Mocataugen (crooked knife) build along starts NOW!

[dylanholderman]

I’ll have pics up when I get back from work, but I got both blades ground and rough sanded up to 180 on my belt sander I’ll hand sand them up to 400 before I heat treat

[Hawkdancer]

Looking back at the "burn in" process, do you drill the pilot hole the same thickness as the blade, or slightly larger? Also, does a standard propane torch get hot enough or perhaps MAPP gas?  Btw, the blade is spring steel, likely 5160, but not a hook blade.
Hawkdancer

[Handforged]

Looking back at the "burn in" process, do you drill the pilot hole the same thickness as the blade, or slightly larger? Also, does a standard propane torch get hot enough or perhaps MAPP gas?  Btw, the blade is spring steel, likely 5160, but not a hook blade.
Hawkdancer

the pilot hole I drill is the same thickness as the blade. Not only does it give a little direction for the tang to follow as you burn it in but it also gives a place for the ash and smoke to go.   A propane torch should do it but what you want to do it keep the tang red hot. Burn for a few seconds and back to heat. The wood will cool the steel rapidly as it burns through.

[dylanholderman]

here's where i got today
both sanded to 220 tomorrow i'll sand to 400 and heat treat them both

i'm also going to rough cut and drill some handles for them.

[Handforged]

here's where i got today
both sanded to 220 tomorrow i'll sand to 400 and heat treat them both

i'm also going to rough cut and drill some handles for them.

be sure to drill your pin holes in your blades before heat treating them. Otherwise it really eats a drill bit, especially that 1095 file steel.

[dylanholderman]

thanks for the reminder but ( and this might upset some people ) these two are going to be my personal tools so i'm not going to put any pins in.

most of the knives i make for myself anymore are hidden tang like these and even on big knives i haven't had a problem without them.
pins are rare on most styles of historical knives (unless it was full tang)

[Hawkdancer]

Thanks for the guidance!  I will try to post a "burn along"  as soon as I pick the wood, probably will be Osage!
Hawkdancer

[Handforged]

thanks for the reminder but ( and this might upset some people ) these two are going to be my personal tools so i'm not going to put any pins in.

most of the knives i make for myself anymore are hidden tang like these and even on big knives i haven't had a problem without them.
pins are rare on most styles of historical knives (unless it was full tang)

That's true although they did substitute a substantial handle wrap to secure it. Hidden tang tools weren't popular until the advent of forging techniques to produce them. Most if not all of those had some sort of mechanical connection to the handle. Think square cut nails instead of pins. Dozens of early representations of this technique.

[dylanholderman]

do you have any examples or a time period/culture for the square nails used in knives? you piqued my interest.

also whats the best way to sharpen the mocataugen?

post hardening


and rough handles shaped, with the tools used on them this far.

[Handforged]

Good work so far! Shape of the handle is just a feel good thing. 

Nails: Cut nails were patented in 1795, forged and square cut nails there is honestly no way to know. They have found horse shoes with nails in them forged by a blacksmith in 900 AD, representations of  Iron and bronze nails back to 3400 BC. 

Sharpening: The trick to sharpening them is to use sandpaper on a wooden dowel. You can also bevel the blade to outside (what I do) so that you can use a soft sanding brick to sharpen it.

[Mr. Woolery]

It took me a week longer than I had expected, but I’ve finally got a blade made for my crooked knife.

It is in the tempering oven as I type this. I hope to find time for working on it tomorrow.

First pic is forging from round. This is just the first heat.

Next, forged to shape, ready to grind.

Ground and ready to harden.

Finally, post-hardening. I wish I could get a picture of the hot steel going into the quench, but I need both hands.

Patrick

[Handforged]

Nice clean lines on that!  I forge most all of my knives from round stock as well.

[Mr. Woolery]

Did some work on a handle today.

Patrick