Somewhat Envious of Diamond G

[VSMBlades]

Mike,

How long did it take for you to get Christine to get out in the shop with you?

I have been trying to get Spring to come forge with me some evenings but she dosent have any interest in it. I wish she did but then again I would have to build another forge and piece together another anvil if she liked it because I would get evicted from my current equipment.

Looks like she is really in to it. The only thing I can think she might need to know is to stick her tounge out a little bit, it really matters if you are "Holding your mouth right" and sticking out your tounge just the slightest bit has always gotten me on the right track. j/k

Joe

[SKIVIE]

Joe, The Truth needs to come out. Mike Is not actually Diamond G......Christine is. She is the one thats making all this nice Damascus and building these knives. Mike just gets on here and takes all the credit......Kinda like Terry and his wife.

Mike is NEVER in town enough to make Billets.....That picture proves it, Its Christine doing it. Hmmmm.

Mike, Tell that sweet wife of yours that she sure looks like she knows what she's doing....musta had a good teacher.

Shane

[DiamondG Knives]

Thanks for the support guys! Gheesh!!!!

Joe: Ive always offered a standing invitation to her for years, but just the other night, she decided she wanted to make a "cool" teardrop shaped dagger out of some "pretty steel", so off we went! Now the challenge is going to be grinding a dagger, its going to be hard to show her how to do it, when I do it so poorly myself! I do have to say I was sure happy to spend the evening in the shop with her, it seems Im never home enough, and really miss out on being in their lives like I would like to, so spending time with her, and getting to "help" make damascus, its a win / win situation!!!

And yes Shane, you hit it on the head, she got her looks from her mother, and her hard headedness from me!!!

Now, if she could make 6 billets a week, grind 3 blades a week, and keep the shop clean........... Hey! You may be onto somthing here!!! LOL

As she IS my Daughter, it could still be Diamond G Knives couldnt it??? :confused:

God Bless
Mike

[Raymond Richard]

Hey Mike, This is my 11 year of making knives and as far as I recall the only time my daughter came into my shop was this past Christmas season. When I was a full time carpenter when she was little as soon as I turned on a saw she was gone. Kind of reminded me of a story my dad told me about his hunting dog he had when he was a young man. He had let a friend borrow it that was going hunting. The first shot he took the dog vanished and was never see again. Makes me wonder if thats the reason my daughter lives in Japan.

By looking at the picture of the press I was thinking you had got one of Ron Claiborne's but from the angle of the shot I can't tell. Looks to me like you've been getting plenty of use from it. Ron's been working on mine now for months since his health had gone south and it looks like its going to be awhile longer before he's done with it. Guess I'll just have to wait but sure look forward to the day it arrives...

[DiamondG Knives]

Yes Ray, Thats one of Rons presses, his first one commercialy sold !! i call it my "Main Squeeze" The wife says if it couldnt be her, she was happy it was a press!!!

And yes, cosmeticlly, it has seen better days, but as far as anything other than the paint job, its just like the day I bought it. Id have to guess, but Id say the press has over 250 hours on it right now. The first year I had it, I paid for it by making steel for other makers, kinda got me off knife making, but gave me a very satisfied feeling!

I just dont know how Larry Kemp and the other guys do it!!! There presses look like they never get used! Or mabe Im just a little too hard on the equipment!! LOL My Dad always told me I could ruin a steel ball bearing with a rubber mallet!

This press has been as solid as a rock! I will warn you though, they WILL self destruct if improperly used!!! I broke a weld on the die holder, but it was COMPLETLY my fault. The weld was sound and properly welded, just that I was working off the side of the die and putting 25 tons of pressure on one focused spot. Let me tell you, to put it plainly, I had to change my shorts!!! These are great machines, but must be treated with a great deal of respect. I guess I had gotten complaciant with it, and it spoke to me about it!!! All is well though, I rewelded it, and now give it the respect it deserves!!

I have gotten to the point that I can forge a blade to within 70% of being complete, I point the bar by hand, then do the rest on the press, then with about 2 finishing heats Im done. Ive found this is my favorite way to forge 52100 ! man this is some STIFF stuff under a hammer!

Cant wait to hear from you once you get it !!

God Bless
Mike

[jonwelder]

Hey Mike, How about a series of photos using the press to shape those blades! I'd really like to see that,, perhaps I could modify my press here!! I'm ALWAYS looking for ways to improve!!! (I think we all are) ---jon