trick or treat

[cwp]

OK,

Don't pay so much attention to the plunge line that you end up with the 2" mark on the blade.

And since you are sooooo cute in your costume A second treat for you. Never forge in just a white tank top, remember, IR burns and you may not realize it till you have a second degree burn on your belly button.

--Carl

[hammerdownnow]

Originally Posted by B.Finnigan

Anytime I have ever posted a tip someone almost always has to either contradict it, belittle it or rag about that it has allready been posted before. My favorite is the "this is a better way" but they never posted thier "better way" until it came time to stomp on mine.

How many times is that going to happen before you decide to take your head off of the chopping block?

This is deeply troubling. If there is one thing Knet has been able to say with pride is we are the "friendlest board on the net". I always enjoy your posts and am impressed with your ingenuity and willingness to share your innovations. You (and everyone) are valued members here.

Skip, there are many ways to skin a cat. Some things will work for you and some will not. The boards are monitored pretty close and any obivious attempt to take someone snipe hunting would be delt with swiftly if noticed.

Anyone who has a problem, feel free to flag the post or contact a moderator and your concerns WILL be addressed. Ya'll are family.

Membership has its privilage. Use em'

1. Comments can sometimes be misinterpeted by the way we read them by putting emphasis on the wrong words..

2. Sometimes what we say can make perfect sense to the writer, but be confusing to the reader.

3. Some people are better at "explaing, speling and gramer" than others. That's OK.

4. I have not come across one mean spirited member on Knet.

I hope what I have said here is taken in the best possible way, Roc

[skipknives]

Store your Ironwood in air tight buckets or tupperwere to slow oxidation which turns it dark. (thumbs up,Mr. hammerdown)

[AcridSaint]

Brent, I liked the inswool "tip" (pun intended) and planned on using it. I just didn't realize that I read it in this thread until it was brought up by Skip. Dunno about everyone else, but I like to know all the ways that people do the same thing. I make my decisions based on what sounds best to me, many times I'll read several threads and go with a less popular method because it fits my toolset, skillset or mindset better. It never hurts to post a different way to do things.

[NuViking]

Dont be afraid to try something new. Afterall who knows how well it may go over. I was thinking about agate for a blade. Turns out it has been done and looks cool. I still want to try it even though somebody beat me to it.

[cwp]

I agree with Roc, please speak up if you find yourself feeling abused, most here will help you get going very well. I am always amazed at how helpful people are here. The overall tone is to help others along the way.

I also like tips, and really like when a persons tip thread turns into a bunch of ways to do the same thing, but this needs to be done as additions and not personal attacks.

--Carl

[B.Finnigan]

I don't consider it abuse, just annoying. Sometimes it is just less hassle to opt out of posting something then to deal with it getting disected and cross examined. What is going to happen when more and more forum members start opting out and spending more time in thier shop using the tips vs. sharing them on the forums? Who benefits from that?

I deleted the earlier post because it was more a philosophic tip that I have to remind myself of almost daily but it contradicted another post. It could have completely derailed the thread and made for some controversy. Discretion is the better part of valor and it should be displayed a little more on the forums IMHO.

As for the insulwool on the knife tip, it has worked 100% for me, has no risks and cost's nothing. You will never burn or scale up another tip ever again during HT.

[T-Wolf]

newbies need a scriber and usually lack the the skill to make one that has 14 moving parts.if stock removal is your thing,save a piece that you cut off from profiling,grind a 45 degree bevel on the end of it.stick it on the kitchen stove till the end gets red hot,then dunk it in water.it will be glass hard and your scribe lines will show up good.(don't forget the Dykem) if your grind is off-centered on the scriber, just flip it over and you'll have two lines close together.hope this helps someone,my finger is getting tired(one finger typist)
good luck,Tom.....old newbie

[Don Halter]

Here's a few things off the top of my head...


Ask 100 npeople a question, you'll get 100 different answers. Listen to everything.....
...use what works for you.

Watching a forge light is neat looking, resist the urge to get a closer look! Your eyebrows will thank you for it.

Making a set of hardened-steel alignment blocks to ensure proper placement of the gaurd cut out takes a while, but more than makes up for it in time not spent filing...and filing..and filing to "even" things out when fitting a gaurd. If you have an old, aging, decrepid grinder that doesn't track worth a darn, similar blocks can be used to assist with the plunge cuts as well.

Possums make good shop pets, until thry drag back dead stuff and hide it behind your walls.

A thin sprinkle of water on the anvil face can help blow scale off your blade, although I prefer a wire brush. Keep your anvil face brushed off to avoid hammering crud into the surface of your knives.

Never be afraid to push the edge...but always test your results!

Never assume one batch of steel is identical to the last just because they were the same grade (especially 1095).

Multiple 1/2" layers work just as well a s a single 2" layer of kaowool/insuwool. 1/2" can often be found on ebay for about 2/3 the equivalent cost per volume.

Yes, ITC-100 makes that big of a difference.

Spiderwebs are very flammable. It only takes one junebug near a venturi burner intake to set a shop ablaze! Keep your shop as web-free as possible! Dropping junebugs into the intake to watch them shoot out the forge front can be quite entertaining, though.

When forging in a semi-open shop at night, under lights, if you feel something crawling inside your shirt....shake it out, don't slap it. It's probably a wasp or stinkbug.

Making tongs are a great way to learn hammer control.

Multiple colors of clay layered up can help you work out damascus patterns.

Published heat treat methods for steels usually refer to a 1" cubic block. You'll often need to vary the methods to apply to thin cross-sectioned items like knives. Ask questions here for recipes and such!

Never, ever, never leave a blade chucked in a vise with the blade pointed outward if you are not in direct-hands-on control of it!

Black is still hot enough to hurt!

Keep you slack tub far enough from your anvil that an accidentally dropped blade doesn't land in it.

[SharpByCoop]

Similar to what Bob Warner offered in the second post:
Even though you are excited to show your latest piece, WAIT and create a good photo. First impressions are irretrievable and emotionally lasting.

Close a slipjoint the same way you opened it. Slowly with the nail nick.

When you place a fixed blade in a zipper pouch, ALWAYS place it with the sharpened side away from the zipper and the tip away from the initial opening zipper.

Liner-lock? knives do not have to be opened with one hand. A delicate knife can use a fingernail to unlock, and that's OK.

Fingerprints are invisible to the naked eye but are very visible to the camera lens. Be aware.

Chamois leather for drying/washing cars is the VERY best cloth for wiping fingerprints. Cut a section out and see.

How's that for a non knifemaker?

Coop

[hammerdownnow]

Coop, you are a very good knifemaker.

Great tips going on here. Gotta try the Junebug one.

[DaveRuhlig]

As a newbie I don't have many tips, but here's how I'm going about creating some..... Every knife I do I write down as much as I can about the materials and processes I used to finish them and the results. I find it amazing how quickly I forget what I did on a certain knife to get a certain result. It's much easier (and cheaper) to flip back through may notes than to throw away more materials.

[Dublin Lee]

Hello: I have learned the hard way that just because metal has gone from red to black

[MtMike]

Keep your working area clean. Scraps, filings, acid, dye, fine grit -- all of it will eventually find a way into your knife, sheath, display box, camera, or computer terminal.
Ask me how I know

Mike

[markd]

Originally Posted by DaveRuhlig

As a newbie I don't have many tips, but here's how I'm going about creating some..... Every knife I do I write down as much as I can about the materials and processes I used to finish them and the results. I find it amazing how quickly I forget what I did on a certain knife to get a certain result. It's much easier (and cheaper) to flip back through may notes than to throw away more materials.

I do that as well. Helps A TON.