Trad Gang
Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: Lin Rhea on April 04, 2014, 11:39:00 AM
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I know I'm getting ahead of myself because I have so many things going but I will get back to this one even if it takes awhile. I thought you might be interested in seeing this buggy steering mechanism. I also have the axle, which is more than likely wrought iron, for some axe head or maybe other projects. The springs can make blades, the small straps and other wrought bars can be mixed into a billet with the spring steel and make some cool Damascus.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7415/13625552344_e64d081ab3_c.jpg)
This thread may go to the bottom but I'll bump it up when I can. It's this kind of projects that get me excited.
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Lin, I'll bump it up for you, your right about making knives out of the springs, Ive made alot of knives out of a set of 1890's buggy springs with a good end product. I also have the axel and it is wrought iron, Ive made one guard with it. but never made damaus, keep us posted with what you come up with.
Dana
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I would normally not use any unknown steel in a blade but I'm sure of my process and will always test to observe the results before proceeding. I tried to save the wood that you see in the picture but its too far gone. It would be neat to make the whole thing from the buggy parts.
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I've tripped over some of that stuff while out hunting. I think I'll plan a few return hunts in the same area. Please take several pictures Lin, I need a road map for when I trip over that kinda stuff again.
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OK Robin, I will. I just glued two slices of the wood together to see if I can somehow salvage it. If the glue joint is too obvious I wont use it but I wont know until I try it.
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Interesting to think that someone banged on that metal with a hammer 120 years ago to make it what is currently is and now you're going to bang on it again to make something different.
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Very cool, Lin. I absolutely love wrought iron and only have a little of it. I will also be one of the curious ones for your process with these metals. I know of guys who have had blades crack when doing wrought/carbon San Mai because of the differing characteristics. But then, the carbon migration is one more thing to have to deal with during the higher heat cycles of welding. That being said, I'm willing to bet it looks really cool when done and you've already thought about all the difficulties ;) .
On the wood note, I think it would be fantastic if you could salvage the wood for a handle. Not sure this is what you're going for, but...here's what came to mind. If the wood isn't thick enough, maybe you could make a frame handle, using either some if the wrought or the finished Damascus between the wood scales? I know it would be a tough one, but holding the handle parts together with some domed wrought pins would be something else. At least in my mind, anyway.... Whatever you end up with, this is going to be awesome :campfire:
Jeremy
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Lin,
When I can find it, old pitted buggy spring is one of my favorites for a really rustic looking blade...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Knives/CarraigeSpringBlade016.jpg)
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This looks like a fun thread. Are you saying the usable wood is too thin for a full tang, or am I misunderstanding? I was just going to say a frame handle with a wrought iron grip frame would be pretty cool. I agree it'd be neat to do the whole thing from the buggy parts.
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Looking forward to seeing how this evolves.
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I cut the buggy springs apart and forged a small knife from a small section of the springs. In the center of the picture there are two pieces. The one on the right is the spring and the one on the left is wrought iron from the buggy's tongue.
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2921/13915154044_39f41b78c3_c.jpg)
I had a little while in the shop so I forged the blade.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7408/13914780273_95aa536eb8_c.jpg)
I decided to try to forge a guard from the end of the wrought iron bar and pinch it down to cut it.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7275/13891608992_a975e3d460_c.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3797/13915143804_4676daebba_c.jpg)
I rough ground and hardened the blade and it seemed to do great. I'll do some testing and see how that goes.
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Cool. Nice forging. Do you use coal exclusively or do you also use a gas forge?
Darcy :campfire:
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Thanks for posting Mr. Lin. I really enjoy this stuff!
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Looks like you hot punched the guard before you cut it off. Are you going to hot fit it or is that even possible? I like the profile of the knife so far. Can't wait to see more.
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Thanks guys.
Darcy, I use gas at home although I have coal too. I sometimes will use it for certain things. The more I use coal and get used to the type of heat, the more I like it.
Barry, I usually hot punch but I actually drilled a small hole and drifted it this time. It is just an opening that I can file to size later.
This spring steel dates from the late 1800's I think. No way to be sure but it is early from our perspective. I was interested in seeing, if possible, any visible characteristics of the steel due to it's being early in steel's manufacturing. It does show a visible pattern in the material and the hardening line has some "banding" along it.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7043/13899289826_dbc7837580_c.jpg)
Notice the "feathering" out in front of the banding along the hardening line. In my opinion, this would indicate a less refined means of making steel. In other words, I don't think it is homogenous but is carbonized by forging. That said, it is testing to be consistently hard throughput the edge with no soft spots at all.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7402/13899298076_9e5134983c_c.jpg)
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I'm sure enjoying your pictures Lin
Thanks for taking us along.
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That's fantastic :thumbsup: . I was actually just thinking about this thread the other day and looking forward to the next installment. I'm really going to enjoy this, Lin. I'm wondering what a short etch would do to that hardening line and any other little character that steel might have...?
:campfire:
Jeremy
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I will try a short etch and see Jeremy. It will be later today or this weekend. Thanks.
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This, is interesting. :)
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This is my kind of knife! I like using reclaimed old materials.
Very interesting.
Steve
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Potomac Forge
Member, W.F. Moran Museum & Foundation
ABS AP
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OK this is the blade etched and hand polished with Semichrome.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7187/13976441155_957c51d9ba_c.jpg)
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2926/13976873844_e9eee920a1_c.jpg)
This steel is definitely the old school steel. It has black streaks, band, speckles, and what appears to be flux spots in it. Sounds bad but not necessarily. This is the stuff they had then and it worked great. It will still work great. I do have to get used to the natural features and the wood grain look. When I hammered the blade tip to a point you can now see the material grain flow to it.
Another thing. I don't know the carbon content so when I started drawing it back, I started at 350 degrees. It tested too hard by using a file. I upped it 25 degrees and cooked it again and still too hard. I stepped it all the way to 450 degrees in 25 degree increments. At 450 a file will start cutting it with some effort and that's what I want. It took parts of two days to dial it in but I should be able to save some time with the rest of the batch.
I left the sides of the ricasso forge finished.
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Man you are talented...
Todd
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Cool stuff right there!!!
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This is the file work I put on the top of the ricasso. The picture is not too good and it was before the finish was complete but it gives you the idea.
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/13953851086_da14c016f8_z.jpg)
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Cool looking blade Lin. I like the arrowhead.
Darcy :campfire:
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I like that blade Lin, can't wait to see how you finish it.
I had a buddy in the shop awhile back that went nuts over your axe. He brought his whole collection to show me yesterday.
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:thumbsup: .
I'm loving this thread. :campfire:
Jeremy
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I REALLY like this. My kind of tool right there. Impressive Lin.
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I decided to forge another guard from the same piece of wrought iron as before. This time it is thicker and I forged it a little closer to final shape. I will include the make shift tools that I forged to slit the guard slot.
Pictures wont work. I will load them this evening if I can.
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This is the guard still on the bar. I slit the guard slot from the back to "bell" shape the hole. Then I used a small punch I quickly forged and punched it.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7418/13999304144_f46a3fb72d_c.jpg)
Front of the guard has the smaller slot.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5029/13999305884_a2e8729d29_c.jpg)
I made these in a hurry and they are just mild steel.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5486/14018892653_51c3c8f374_c.jpg)
A sharp hot cutter cuts it like butter.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7120/13995675532_a8cce82368_c.jpg)
Here it is after I tapered the bottom lug a little.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7350/13998865565_1d33f09645_c.jpg)
I refined the slot and centered things up and finished the surface to a 220 grit finish. I intend to now put it in the forge and let it scale in a similar way the ricasso sides are. Here the guard is slid loosely on so the fit is not right yet.
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2929/14001023614_4ce9e8237d_c.jpg)
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I like the forged guard. The blacksmithing aspect of your blade smithing is really neat to see. Slitting and drifting holes is not easy to do and get nice and clean(at least for me)....you make all the hard stuff look easy :thumbsup:
Darcy
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Thanks Darcy. That means a lot from you.
I almost wimped out and put rosewood or something on it but I just got the wagon tongue wood on it and setting up. I may have a picture this afternoon. The wood is porous so I'll seal it with something. Maybe tongue oil.
Get it? Wagon tongue? :biglaugh:
Seriously, may use tongue oil. The only thing not from the buggy is a thin spacer and the pin. I needed that for shine.
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The front of the guard is clean as well as the finger curve. The wood is the wagon tongue piece. I filled any natural fissures that would hold it with super glue. There is some light spalting but it is very solid.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/14046114463_db5e68cff4_c.jpg)
It's different but I'm happy with the way it turned out.
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Hey Lin , the wagon tongue handle is a perfect match . Indeed a Traditional Classic !!!!
Cheers from the Country that has everything except the Stanley Cup !
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That turned out way nice....
Todd
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Very nice hunter out of some unique materials. It's pretty cool to think of the former life of the parts that make up this one. Thanks for taking us along as this one unfolded.
Chris
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That has so much appeal. As much as I like the intricate detailed knives with fancy Damascus and carved fittings, there is still something about a knife that is just the basics, and this one is so natural and earthy. I really like this one. :knothead: :D
Darcy
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Awesome! Loving the whole package, Lin. Thanks for sharing this project with us.
Jeremy
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I always thought that "tongue oil" was what I got when I show the wife pictures of these knives and tell I could sure use another one. :) That is one beautiful knife Lin. If we had a category for knives that equated to a finely crafted selfbow that knife would win top honors.
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I want one.
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Beautiful Lin, what you going to do with it?
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Thanks Lin. Pretty cool to watch this one and how it came together. That there is one cool wagon knife :clapper:
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Thanks guys. I appreciate the comments.
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Pretty neat to watch this one come together from beginning to end. Great looking blade and handle.
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Love it, love it, love it! :thumbsup: Great follow-along. Thanks for posting this, Lin.
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Lin,
Just keep coming back to look some more :) What are the overall spec's for this one?
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John, the blade is 4 1/4 with an OAL of 9 inches. Thanks