New member with more questions than answers

[Glenn1022]

Hello all.
I am relatively new to forging, grinding blades. I have piddled around and made several knifes. I love fixed blade knifes.
Made a coal forge from a 16" truck wheel...gets the job done but need refining. Coal is hard to come by. I have been using stoker coal from a guy with a old furnace. Coal is all gone now and only have enough for a couple more sessions.
Using a 36" sears belt grinder to bevel blades.
Tried my hand at making Damascus this weekend from Lawnmower blades. First attempt failed because I used a wire wrap that had copper or some other similar type of metal and it prevented the welds from sticking . For my second attempt, I hot cut and flattened two more lawnmower blades, cut them into 1" wide strips about 6" long. I welded them to a piece of angle iron and hit the forge. It worked! Five layers starting off and finished at 40 layers...arm was tired. Ground down the billet and etched it....not the contrast of using different steels but worked. I had even ground a few slots in the billet and made a pattern.

Now I am looking to make a gas forge, vertical for forge welding and a blown burner. Also trying to scrounge up the parts to make myself a 72" grinder and press. I have information overload and trying to find a place to start. Junk yards and scrap dealers that deal with the public are no extent it seems. Hard to find the scraps I need

If anyone here in North Carolina, local to Hickory, Taylorsville area wants to give me a shout, drop me a line or two. Love to hook up with other people who share the same interest. Doing this stuff alone all the time without peeps to exchange ideas and a few beers makes for a long day. Don?t get me wrong...loner by nature but do like company from time to time.

[Ed Tipton]

Glen1022...Wow! You've covered a lot of ground for a beginner. Without trying to be too critical, it seems to me that you're trying to run before you can walk.
Your building a coal forge from the truck drum, and your attempt at the Damascus indicates you have the adventureist and creative spirit to be a successful knifemaker.

I do like your idea of building a blown gas forge. Propane is so much more convenient, cleaner, quicker ... than coal. Also, blacksmithing coal is not always readily available.

I would encourage you to start at the beginning, by purchasing some known steel.

There is a wealth of info available through this site, and almost without exception, the recommendation has been to start with a known type of steel...and then master that type before you expand into the realm of the unknown mystery metal, aka lawnmower blades.

There is more to knifemaking than simply getting a piece of metal hot, beating it on an anvil, and grinding on it. While in essence that is what it takes to make a knife, there is a ton of info that needs to be understood to be successful.

My advice is to slow down. Start at the beginning, and start with some known steel such as 1080, or maybe 5160, and start with something simpler than Damascus.

Good luck.

[ranger1]

Welcome Glenn,
I.m in Lexington. Scroungeing parts around here is tough. You should come to the next guild meeting. Alot of good info to be picked up there.

[Glenn1022]

When I meant new I was being general I suppose. I have been making knives on the coal forge for year or more. So I guess that still puts me in the new category. I have in the past worked on coal forges making tools and such for the farm just never really made a knife other than weed whackers. Forging on the farm was a long time ago...20+ years ago.
I have wanted to build a gas forge for a year or so and have collected a few things. Problem with scrounging around for things to use is that it takes awhile. If I had the cash I would buy everything I needed by morning but times are tough and family comes first. I will post a few pics soon of the knives I have made and the forge I use.
I have a long ways to go but I think I have the mindset to get it done...I think What I have turned out came out nice (to my eyes anyway) and very useful. Cut up allot of meat for the freezer with them and use them on camping trips.

So far I have made knives from spring steel, files and a few lawnmower blades. Feels good to take junk and turn it into something useful. Hammer skills are getting better than when I was younger. I can go for longer stretch now at 41 than when I was 15 or 20.

Grinding, quenching and heat treating are going well so far with only a few setbacks. Damascus has always been something I wanted to make though. I could never afford to by a really good knife, so I figured I would start making my own instead. So far it?s been going well but a Damascus blade has always been my one true love.
The lawnmower blades I used for my first billet was just to see if I could do it. I plan on ordering some steel in the near future of a known type. I never want to use lawnmower blades again...took forever to cut and grind them to the size to make them useful. Getting out the stamping was a real pain. I don?t mind the work and will do whatever to get things worked out but I figure that there is no need to do things the hard way all the time.

My one frustration I have at the moment is the size of the vertical forge interior and the mounting of the burner. I have secured a few Freon tanks and had in mind to make a horizontal forge but though reading, vertical seems better for forge welding. I think I will still construct a horizontal forge just for forging in general. I also have some 1" 2400 degree inswool 5" roll, 5lb satanite 3200 degree and some ITC 100 in a small tub. That would have taken awhile but gift cards at Christmas helped there.
ALL I need now is a blower, piping, regulator, figuring out the size of the interior of the forge H x W x D and the exact placement of the burner and windows.

I just don?t want to mess up what I have because it will take awhile to replace what I screw up. Think that is what is holding me back....guess I need to suck it up and push forward.

OK, that was a little long winded, been searching the net all day for info and have allot on my mind.

I appreciate your time Ed, need all the help I can get.

[ranger1]

I have a horizonal forge and am in the process of makeing a vertical. You are more than welcome to come by the shop on any week-end and take a look at what I have. Friend of mine has a naturaly asperated forge that he gets great heat from. We can run by his place too. I'll be gone to blade this week-end but drop me an e-mail and we'll set up a time good for both of us. If all else fails we'll just sit in the shop and talk knives.

[Glenn1022]

posted a few pictures of my forge, shop and knives I have made. Put them in a photo album in my profile. Not the best but had a blast making them. Tried a few different things but have allot to learn.