Forging blades at home great video well worth a watch

[Graham Orm]

I got to know this guy last year when building my rocket stove. He is well ahead of me and is planning to heat his house with his this year. He also makes 'Damascus knives'. The blades are forge welded from over 200 layers of steel the way the Samurai swords were made and the way some chisels are made today. Fascinating process and very clever in your own back yard. The third video down is of a knife he made last year but didn't complete so he's put up a short video of the completed thing. Beautiful.

Quite long, but you can always skip through.
Part 1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHkJVeA3 ... nZ4R-qlUdg

Part 2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iocy_TZA ... nZ4R-qlUdg

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsE5uAvI ... nZ4R-qlUdg

 

[Richard T]

A great skill and a very time consuming thing to do.

I've always fancied having a go at 'chainsaw Damascus' - saw chain folded and welded. Not very useful for edge tool material but looks stunning if not folded too many times and some of the tooth, raker and pins are still evident. One of these days...

Neat power - squisher too.

I can't help noticing that he did all his hand drawing out on the flat top of the anvil and that he never used the bic (the rust speaks for itself). Much easier to draw out on the bic and flatten up on top. Give him a nudge next time you see him Graham

 

[Graham Orm]

Flatten on the bic???? I don't know him Richard other than through You Tube. We have exchanged much information on the rocket stoves....or rather he told me where I was going wrong He's a clever lad. Lives somewhere near Southport.

 

[Richard T]

Draw out on the bic, flatten/square up the dents left by the bic on the top. Just quicker. Tis what bics are for.

Sorry Graham I read it like you were buddies. I forget about the internet even when I'm writing on it. (homer)

Yes seems like a very handy chap. The Damascus turned out superbly thanks in part to those holes but mostly to the skill, patience, know - how and grunt.

 

[Graham Orm]

When I said 'flatten on the bic???' I meant whats a bic? :lol: I'm guessing it's the horn bit?

 

[Richard T]

Oh. Yes. Amerericorns call it the 'horn', in English it's 'bic'. Apparently a truncation of 'beak'. (Sounds more like Birmingham English come to think of it - and well it might be).

I thought bics wuz pens and razors before I started this smithing lark.

Edited to say: Most people think they are for bending things around; especially horse shoes.... nope. They are for faster drawing out.

 

[Graham Orm]

Oh. Yes. Amerericorns call it the 'horn', in English it's 'bic'. Apparently a truncation of 'beak'. (Sounds more like Birmingham English come to think of it - and well it might be).

I thought bics wuz pens and razors before I started this smithing lark.

Edited to say: Most people think they are for bending things around; especially horse shoes.... nope. They are for faster drawing out.

OK thanks Richard, I'll tell him. :wink: