Billet to Blade Community
Beginning
I'm a retiring dentist and need to know where to start with forging. I need something I can begin to create but with absolutely no knowledge other than my ability to cast.
Hi Shawn,
I second Tristan. Work through the chef knife project and checkout the recommended tools and the companion PDF. You can get by with minimal tooling. I’ve seen a 24 lbs anvil bolted to a 6x6 and placed in a 5 gallon bucked of loose gravel be quite effective, so you can really start anywhere.
Ben mentions a number of great options. I’d personally recommend just going for 80CrV2 as your primary steel. It is chemically fairly simple, easy to work with, and all around effective. I’d also recommend starting with a propane forge.
If you want a dirt cheap but very capable anvil, you can get one of the 132 pound Chinese cast steel anvils off amazon for about $250. They are not cast iron and they punch well above their weight class.
Just a couple of suggestions if you don’t want to have to think hard on things starting out. If you want more recommendations, we can point you in the right direction, but Ben covers all of this in more detail.
Welcome to the community and the craft!
Cheers,
Jake
Another "Where do you get your..." Question
Hey, guys. Where are some places you like to get 80CrV2? I get most of my metal from Admiral Steel. They have some great prices on 5160 and 1080, but they don't sell 80CrV2.
P.S.
If you see this, @Benjamin Abbott , is 1080 close enough to 1084 to be a recommendation for quench-heating via forge (ovenless heat treating)? I'm assuming it is from looking around, but I don't know if there are any gotchas with it that I haven't seen.
I buy my 80CrV2 from https://newjerseysteelbaron.com/product/80crv2/ 1080 and 1084 are almost identical, except the 1084 has a touch more manganese in it, which raises its hardenabillity, and helps it etch darker in ferric chloride. Both are eutectoid steels, which are more forgiving when it comes to quench temperatures.
Thank you. I apologize. I was rewatching your videos and you actually do mention 1080, it just isn’t mentioned in the notes.
Deciding Which NC Tool Forge to Purchase
You’ve convinced me to get a better forge. Fuel conservation and getting things hot fast are important to me and my Majestic is too big and wasteful. I emailed NC Tools regarding the Whisper Mamma and the Lowboy, since the latter got hotter faster, etc. They gave a helpful reply answering my questions about those and recommended looking at the Knifemaker 2 forge they have. She said it gets hotter than both the Whisper Momma and the Lowboy. The openings are also large. But wanting to do a lot of blacksmithing too, how much am I going the side door of the Momma? If you were purchasing again, would you still choose the Momma? Thanks.
(I’m just addressing this to Ben because he recommended the forge in the video. I’d be happy to hear anyone’s opinion.)
Hi, @Benjamin Abbott . About to pull the trigger on a forge. Can your Whisper Momma reach welding heat at 5 PSI? They advertise that for the three burner Knifemaker but none of the others, and fuel consumption matters to me. I have emailed them, but I know you have more firsthand experience with the Momma than their customer service reps do.
Heard back. You can ignore this if you want. For those interested, here was their response:
“The Knifemaker 21 is the only forge that will reach welding temperature at 5 psi. All the other forges take 6-8 psi.”
Storing Metal Stock
Got 400lbs of new knife steel to go along with the batch I was using before moving a few years back. Anyone have a favorite (inexpensive, preferably) way of storing stock? For me it will be leaning against walls and laying on the floor of the shop when I’m done converting the old workout room. I think I have 5 or 6 different types of steel here. I’m going to toss some paint on them to keep track, but I would like to be a bit organized.
@Benjamin Abbott Also, just signed up for your VA class. It's a big deal to me. I want to make both Messers and Celtic/Irish Ring-hilted weaponry: knife, arming and long sword. I want to be more of a blacksmith that specializes in bladed and historical weaponry (and items) rather than a knifemaker.
Unfortunately I'm in GA and the NC date is booked full. I joined the waiting list, though. Fingers crossed. See you at the VA venue for sure.
Yeah, man! I actually signed up for the Celtic Ring Knife class first and was hoping the Messer class would open up. I wanted to take at least two with you. I identify greatly with your reliance on knowledge and your application of science toward a creative endeavor, and I plan to take black- and bladesmithing as far as I can.
After considering it, I decided to take the FiF Chopper class too.
I made a goal for this year to get in shape and practice to a grotesque degree and possibly get on the show. But that is secondary and I just plan to do it for fun; though if I do it, I will be taking myself very seriously. I've wanted this since I was about four years old.
Anywho, I'll also be taking the Messer class if it opens up, but I get the feeling it won't. Really looking forward to it, man.
Best Place to Purchase Nickel + Hi
Hi. I’m new here. Looks like this area hasn’t been active for a couple of years, but I figured I’d introduce myself and ask a quick question anyway.
Name’s Jake. I’ve done a bit of blacksmithing and knife forging in the past. I’m finally finishing up my new shop/forge here. I’m very happy to be getting back into smithing.
Where is (are) the best place(s) to buy nickel stock? Is the most common thickness 0.04” when making Damascus?
Edit: Realized I didn't put any of my work up; so I linked my Instagram (https://instagram.com/jakejohnsonblades) and made my first knife my profile picture, if anyone is interested.
I use Maritime Knife Supply for a lot of my stuff.
https://maritimeknifesupply.com/products/nickel-sheet-stock?variant=47169192722736
The sheet is bigger, which may be good or bad depending on what you want to do with it.
Thank you, Tristan. I knew of Jantz and have purchased from them in the past, but I’ve been seeing MKS a ton during my Google searches. I wasn’t sure about them, so this is great. Thanks again.
Copper handles
Chatoyance
I’ve been very interested in ladder patterns for the chatoyance. I went to 400 layers on this one.
I really enjoyed this class, as ladder patterns have always been some of my favorite. I think in the past I always started the ladder patterning while my billet was still too thick.
Chefknifes number two
Finally made one for me
4.5 inch blade, tanto style tip, 243 layers of 1095 and 15n20 twisted, purple heartwood handle, 2 1/4 inch mosaic pins and one 3/8 inch mosaic pin. Thumb relief with jimping and decorative scallops on the spine.
It's a great place to post questions and get some answers.