What makes a "forged" blade?

[Larrin]

To be fair, Larrin … he wasn’t asserting that knives are cast. He said it like this… cast < machined < forged. His argument was that the fact that industry sometimes uses forged parts over machined… that it holds true, across all steel parts, including knives. I felt your article was an appropriate read.

I will read more carefully and charitably next time.

 

[Salz150]

I am a computer programmer by trade and this sounds exactly like a "what's a real programmer" debate. "People that use high-level languages or 3rd party libraries aren't real programmers"

So does a knife have to be pounded by a hammer to be considered forged? Or do power hammers and power presses count? Isn't the allure of a forged knife the idea that it is made by hand in a more historic way? So doesn't power hammers and presses sort of ruin the whole idea of a forged knife?

Do you have to use a coal forge? Or does propane count? Isn't propane cheating because the temperature is more consistent and controllable and doesn't take the kind of mastery and experience a coal forge does?

It's the same thing with grinding bevels. Why is a hand-ground bevel superior to a CNC or milling machine bevel? The milling machine will give you a perfect result so isn't that better? If a milling machine is cheating then isn't a $2k+ 2x72 variable speed grinder too? Is it only handmade if you use a file? Do you have to make the file yourself for the knife to be handmade?

This debate has nothing to do with knives. This is a whose the superior knife maker debate. This is about ego.

 

[TrailWalker]

Good stuff. Thanks for everyone's input!

I will say it is much more fun to hammer than to grind.

My neighbors may disagree

Cheers!

Br80

Instagram @sorensoncustoms

Yep, amen to that! Way more fun to hammer than to grind!

 

[Evan Wilson]

I am a computer programmer by trade and this sounds exactly like a "what's a real programmer" debate. "People that use high-level languages or 3rd party libraries aren't real programmers"

So does a knife have to be pounded by a hammer to be considered forged? Or do power hammers and power presses count? Isn't the allure of a forged knife the idea that it is made by hand in a more historic way? So doesn't power hammers and presses sort of ruin the whole idea of a forged knife?

Do you have to use a coal forge? Or does propane count? Isn't propane cheating because the temperature is more consistent and controllable and doesn't take the kind of mastery and experience a coal forge does?

It's the same thing with grinding bevels. Why is a hand-ground bevel superior to a CNC or milling machine bevel? The milling machine will give you a perfect result so isn't that better? If a milling machine is cheating then isn't a $2k+ 2x72 variable speed grinder too? Is it only handmade if you use a file? Do you have to make the file yourself for the knife to be handmade?

This debate has nothing to do with knives. This is a whose the superior knife maker debate. This is about ego.

power hammers have been used for hundreds of years as technoligy has improved so has how they are powered some of the ealyest power hammers were powered by a water wheel and were little more than a log with a pieice of metal on the hammer end.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Evan,
I don't think Salz will read your response. His only post was the one he made two years ago that you are replying to.

 

[Evan Wilson]

Evan,
I don't think Salz will read your response. His only post was the one he made two years ago that you are replying to.

yeah Forgot to check when it was posted before my reply.
realized it was an old thread too late.
something for me to learn,check dates before posting.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

The problem with the term "forged Blade" is it is wasted on discussions based on personal opinions and hype.

The "Forged" blades that we need to be worried about are all the fake Chinese knives marked MORAN, FRAZIER, STRAUB, LOVELESS, and many FIF champs.
I see knives marked Frazier that I absolutely know are not his making. Besides obvious things like laser engraving and knives that are clearly brand new, the price is also a clue. Why would a seller offer a knife worth $1000 for $249. The sad thing is that many of these fake knives are sold by retail knife re-sellers who are big names. They don't even try to vet the source or examine the knife. They just put it up for sale and let the phrase, "caveat emptor" be their moto. I don't want to get into an argument with a seller, but there is one with a "stately name" that sells a lot of suspicious knives in my opinion.