Reeceknight Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 This thread has inspired me. I want to start one, I'm a welder by trade, weld and fabricate cat helicoptor for the army do not bad with my hands and metal work but this is like art. We're do you start with forging a blade? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted February 7, 2014 Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 This thread has inspired me. I want to start one, I'm a welder by trade, weld and fabricate cat helicoptor for the army do not bad with my hands and metal work but this is like art. We're do you start with forging a blade? In the same boat - been reading but then wish I hand't started - it's a real can of worms with poeple being as hill billy as chucking files into a fire and in the oven etc... right the way up to people using long words I don't understand and heating things to exactly 1467.50005050505 degrees.... Look great fun and I want to do it! Anyone know if for a blade and tang only around 8 inches in total, could you just use a torch to heat or do you definitely need a forge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whalefish Posted February 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 This thread has inspired me. I want to start one, I'm a welder by trade, weld and fabricate cat helicoptor for the army do not bad with my hands and metal work but this is like art. We're do you start with forging a blade? Hi, i will try and take a few photos of the forging process next time im at it there are some good videos on youtube too. In the same boat - been reading but then wish I hand't started - it's a real can of worms with poeple being as hill billy as chucking files into a fire and in the oven etc... right the way up to people using long words I don't understand and heating things to exactly 1467.50005050505 degrees.... Look great fun and I want to do it! Anyone know if for a blade and tang only around 8 inches in total, could you just use a torch to heat or do you definitely need a forge? You could try a bbq with a hairdryer and charcoals, getting the blade equally heated with a torch could be a bit difficult . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraivi Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Hi, i will try and take a few photos of the forging process next time im at it there are some good videos on youtube too. You could try a bbq with a hairdryer and charcoals, getting the blade equally heated with a torch could be a bit difficult . +1 on the bbq and hairdryer, exactly what I used in the beginning, and 01 tool steel....... Heat it till no longer magnetic and quench in oil to harden, successful so far, but I have over heated a few too in the early days learning....to be fair, I still manage to mess up now and again. In your first attempts, I recommend buying a few blades to get your experience on, and british blades forum is a great place to learn, helpful chaps there too. Whalefish is spot on......it is addictive, you have been warned. Good luck and have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Cheers whalefish and wraivi. I am really looking forward to having a go, just need to get the stuff first. Would I need to line a BBQ with heatproof cement? I've read you can put a pipe wth holes inside the BBQ and leave some out of the BBQ and you can put a blower in there, would a hair dryer suffice as a blower? I want to make a good knife with my father before he gets more ill (he was very good at carpentry back in his day), so that I can keep it forever and not use it and just have It as a memory of something we have done together. (We have renovated a boat and a house but can't keep them forever!). As you say, ill be doing some practise ones first until I work it out :-) haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraivi Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 I just took the box grate outa the fire place and set that in the weber bbq, air supplied via some metal conduit courtesy of the wife's hairdryer. Worked a treat and didn't wreck my barbie! I now have one made outa 2 welded up landrover wheel rims and fire bricks, air supplied by compressor. Just keep it simple mate, I saw a youtube guy dig 2 holes about a foot square, inter connected by a metal pipe. Fire pit in one hole and hairdryer in the other. Easy. Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toplever Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 This thread has inspired me. I want to start one, I'm a welder by trade, weld and fabricate cat helicoptor for the army do not bad with my hands and metal work but this is like art. We're do you start with forging a blade? If you are a welder and have an angle grinder you can make a short-bladed heavy duty knife with a legal blade without a forge. Just source a long handled garden pruner at a boot sale. Remove the blade, cut off the pivot hole as appropriate and weld a tang on it from a bolt with the head cut off - this makes either a short tang hidden in the handle or a full length tang you can put a nut on. Or you can cut and weld on a mild steel steel handle shape and add scales either side. You can buy the brass rod in B & Q to act as pins . You can even rough shape the wood scales with the angle grinder. That bit of titanium on the rotor head of a chopper should make a few quality knife blades !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aris Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 I came across this video some months ago - The tools used aren't particularly fancy - you could improvise further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven b Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Some very nice work budy welldone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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