Forging Bevels and other ?'s

[DanCrabtree]

Anyone have some info on a good way to forge in bevels? or should i just grind them im?

Also another question ive been wanting to ask is there a certain way to get a blade to look rustic with the pitting? Ive done a few and just wirewheeled and sharpened and they look ok but ive seen some rustic knives like the ones by Cactus Forge, that have an excelent looking finish.

And my last question. What type of acids or such are used to expose hamons and which for damascus blades, im sure ive seen the awnswer before but its never been clearly put down and i noticed it. Ive noticed that when i cut onions or get some orange juice on a knife blade with a certain mystery steel i used it shows darker colored spots in some areas, what is this? Thanks in advance.

[AwP]

Anyone have some info on a good way to forge in bevels? or should i just grind them im?

You can grind them in if you want, but forging them in will save you grinder time. It's a little hard to describe how, some of the knife books have diagrams that make it easier to understand, but I'll try. For a single edge blade, hold your hot blank on the anvil with the edge-to-be lying along one of the edges. Lift the up spine slightly and hammer the edge using your hammer at an angle. Basically you're forming both sides of the bevel together with the anvil and the hammer. Flip it over and do the same thing again to make it even. That's pretty much it, though pictures would help alot. Double edged knives are done kinda the same way but it's alot harder. When you hammer in the bevels, it'll make the blade curve, so if you don't want a dramatic curve then make sure to allow for that by preforming a reverse curve first.

Also another question ive been wanting to ask is there a certain way to get a blade to look rustic with the pitting? Ive done a few and just wirewheeled and sharpened and they look ok but ive seen some rustic knives like the ones by Cactus Forge, that have an excelent looking finish.

Cactus Forge uses a combination of bleach and blueing to get their effects if I remember right. Also mustard is a popular one. In your next question you mention onions and OJ, those both might work too. Anything that doesn't give a perfect even etch can be used to make it look more rustic.

And my last question. What type of acids or such are used to expose hamons and which for damascus blades, im sure ive seen the awnswer before but its never been clearly put down and i noticed it. Ive noticed that when i cut onions or get some orange juice on a knife blade with a certain mystery steel i used it shows darker colored spots in some areas, what is this? Thanks in advance.

You use the same acids for both, which is almost any acid since they tend to work evenly unlike kitchen stuff, it's the steel itself that makes damascus and/or diff hardening hamons show up differently. Nearly any acid works, I use vinager and ferric chloride (not usually together), I've also heard of people using hydrocloric, muriatic (which is really just diluted hydrocloric), nitric, and others too I'm sure.

Hope this helps.

[cactusforge]

Dan, What I do to obtain a rustic finish is to forge to shape an near as practical making sure the taper is forged in and the bevels are started. I heat treat at this time and etch the blade in vinegar to remove the scale. Then the only grinding that is done is to grind the bevels and correct the profile. This is all that is done sometimes or you can go into the blue and clorox etch or sometimes I finish with FC. When I etch I only do the part of the blade that is not ground. Gib

[JeridJohnson]

more on forging in the bevels.. when striking the blade with the hammer use a wipping type strike drawing the steel away from the spine..