blades im doing

[metalbender]

the guthook skinner is for a freind. just cutting out the hook with files ( this piece will be done entirely by hand, no powertools on this one, because, well, um , im a masocist heh) made from a hoof rasp

the second skinner is what Ive been in the forge last day or so working on. this ones going to be for sale I think. its from a leaf spring, only powertool used so far has been the oxy acet rig i used last fall to split the leafs down the length. going to try to take this piece to a new level as it were and do the hammer finish thing

trying to stay away from powertools and ive only caved in with a grinder to cut tang profiles in a few instances.
figure it's the best way to learn hammer control and general finesse.

[Ray Rogers]

If I didn't use power tools I think my knives would all still look like a bar of steel. What you're doing looks pretty impressive to me .......

[metalbender]

thanks that means alot to me, praise from the praiseworthy is the best compliment a fella can get

I gotta admit it was SO tempting today to grab the grinder and clean the profile and cut the tang, but I resisted the dark side, even if they DO have cookies, and carried on, taking a break right now, also working on a HUGE seax today for a freind who was just Laureled ( given the status of Master of Arts in the SCA medieval group, very big deal in the group, akin to passing your journeyman bladesmith test for us) and THAT one is a real pain in the rear, making from a monster machinists file and it just doesnt wanna move under the hammer lol, need to borrow Rays 6 lber i think *winks*

[toddhill]

Looking good, metalbender. I admire your aspiration to go with the hammer finish. Hope it turns out well. I look forward to seeing the finished knife. Todd

[metalbender]

thanks Todd hot cut and drew out the handle some last night. its coming along briskly im having ALOT of fun with this piece

noodling around with the idea of some pinned wrought bolsters and drawing the end of the handle out enough to rivet a wrought buttcap, then slabbing the sides

[metalbender]

welp heres how its going, , I hotcut it off the bar, drew out the nipple for the pommel, flattened the blade, annealed it, and cleaned up the profile as well as filecut the fingerguard. thinking of taking down the tip a tad, a lil too curvy. also not too keen on the finish, had too much scale developing, but hey live and learn.


I think this one will clean up nicely, going to have wrought bolsters and a wrought pommel, with elk or deer scales i think.