- Joined
- Mar 5, 1999
- Messages
- 34,096
Thanks to the great care and consideration of one of not just the good guys but one of the GREAT good guys in this world we have found a plug for the hole in the dyke of failures and his name is Art Swyhart.
With Art's permission I am posting email I received from him today.
1)--------------------
Uncle Bill,
Have read your Forum post on ?Bite the Bullet.? Don?t despair, I?m confident we can save khuks that have blade problems with hardness and grinding/buffing.
Reminded myself today that putting part of a hot blade into oil quench allows the hot metal above the oil to ignite surface vapors. See attachment.
Spent much of the afternoon experimenting with pouring water on test blades ? not as good as the kamis, but I can get the edge to full hardness, then come back with a small torch to temper areas selectively. Tomorrow I?ll practice some more and harden the edge of the $20 Indian sacrificial ?kukri.?
Will mail you again tomorrow evening with more pix. Some of the pix may be ?staged? because I usually use a torch in dim light to judge color and the camera won?t show much but the torch flame. I?ll ask my wife to take pix of me holding an unlit torch if necessary.
I?ve represented the American Bladesmith Society at knife shows for 11 years so I know about half the Society?s Master Smiths personally and also have a couple friends who are metallurgists. I?m sure that we can come up with the answers for ensuring that HI quality levels remain as high as ever.
As we discussed in yesterday?s phone conversation, I will not charge any labor fees for work done on HI blades. If material costs become an issue, we can work out something ; I?ll provide torch gases, propane for gas forge, and abrasives as needed free of charge.
Again, we can save many of these blades with a little time. Please assure your kamis and your customers that HI is here to stay.
Art Swyhart
=======================================
In keeping with the way my luck has been going lately the second email Art sent giving me permission to post this and which also included his contact information was somehow eaten by AOL.
I've been saying there is no disgrace in getting knocked down but there is in not getting up. I am ready to add an addendum: But if you get knocked down 100 times take the count!
And I'm at about 98.
I'll email Art and ask him to send the second email again and I'll post it here.
Ed: And here it is
==================================
Uncle Bill,
Sure, post the email if you wish. As for the pic, I?m used to the oil flare-ups, but forgot at first that I?d be working with the wood handle and inlays on the khuk. Don?t think the flames would help them.
People can contact me at:
Art Swyhart
509 Main, Box 267
Klickitat WA 98628-0267
(509) 369-3451
swyhart@gorge.net
Anyone who has a problem might want to call or email first so we can discuss possible solutions. That way, there won?t be any surprises if I have to grind out a deep nick and the blade profile is changed a bit ? things like that can be unpleasant shocks if we don?t hash it out up front.
Thanks,
Art
====================================
Bottom line is if you have failures wait and send them to Art for repair to better than new (for sure!!!) condition.
I'm gather up failures I have on hand and will send them to Art for repair and resale next week.
Salvation and resurrection!!!!
Thanks more than you know, Art.
With Art's permission I am posting email I received from him today.
1)--------------------
Uncle Bill,
Have read your Forum post on ?Bite the Bullet.? Don?t despair, I?m confident we can save khuks that have blade problems with hardness and grinding/buffing.
Reminded myself today that putting part of a hot blade into oil quench allows the hot metal above the oil to ignite surface vapors. See attachment.
Spent much of the afternoon experimenting with pouring water on test blades ? not as good as the kamis, but I can get the edge to full hardness, then come back with a small torch to temper areas selectively. Tomorrow I?ll practice some more and harden the edge of the $20 Indian sacrificial ?kukri.?
Will mail you again tomorrow evening with more pix. Some of the pix may be ?staged? because I usually use a torch in dim light to judge color and the camera won?t show much but the torch flame. I?ll ask my wife to take pix of me holding an unlit torch if necessary.
I?ve represented the American Bladesmith Society at knife shows for 11 years so I know about half the Society?s Master Smiths personally and also have a couple friends who are metallurgists. I?m sure that we can come up with the answers for ensuring that HI quality levels remain as high as ever.
As we discussed in yesterday?s phone conversation, I will not charge any labor fees for work done on HI blades. If material costs become an issue, we can work out something ; I?ll provide torch gases, propane for gas forge, and abrasives as needed free of charge.
Again, we can save many of these blades with a little time. Please assure your kamis and your customers that HI is here to stay.
Art Swyhart
=======================================
In keeping with the way my luck has been going lately the second email Art sent giving me permission to post this and which also included his contact information was somehow eaten by AOL.
I've been saying there is no disgrace in getting knocked down but there is in not getting up. I am ready to add an addendum: But if you get knocked down 100 times take the count!
And I'm at about 98.
I'll email Art and ask him to send the second email again and I'll post it here.
Ed: And here it is
==================================
Uncle Bill,
Sure, post the email if you wish. As for the pic, I?m used to the oil flare-ups, but forgot at first that I?d be working with the wood handle and inlays on the khuk. Don?t think the flames would help them.
People can contact me at:
Art Swyhart
509 Main, Box 267
Klickitat WA 98628-0267
(509) 369-3451
swyhart@gorge.net
Anyone who has a problem might want to call or email first so we can discuss possible solutions. That way, there won?t be any surprises if I have to grind out a deep nick and the blade profile is changed a bit ? things like that can be unpleasant shocks if we don?t hash it out up front.
Thanks,
Art
====================================
Bottom line is if you have failures wait and send them to Art for repair to better than new (for sure!!!) condition.
I'm gather up failures I have on hand and will send them to Art for repair and resale next week.
Salvation and resurrection!!!!
Thanks more than you know, Art.
