Bevel help please!

[Mungo Park]

I have been trying to forge as close as I can to the final shape of the blade, because I do not have a grinder.
So when I forge, a 01 rod, I heat and pound one side on the edge of the anvil. I re heat and flip it over and pound on the other side of the anvil. I try to be equal on both sides.
Despite this when done the blade always has more of a bevel on one side and the other is more flat.
It seems that once the bevel starts on one side it gets bigger and the other side lays flat on the anvil and no bevel.
Any ideas of how to get a more even bevel on both sides?
Cheers Ron.

[Ray Rogers]

If one side ends up flat it would seem to me that you are not holding the steel at the correct angle while you pound on it. In other words, if the entire back side of the blade is laying flat against the anvil while you pound on the top side, the back side WILL be flat and without a bevel.

It will be difficult for you to get the information you need from printed words alone. Visit a smith in your area or get some forging videos like the ones offered by Ed Caffrey soyou can really see how it should be done.

I watched Ron Claiborne forgea blade once. He held the spine of the blade slightly clear of the anvil, hammered the bevel a few strokes, flipped the blade and hammered the other side the same number of strokes. The way the hammer hits the steel is important as is the shape of the face of the hammer. You can't strike straight down on the steel and get the job done. It's more of a glancing blow kind of thing. Better find a local smith or get the video ...

[Mungo Park]

Ray:
Thanks for your quick reply, I would have to go for the video as it seems I am in a knife making vacume.
Cheers Ron.

[AcridSaint]

Ed's videos are insanely affordable, they are next on my list. I don't think you can get many better deals for $35 + shipping.

[Drunkenduck]

What helped me was a stump anvil in the form of an approximately 1 1/2" cube of steel stuck on the end of a spike that I drove down into a 6x6" beam set into the ground.

Doug Lester

[Woodchuck Forge]

Another good reference is Wayne Goddards Books, The Wonder of Knifemaking and The $50 Knife Shop. THey can be puchased thru Krause publications or from Waye Himself.. they were $20 each. I have een seen them at Borders Book Store and Ebay.They cover some great material and i recommend them to all my students. I refer to them on a regular basis.
Then you just need to Practice Practice Practice. But at the same time make sure you have fun.

Good luck
Chuck