Etsy back up.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/NorseWest
After forever the forge is back in action. Trying to find a trip to Denmark/Germany. no customs just what is on here is available for now. Not back to knives yet. Hammer arm is a bit rusty yet.
Skål.
Hröð-
New Daggers Knives and Jewelry Gallery.
Many new works of Iron! Some of which are forged from a special source of Iron that has been struck by lightning!
Everything above is basically Iron works.
New HC knives will be posted soon!
Thanks for looking!
Scandi Edge Jig THE MIRACLE TOOL
First off before get into explaining this item the original place I saw it was http://www.youtube.com/user/captjeff78/videos and from a few other concepts of static knife edging jigs used in professional factories. I am not associated with Captjeff78 personally but he deserves credit for this great design and honestly the difference maker in my knives going forward. Youtube and many of these great knife video makers are adding valuable if not invaluable hands on info to the greater amateur knife making community so thank you to everyone in the education field regarding Blacksmith and knife making based information. I myself run this blog to help anyone who may be going through the head scratching parts of making knives and doing forge work.
Now onto the Visbjorn Scandi Edge jig!
Forgive the bad graphics but this item is rude, crude and ready to use!
The jig above I use to make Scandinavian Edge style knives to great effect! I can make the same knife with any depth of hollow ground I want and they are basically ready to use right off the sander. I use 80 grit to remove material and 120 to finish my knife edge. I leave the steel at factory finish to creat a more earthy realistic feel that I prefer. I then 3500 RPM wire brush after all heat treating. Sometimes it is nice to hit the master bevel one more time to brighten it up after heat treating. I use a Ryobi 4″-36″ belt sander and generic 1″ by 30″ sander.I prefer using fresh factory made 1075/1080 High carbon steel. Please refer to my Trade off steel post for more info on how to get 1080 and other alloys.
As the graphics show, it is rather self explaining how to make and use this item. Simply creating a secure static for the knife to sit on and move it slowly but firmly across the belt until the desired edge is created. I modified mine to be more adjustable and use the large clamp as a handle which can be a pain but creates a more flexible tool if holes are not desired on your tang. I typically mount in antler so I use a Scandinavian tang shape.
Examples of blades made on my jig:
A finale note I would like to share regarding this jig concept is the profound effect it has made on my freehand knife making. It has steadied my hand and given the proper example of thorough steady grinding required to make a nice functional knife. Now when a roughly forged blades is needing an edge but does not fit on the jig I can easily achieve a nice uniform convex/scandi edge with great success>
Example:
I hope this will help on the road to better knife making, it has helped me greatly in my own progress and has redefined my art form in many ways.
Cheers!
H-
Bad Spring steel (cracking and crumbling)
The blade above is a Rams head Athame done in Nordic bronze age inspired style. The pitting has taken a toll on the pommel but it has given it a truly ancient look and feel.
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This post is as much about locating and buying your HC fresh as it is about addressing the very frustrating problem of running into bad quality old spring steel.
Leaf and coil springs are for the most part pieces we get from cars or other vehicles that have good high carbon steel. But the main problem with this as a source for knife steel is that these pieces of steel have stress fractures. You may notice when you find leaf springs that it appears to have broken off? that is from a stress fracture where the steel met its maximum durability and snapped. This steel may be easy to recognize from its heavy rust or pitting. Heavy rust does not always mean it’s not usable but if you see considerable pitting in the steel it should be thoroughly examined before forging. This steel will often continue to pit while forging and start tearing and crumbling even when forged at proper color.The knife above was to be a spring steel Athame but it was tool old and began to crumble during the forge. I turned into a very nice non cutting piece for magic use as the material looks very cool but the pitting and deterioration does not allow this to be a reliable cutting tool.
Buying your steel is a process you should become used to early:
Many online supplier sell stock HC steel just for knife makers at very reasonable prices. I got my 1080 in 60″ lengths and it more than paid for itself without the guess-work. Your work should be known for quality and this is a good way to guarantee what you’re using is top rate steel. Its worth every penny and very easy to do.
http://www.admiralsteel.com/shop/
I buy from the site above. I think the prices are good and I like buying long stock to cut to my own specs. If you still want to recycle Springs I do not blame you as I am a green guy myself but just make sure the material is in very good condition before making a knife from it.
H-
1080 and why I think its the best trade off steel.
No grand new year statements or plans of action, just another no BS article on why 1080 is a very good choice.
I am a picky smith when it comes to my choice in HC steels. I tend to prefer the tougher alloys and how they react to being worked and then quenched over being obsessed with the level of hardness achieved. I have been making RRS knives for a very long time and I love the properties of the 1040HC used in the spikes. It hardens and forges easily with little worry of cracking so I wanted to find a Bush knife quality HC steel with a similar ease of properties in a flat stock form. I decided after having issues with used leaf springs cracking I would order fresh flat stock steel. I chose 1075/1080 blade steel because I felt it would be a balanced and easy to forge steel for my line of Bushcraft knives. What got in return was better than I expected because not only does this steel forge nicely, it has shown no quenching issues, over hardening or cracks while forging at all. The other really nice thing about this steel is that you still get high edge durability and low material cost.
When we are talking about making survival knives it is important to remember what is actually needed in your blades performance. You must have your hardness and durability balanced so that it can survive the punishment and also be easily sharpened. A steel like D2 can be frustrating and difficult to sharpen due to its hardness level but it has great impact durability and strength. I prefer a carbon steel like 1080 because it is not complicated and can be cared for with a simple wet stone. The hardness can be adjusted to be perfect level for durability and edge retention.
Forge at bright orange to yellow.
Quench in oil.
Temper for 30/1 hour at 300/400 degrees.
I highly recommend you try this for a good trade-off of features.
The second knife shown is a hybrid of an ornate Viking iron knife and a small Seax blade.
Cold Chiseling Runes Gallery
- Katala spelled in Elder Futhark. Chiseled pre hardening.
Athame: A tool used by a Witch, Sorcerer or Shaman for various energy practices and rituals. Done in Nordic style with chiseled Runic marks.
Recycled Wrought Iron with Visigothic influence. ATHAME.
Wrought Iron Athame with Chiseled Runes.
Wrought Iron Athame with Antler handle.
Recycled Steel: Wroughr iron Athame with brushed finish.Cold chiseled Runes. Heat Steel to orange and allow to cool fully for best result.
Hand stamped Runic engraving. (Cold chiseled in to steel while still soft)
COPPER GALLERY.
Hammer with Thor image.
- Hand forged copper Thor’s hammer amulet.
Copper Athame/Seax with Antler Tine.
Forged Gotland inspired spiral with mat patina.
- Acid etched Thor’s Hammer with forged ring.
Engraved Thor's hammer. Copper art.Copper Athame. Viking style.
Copper fork.
Gotland Spiral.
Copper grouping.
Viking spirals.
Textured Hammer.Norse Spoon.
Zoom.
Acid etch.
Copper works.
H-
Knife Making Bullet Points! Steel, techniques and tips.
Hand forged Railroad spike.
A BULLET POINTS MEMO TO HELP ANYONE JUST STARTING OUT IN BLACKSMITH WORK:
STEEL AND ITS USES FOR KNIFE MAKING:
Modern wrought Iron/1018/Low carbon steel: Only use for primitive blades, blades you hang up on the wall or for props/ritual knives. Not for modern knife making. Max Hardness 42RC. However 42RC hardened steel will hold an edge for a period of time because it surface hardens a bit more than 42RC if heated in a carbon rich environment at high temperature. This is called carberizing or surface hardening. Smiths would put iron in a high temperature fire with bones and coal for a period of time to increase carbon content and is still done today in metal working. The thing I love most about 1018/Modern wrought is the ability to try these ancient techniques and see how you can use and perfect or even just understand what advantage it may have given the weapons of old . In the end a modern knife has long edge retension and iron knives had higher durability in battle but less edge rentension. Without a doubt the best material to start out with and practice technique.
Rebar: Can be worth experimenting with. For best results try Grade 60 and 75. Ultra strong material that does quench harden.
Files: Great for knives of all kinds, good high carbon steel. Forge at yellow/Bright orange to avoid cracking. Quench in oil only. Hardness roughly 58RC could go higher or lower depending. Temper 1hour 300/400 degrees.
Leaf and Coil spring steel: Great high carbon steel but has a tendency to crack in forged bellow bright orange. Oil quench only. Max hardness 58RC. Temper 1hour at 300/400.
440C Stainless steel. Forges nicely at high temperature and it quenches in oil or water. In my experience I have had no trouble heat treating this steel despite horror stories. Always temper for 1hour at 300/400 degrees.
Tool Steel: I do not recommend forging this steel as much as I recommend softening and grinding from bar stock. Heat to orange and allow to cool fully to soften. Heat treat by heating to bright red and quenching in oil. Then temper for 1hour at 300/400 degrees.
1040 Railroad spike: A fine medium carbon steel containing both the durability of iron and the hardness of high carbon steel. Quench in water, no need to temper. Max hardness is 52/56RC
KNIFE MAKING TERMS YOU NEED TO REMEMBER:
Anneal: To heat an already hardened metal back to its soft composition.
Temper: To heat a quenched blade and reduce its brittleness to a more durable state.
Quenching: To dip a blade into liquid causing the rapid removal of oxygen and close the crystal structure. (Hardening)
Hammer hardening: A technique used on bronze/Copper and low-carbon steel to increase hardness by hammering while cold.
Clinker: A waste material that gathers in your forge during the forging process.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES:
When holding your hammer during forging it is important that you loosely grip the hammer and allow the weight to do the work. Always use a thumb over fist grip to prevent pain and damage to your arm.
When quenching your blade always insert it vertically and do not stir the liquid. This can bend the steel during the process.
Use water when quenching lower carbon steel to gain max hardness but it is best to use oil on high carbon to prevent cracking.
Always be aware of your steels color and if at yellow be extra careful not to burn or melt your steel. If your blade is sparkling its ruined.
When grinding if your blade turns black in a spot you have burned the carbon and possibly ruined the steel. Grind and cool-Grind and cool. Be patient.
Preheat all high carbon steels to red/orange and allow to cool fully before reheating and forging. This removes stress.
I hope This helps you in choosing steel and just giving you an idea of the process involved in forging not just knives but all kinds pieces.
- Wrought Iron Athame.
- HC Viking Seax
- Wrought Iron Athame with Chiseled Runes.
Thanks for checking out my blog!
My Shop
http://www.etsy.com/shop/NorseWest
Check out my shop for some very unique Jewelry and wrought iron pieces.
H-
A Spring Wind Blows in the North of Every Mans Heart.
And so it was destiny to bend steel to my will-Prologue:
Late winter began to release its frozen claws from the land and the clean fresh air bristled across the still yellow grasses in the foothills. All kind of small green beings had begun the journey to life in the small spaces between the rocks. East I stood far from the shelter of the great mountain near my home but as I stood on the crest of great rolling hills and gazed across mighty stone laden mountains I could see distantly the mountains I call home. Green with fur, pine and snow still laying upon its highest granite monuments. This day was not the day I first laid a hammer to glowing steel but it was the day I forged what was to be the first blade that revealed like a great epiphany that my destiny was to bend iron to my will and with this revelation all manner of wisdom, knowledge, instinct, natural spirit and understanding would be laid before me to take. With every strike of my hammer, careful choice of antler, engraving of ancient sacred symbols this blade took form and came to life, revealing what was possible and that the idea of limits no longer existed.This is not a hobby for me or a source of income. It is destiny and an expression of my beliefs, culture and heritage to share with any and all who care to see what I create. I love art in all forms and appreciate art that truly means something. I am proud to be a part of the new American Art/Artisan, Hand crafted movement. I am a dedicated “Green” artist and I take pride in recycling everything I can to make my art and I will recycle as much as I can as long as the end product does not suffer in quality. Being green also means seeing potential in commonly available resources and not wasting material that has been purchased for projects. No usable steel, copper, wood or antler is wasted. 90% of all antler used is collected by hand in my very own mountains with no harm coming to the environment or herds of deer. The other 10% was acquired from various sources where it would have sat and gone to waste otherwise. Green means sustainable sources, no environmental harm and a working relationship with nature as a part of nature.
Forþryne !
Hröðebert-
The Call Of Steel 