My forging experience

That's a tough one. The little projects like the tissue holder are turning out to be a lot of fun. I really don't like grinding, but the knives are fun to make as well.

If I could only choose one, even though it is flawed, I think I would pick the straight razor as my favorite.

That one was the most complex to figure out and the biggest challenge, so it's the most rewarding finished product. And it gives a pretty darn good shave I have to say.

 

Very cool, straight razors seem deceptively simple but are obviously far from simple to forge!

 

The grind is the big thing for me. I am working off a simple 4x36 inch belt sander instead of having access to a nice 2x72 and all the fancy attachments.
So trying to get a good hollow (ish) grind and keep it even is quite a challenge.

The geometry is something to keep in mind also when forging. They are so thin near the edge, there isn't much room for error at all.

 

Did you find heat treating it was different to other stuff too?

 

Not so much because I left it thicker for heat treat. Just did an oil quench from critical temperature. I left the edge about a dimes thickness, then finished grinding it down afterwards.

That's where it got tricky being inexperienced and not being able to slow my grinder down. I had to really pay attention so I didn't overheat it while grinding.

 

Very cool. Congrats dude

 

Thanks!!

 

Did some more playing yesterday. I got the hand towel holder made to go with the tp holder. Got a knife that I had heat treated cleaned up and ready for finishing and a handle after I found it. (Somebody left it in the toaster oven after tempering and couldn't remember where he put it.....) And I made a couple candle holders for the M-I-L for Christmas.

 

Finally got this one pretty much done. Still needs a final sharpening, but it's got a handle and polished now.

 

very nice. Looks like a nice sheath knife.

 

Thanks Mike!

 

Looks great Shawn.

 

Thanks Jim!!

 

Some more tinkering tonight. After messing up the poker end 3 times, I finally have something that should work. And also my first attempt at a wood chisel.

 

When you make something shiny, it's hard to photograph with a cellphone.... Father-in-law's Christmas gift is completed.

 

Bob is a lucky guy. Beauty. what steel? Love the poker

 

Thanks Mike. It's leaf spring. Many are 5160, but I can't swear to it as some are different. Poker was just 1/2 inch square cold rolled steel.

 

Another gift done. Nothing like waiting until the last minute huh? This one turned out better than the first one I think, but I know where I screwed up the first one.

 

It's killer. You know two people with fire places! I do like this one better.

 

Thanks Mike. Yeah, my dad and my step-kids' grandparents. I'm happier with the points on this one.
One of those learn from your mistakes things. I tried to hot cut into the body from the handle side on the first one. That didn't give me enough material to work with.
This time I flattened the end and split it. Turned out much better.