Here is one I made from a locomotive valve. Blade is 9" long, I also made the guard out of the same valve.
Thanks! It's a ton of hammering but I enjoy playing with the forge now and then. This particular knife is one of my favorites. Very little filing/grinding. Almost totally made on the anvil. And I'm not sure what alloy it is but MAN is it ever strong.
Dang that's nice! Just so I'm picturing right...valve as in opens to let fuel into cylinder opens to let exhaust out? I hope my experiment turns out 1/10th that good.
Yes a round valve, like one in a car engine but much longer....lol Thanks for the compliment. I carry that knife with me in the woods all the time
No, an Amish tack shop over in the valley did that sheath. And to be honest, I'm not real happy with it.......
Had a couple minutes so I started roughing out a shape. Still needs lots more done but the -18º in an unheated garage is not conducive to accomplishing much out there.
Looks good so far. Looks sort of like a Bowie knife. I won't be able to forge until mid March the way it is looking. I can't wait to light some coal off.
I am so sick of this -º BS. Last night was -18º again but by 4pm it was back up to +6º...so had to go play on the knife some more. Shaped the bevels a bit more and drilled the lanyard and handle pin holes. Which brings me to my question of the day. Bought a set of cobalt drill bits a year ago and thought they would be the be all end all for bits. I hate them! Did I get a bad set or are those things about as brittle as glass? Snapped off another one drilling the handle holes. They start a hole great and chew thru quick but as soon as you break through the other side they barely catch the burr and snap. Not just litluns up to 5/16" have done this. Bought a new set that was relatively cheap didnt say hss-titanium-cobalt or nothin came home bored right thru and didn't even flinch at the exit burr. What's your take on cobalt bits?
Snapping bits is an expensive curse. If you find a brand that works for you buy a few extra in the common sizes that you use the most. Drill bits are not created equally, and some will be of better quality than others. There are all sorts of charts for drill bit speed down pressure, etc. I understand cutting oil can help too. Cobalt bits helped me get through some hardened steel. I used a hand drill, but I should have used the drill press and matched the speed or go safe with a slower speed. The knife is looking good so far. Nice lines.
Heatin up the blade to harden in the 1st 3 pics...don't tell mama bear I used a Christmas tin for the oil quench can. Since I'm playin on thin ice I used her stoneware bar pan as a heat trap in the oven to moderate the temperature swings in the tempering process.
