Forging question

[Gabriel G]

Yesterday I challenged myself to draw out a scrap of spring steel into a small skinner for a friend. Most if it went well. I drew the width. I set base choil area. I “banana” it down. When i fot to the tip it was thinner than Im used to and refused to turn a belly. I ended up with a sheepsfoot

Any advice is welcome.

[Crex]

Don't preset your down curve (banana) quite so severe - this takes practice and experience to judge where to set. And....stop hitting the steel before it gets too thin. Have found it helps most beginner bladesmiths to stop toward the end of forging the blade before it gets to thin and dress the edge on a grinder. You can better see where you need to work on the blade bevels, distal tapers and thickness before you get to far into finish hammer work so that all comes out even.

You can get an idea on the "preset" using modeling clay. Form a blank the same dimensions as your starting piece of steel. Do a mock preset in the clay model then mash the clay into the shape of the blade intended. You can see what will happen with the steel - adjust your steel preset accordingly and have at it.

[Doug Lester]

I'm assuming that you were trying to make a trailing point knife. I like to not start out counter bending the blade but to go ahead and let the blade "banana" when forging the profile and then use a wood maul to bring the spine of the blade down to where I want it. Just try to heat the section of the blade that you want to move.

Doug

[Gabriel G]

Thank y’all