Started Forging my First Forged Knife tonight

[Casey Brown]

The metal is not moving very fast, but it's starting to take a shape. I only have a 2 1/2 pound hammer, and I may want to get the metal a little hotter, but it's progress. Trying to learn the process now. Unfortunately, ran out of propane, so going to have to get a refill tomorrow, and start again.

 

[opaul]

I try to keep a second tank filled and ready just for that reason. What type of stock are you using? Sounds like you said, the metal may not be hot enough.

 

[Casey Brown]

I'm starting with 1084 1/4" x 1 1/4" flat stock. Everything I've read says it's the easiest to heat treat, and I only have my propane forge to ht. I'm getting it to a bright orange, but not quite yellow. I'm running my forge at it's lowest setting right now.

 

[opaul]

I use a lot of 1084, get a magnet if you don't already have one to help you know when your reached the proper temperature.

 

[Casey Brown]

Sorry, getting it to that color for forging. Not going to be ready to ht for a while, but definitely will do that.

 

[Casey Brown]

My progress before the propane tank froze up. Starting to look a little like my design. Haven't started hammering in the bevels yet. Hopefully that won't change the shape too much.

 

[J. Doyle]

The point is going to curl up quite a bit as you forge the levels. You'll have to keep an eye on that.

 

[Casey Brown]

Yep. Fighting with the tip. Got the bevels starting to stretch out, but you can see the tip is not cooperating. I'll have to grind that smooth eventually.

 

[opaul]

I was told to forge thick grind thin!

 

[Casey Brown]

I don't have a lot of expectations on this one other than learning the process. If it totally cracks on quenching, I won't be upset. It's been fun just getting it to this point. After a couple of years of stock removal, I'm just glad to be pounding on some hot metal. I didn't really run out of propane, like I mentioned earlier. The tank froze up. I spent the last little bit of forging with this tank having to go over and shake the tank every so often to keep the propane flowing smoothly! My neighbors probably thought I was crazy.

 

[Casey Brown]

After annealing and a rough grind. Still a lot of grinding to do to get ready for heat treat.

 

[BossDog]

looks like good progress.

maybe you are doing this but a couple things to consider.
Use a wire brush often to remove scale before hammering. Just a couple swipes is usually enough. Otherwise you pound scale into the metal.
If 1084 is hard to move under the hammer, you don't have it hot enough. Some steels are "red short", like 01 and move slow under the hammer. 1084 will move easier and faster if it at the right temp.
don't be afraid to step over to grinder occasionally if you get too thin on the bevel or point to take those back a bit and then continue forging.
the fewer the heats kinda the better. It's easy to cook the steel with too many cycles.
have fun.

 

[opaul]

looks like good progress.

maybe you are doing this but a couple things to consider.
Use a wire brush often to remove scale before hammering. Just a couple swipes is usually enough. Otherwise you pound scale into the metal.
If 1084 is hard to move under the hammer, you don't have it hot enough. Some steels are "red short", like 01 and move slow under the hammer. 1084 will move easier and faster if it at the right temp.
don't be afraid to step over to grinder occasionally if you get too thin on the bevel or point to take those back a bit and then continue forging.
the fewer the heats kinda the better. It's easy to cook the steel with too many cycles.
have fun.

Good advise! I'm taking notes!!

 

[Casey Brown]

Have it ground and ready to heat treat. Trying to do a distal taper on the blade and tang. Not easy to grind. I also have a slight bend in the tang toward the bottom. Going to have to heat up with a torch and bend straight. Going to try a differential heat treat with clay. I know. I'm kind of spit balling here, but wanting to try a bunch of techniques to learn.

 

[Kevin Zito]

Looking good... Drill holes first... just in case tang gets hard.

 

[AkWildman]

To mirror what Boss Dog said a wire brush is your friend and use it often,also bend your blade up in a banana shape as in twords the edge before you start your bevels and as you draw your bevels down your spine will straighten and you won't be fighting a upward curl..

 

[Casey Brown]

Latest update. Heat treated and ground. Hand sanding now. Just finished 400 grit to get it perfectly flat. Don't think I nailed the heat treat, but file skated on the edge, so at least it's hard. Have a distal taper on the blade and the tang.

 

[Kevin Zito]

Looks really good!

 

[Casey Brown]

 

[Casey Brown]

Just to update on this first knife. Pretty much finished. Not sure how much I like it. Love the blade profile, but feel like I got the proportions off. The ricasso is too big. First time doing a distal taper on the blade and tang, so it through off how far up I could take the handle. Lesson learned.