did you finish it?!?

 

[JTknives]

Here is an update. I just finished one of them. I decided to finish the first blade as it turned out amazing just not thick enough for what she wanted. It was good as it was a trial run on the big order. But here it is in all its seaxyness. The handle is ebony and sanded to 600 grit with a double cote of super glue and sanded between cotes.

 

[abbydaddy]

That turned out seaxy