Hellcats

Daado · Aug 2, 2015

Some time ago i found this M18 Hellcat (used as a AT target), and noticed that turret rim is busted open with rocket hit.

I've managed to get some of steel balls out (turret rim is large ball bearing)

They are 32mm in diameter (1,26"), and after some cleaning...

i weld them to a handle.

After some drawing out

They look like this in various stages of forging

I already made two test pieces, treated them as 52100 (full process), and they perform great. (didn't take any pictures)
Sorry for lots of pictures, but i thought this can be interesting project.

Nic. · Aug 2, 2015

Woah, that's pretty neat! You made knives out of a tank!!

Augus7us · Aug 2, 2015

Wow this is really cool. The fact that you can just "stumble" upon a tank is pretty wild in itself. Those knives will have a great back story.

alude904 · Aug 2, 2015

Thats pretty awesome. Cant wait to see the final results.

Daado · Aug 3, 2015

Thank you!
It's a quite piece of history. According to Wikipedia article only 2,507 has been produced by the end of 1944, and it holds the record for most effective American tank destroyer during World War II.
It feels good to make something with back story like that.
I will post pictures of future progress.
Thanks for watching.

Daado · Aug 5, 2015

Some more pictures...
After tempering in electric oven, i clean the blades with sandpaper to see temper colors, and do final tempering with torch while part of the blade is dipped in water.

Today, after first sharpening, i did some blade testing and all went well.
Made a short video (part of testing)

[video=youtube;Egpz6C6oRAM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egpz6C6oRAM[/video]

Thanks for watching.

Evan Miner · Aug 9, 2015

Sweet a good reuse of history

Daado · Aug 14, 2015

Just a quick update.

Plum tree handle, blue fiber liners, brass pins and lanyard tube,

and nice leather sheaths for both

They need some final touch and finish, but its almost over

Thanks for watching.

Daado · Aug 21, 2015

Had some free time, and forged three more of them. One wip picture.

The Gopher · Aug 25, 2015

now that is a cool story! If you sell any of those make sure the history goes with them!

155440 · Aug 26, 2015

Quite incredible. Thank you for making this thread.

Daado · Aug 27, 2015

Thank You guys!

Hengelo_77 · Aug 31, 2015

Those are awsome balls!
And knives

Daado · Sep 11, 2015

Few pictures of finished knives.

David LaFerney · Sep 18, 2015

Very cool. How did you learn your craft?

Daado · Sep 19, 2015

Thank You.
Our educational system is different than US, and it's hard to compare. It's seems like equivalent of High School Diploma of metallurgy (4-year technical program).
Besides that, i grew up in metalworking shop.

Daado · Sep 23, 2015

Today's trip to M18 was completely success. This time i had two of my friends and some heavier tools with me.
We were able to lift one side of the turret with two large crowbars and to pull out a lot of remaining ball bearings.

Inside the vehicle, there is a plate with some info about type and dimensions, but it's damaged

A turret hatch was nice catch too, i plan to use it for laminated blades with some high carbon core layer

This was just sitting on the floor. Piece of fire extinguish system with markings

And here they are. Before the cleaning

Ferahgo · Sep 23, 2015

This is such a cool project! Please keep the pics coming.

Daado · Feb 23, 2016

Some more wip pictures (the way i do it...)

I start to forge ball to roller,

and then draw that roller out longer,

and longer

When it's drawn out to desired length, i make it flat but still thick

Then i start to divide material for the blade,

tang,

and draw them out to desired thickness

Three of them, in various stages of forging

Flat and ready for edge cleaning

After edge cleaning and profiling,

with nice distal taper

Thanks for watching.

i4Marc · Feb 23, 2016

Cool. You can tell customers that you make knives with "balls".

Hellcats

Maker