Fighter WIP

[Phillip Patton]

I should mention the blank is left a bit oversized so I can grind off any grooves left over from the twisting.

 

[tryppyr]

Always a pleasure watching your WIPs. Thanks for sharing another.

 

[Salem Straub]

Lookin good, thanks for the update!

 

[Phillip Patton]

I forged out a couple dagger blades to keep this one company in the oven. So, they are then put through three thermal cycles. One at 1600 F, one at 1525, and one at 1450. For the first two, I let them cool in air, for the last one, I quench them in the appropriate oil. When hand warm, they are then put back in the oven for 2 hours at 1250 F. This results in a spheroidal anneal, which is softer and easier to machine then a pearlitic anneal. Here's how the blade looks like after the anneal:

The quench and subsequent anneal really soften up and loosen the scale, which I now grind off with my big angle grinder:

Now the shape is drawn on with a sharpie:

and I cut as much of the waste off with a bandsaw as I can:

 

[Phillip Patton]

Now the rest of the waste is removed and the profile refined on the belt grinder:

Next the edges are painted with Dykem, and centerlines scribed:

and the pre-bevel is ground with a dull belt:

 

[Phillip Patton]

Now the main bevels are started, using a fresh belt. I like to work in short sections, especially with a curvy blade like this. I alternate from side to side to help prevent warpage.

That's all I'll grind on the lower bevel with the flat platen. So the top bevel is done now:

 

[Phillip Patton]

Now I switch to a rounded platen, and grind the rest of the lower edges:

To be continued, after lunch...

 

[gudspelr]

Great photos of your process. If you have a chance, would you mind adding a pic of your round platen? I have an idea of what you're referring to, but would love to see it. The grinds look very nice, especially with that recurve in there. :thumbup:


Jeremy

 

[Salem Straub]

There's that badass Patton Plunge...

 

[P. McKinley]

I like to work in short sections, especially with a curvy blade like this. I alternate from side to side to help prevent warpage.

Phillip - Hell, I thought it was just me grinding with a jig! I get finished grinding one side of a 5" hunter and I need to take it out and whack it on the anvil to straighten it before I can do the other side. Same thing with second side. Swapping sides during the grind is quite a pain, but I'll give it a shot. Thanks for the tip.

-Peter .

 

[Phillip Patton]

Here's a pic of my curved platen:

I have another one in leather for finish grinding.


Here's the blade all finished to 240 grit:

With my stamp:

With liquid anti-scale compound brushed on:

After quenching. Comes out nice and clean:

Now it's tempering for the first time at 375 degrees. I'll probably shoot for a final hardness of 60 RC, so might have to go as high as 450 F.

 

[kevin -the professor]

this is a fun one to watch. it is looking good so far. Thanks for showing.
kc

 

[gudspelr]

Thanks for the pic of your platen. Makes sense it would help getting into those recurve areas. Did you make it yourself? I'm trying to imagine how to keep something like that perfectly symmetrical for the whole length on both sides....


Jeremy

 

[Phillip Patton]

After tempering, the blade is reground to it's final thickness. This is pretty much like the initial grinding, except that I'm much more careful to keep it cool.

Here it is finished to 400 grit on the machine:

Now the edge is established:

and then I sand it by hand with 600 grit paper:

At that point it's ready to etch. One thing I do, is coat the guard shoulders and part of the edges of the tang with a sharpie. This keeps the etchant from forming streaks on the ricasso. Black would work, but I like the metallic because they put down thicker layers:

 

[Phillip Patton]

Thanks for the pic of your platen. Makes sense it would help getting into those recurve areas. Did you make it yourself? I'm trying to imagine how to keep something like that perfectly symmetrical for the whole length on both sides....


Jeremy

Yes, I did make it. I ground it using the flat platen that came with the grinder. It's not that hard to keep it symmetrical; it's not that critical either.

 

[Phillip Patton]

Now the blade is etched. After 10 minutes, it's neutralized, then the oxides are rubbed off with my fingers, not being careful enough to avoid the sharp edge:

and the blade is sanded with 800 grit paper. Then it's etched again for 10 minutes, rubbed, sanded with 1000 grit paper. Then that step is repeated twice more.


Now the tang is annealed. I do this by laying the blade on my anvil, with a block of steel on top, then heating the tang with a torch, like so:

You want to heat it to a dull red. I did it three times:

Now the blade is lightly oiled, and covered with tape:

 

[Phillip Patton]

The guard stock, which is 416 that I forged from round bar, is now ground clean, and Dykem painted on:

and the holes for the slot are laid out:

then drilled:

The webbing removed with a round file:

 

[Phillip Patton]

Now the slot is squared and opened up with a flat, coarse file:

I also rounded the corners of the tang.

 

[Phillip Patton]

Now the ends of the slot are filed with a radius to match the guard shoulders:

so that the guard will seat all the way:

Next the shape of the guard is scratched on using a template:

After grinding to shape, the "wings" are drawn on:

and the bulk of the extra material removed with a small round wheel:

 

[Phillip Patton]

Then the front is sanded to 400 grit, and polished with a cork belt:

and attached using J-B weld:

While the J-B weld is setting up, the spacers are made. First I cut them off of the sheet stock:

I used to use black fiber material for the dark spacers, but they can absorb and lose moisture, so now I use g10.

The spacers are put in my drilling jig and drilled: