New dimension to an old hobby-or-Where's my Kilt?!

[luvmy40]

I have dabbled at knife making for many years. I'm sure I've posted pictures of some of my past projects up here from time to time. I have always used what's known in the industry as the stock removal method, i.e., I start with either a piece of flat bar stock or a pre cut flat blade blank and remove everything that isn't a knife. Then I make and attach the handle or scales. It has been a very rewarding hobby and I've even made a dollar or two here and there selling a project when I get bored with it.

 

The whole family became obsessed with the Forged In Fire series a few years ago and we all started watching Youtube videos from Alec Steele and Jason Knight around the same time.

 

About a month ago my son asked me when I was going to build a forge. My wife looked at me and said "Yah, when are you going to build a forge?" That was a mistake.

 

As it turns out, I could buy a two burner propane forge from a builder in Ukraine for less than I could build one. Thank you ebay!

 

Anvils are, evidently made of solid gold. after perusing ebay and craigslist for a few weeks and finding nothing but hunks of rust for $1,500.00-$3,500.00 I gave up on finding the deal of the century and ordered a nice 70 lb. knife maker's anvil for $400+/- from Centaur Forge in NC.

 

Then I found out that black smith tongs are fairly expensive as well. This time Amazon was my savior. I found a set of pre cut blanks to make five sets of tongs from Ken's Custom Iron on Amazon, all 5 were about the cost of one good pre made set.

 

I remembered a youtube video Alec Steele did a few years ago about making a good smithing hammer from a cheap Harbor Freight hammer. Off to HF to corner the market on hammers. 2 ball peen hammers, 2 one hand sledge hammers and a cross peen hammer, a couple flapper discs for the right angle grinder and about 3 hours labor and I have a decent set of hammers for the forge.

 

Then a trip to the local welding supply store for a leather apron, some wire brushes, soap stone, etc, etc.

 

Last weekend my wife and I went down to Logan OH for a beginner's Blacksmithing class at The Southern Ohio School of Black Smithing with Doug Lockheart and family in lieu of the Rally at the Shores(Thanks Bro Cuomo!) We had a great time, made some new friends and learned some basic smithing skills.

 

While we were at the class, my son built the anvil stand and set up up the forge on the back patio. Yesterday I got to work and made a couple pairs of tongs which I used today to forge my first knife from 1095 bar stock.

 

I am STOKED! I am now, truly a knife maker! Granted, it is far from perfect and will need some serious work on the slack grinder, but it is still a hand forged blade that I MADE!

 

All this so I could post up some pictures.

 

The forge:

 

 

The Tongs:

 

 

The blade before I forged the tang:

 

 

And with the tang:

 

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Like I said, it will need some work on the slack grinder but all in all, I think it turned pretty good for my first serious smithing attempt.

 

The knife, when finished will be a Scottish Sgian Dubh(pronounced "skiːən ˈduː/ skee-ən-DOO") to accessorize the utility kilt my son talked me into buying, and I actually rather like to my surprise. I like it so much I ordered another one.

 

To anyone who actually made it through this epic, long winded post to see the pictures, THANK YOU!

Edited July 28, 2020 by luvmy40

[RDawson]

Hey Rich that is something I’ve thought about for years but never did. Google Joe Keeslar, he’s a well known knife maker worldwide and lives a few miles from me. I ran around with one of his sons some back in the day and seen some of his stuff firsthand. Unbelievable.

[cecdoo]

Nick, the kid you sold the Maxim to is into knife making, altho not as deep as you. He starts from 12" saw blades and has made quite a few with custom handles, wood, corian, and stone. Looks like your setup will make for a fun hobby. Very cool:thumbsup2:

 

Craig

[luvmy40]

Nick, the kid you sold the Maxim to is into knife making, altho not as deep as you. He starts from 12" saw blades and has made quite a few with custom handles, wood, corian, and stone. Looks like your setup will make for a fun hobby. Very cool:thumbsup2:

 

Craig

 

 

How's the Maxim coming? I'd love to see some pics when she's back on the road.

[cecdoo]

Oh its back on the road and running great. He is on it every spare second he has. Next time he is down I will take some pics, its bright red and looks pretty good.

 

Craig

[luvmy40]

I finally got to take a little time and work on the Sgian Dubh I forged.

 

 

Ready for heat treating. It's still a little rough but for being ground on a POS Harbor freight 1" x 30" belt sander that's set too low and slides around on the bench, it's not too bad!

 

I have a slightly better(still cheap) purpose built knife grinder coming but it's on a slow boat from China so no telling when it'll arrive.

[CaseyJ955]

What a cool hobby, also one you get to share with family, even better.

 

What a skill, that one looks great!