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Time to start over. Snow melted for a day and the temps hung around zero.




Cutout four starter sticks. Tried two at a time; heating one while beating the other. Two at a time is too hard on the shoulder right now so i focused on one blade.


 
I once tried two at a time as well - it felt so frenzied, rushed and stressful. Never again!

Working on one, there's a real peace and calm while waiting for the work-piece to heat up. The soft roar of the forge is relaxing and reassuring, faithfully doing it's job as I plan out my next series of moves... and the rest of the world goes quiet.

Doing two at a time takes all of that away! :shocked3:

Keep us posted!
 
Kippington said:
I once tried two at a time as well - it felt so frenzied, rushed and stressful. Never again!

Working on one, there's a real peace and calm while waiting for the work-piece to heat up. The soft roar of the forge is relaxing and reassuring, faithfully doing it's job as I plan out my next series of moves... and the rest of the world goes quiet.

Doing two at a time takes all of that away! :shocked3:

Keep us posted!
Click to expand...

I think once my shoulder gets stronger i may be able to draw out two at a time but more refined work requires more attention as you said. They also heat up faster as you thin things out, which just adds to the stress. I had a good rhythm but shoulder failed so i need the rest and even switched arms. It's definatly a tough racket. Working with my non-dominant arm is tricky but like anything it will improve with time. Having both arms avaiable helps to even out the burden.
 
So, last week i herniated a disc in my back. It's an old injury that comes back from time to time but only manifests as a bit of right side back pain extending down my right leg. Well, over the two weeks leading up to last week i had put my back through a lot of stress in addition to lifting a chop saw the wrong way. It all came to a head when i went to lift a half empty propane tank. I went to put it down and my legs gave out and i dropped like a sack of potatoes in white hot pain. Couldn't move legs out of shear pain. Luckily brother and father were there and lifted me to the couch, where i stayed for the day. Later that evening the pain was still too severe so an ambulance ride to the hospital was in order. I couldn't situp much less stand to get in the car. A few needles in the back later i was back home. Bed rest for four solid days, peeing in bottles, Evian, nothing but the best. Now, a week later I'm almost 100% but need to stretch it out. Needless to say my knife hobby took a back burner while i recover.

This is how far i got before being sidelined.

 
Sorry to hear that. I hope you will get better soon. Would some kind of exercise help you the strengthen your back so that you can avoid this kind of trobles later down the road?
 
It's more to do with avoiding certain movements. I'm a gym rat by nature and exercise my lower back regularly. I will do some physiotherapy and will learn some good strength training routines for this type of injury. I feel as though my general level of fitness has staved off the worst case scenario.
 
Finshed this SOB.












Handle is solid grey elm. Blade is burnt in and held in place with bees wax. Blade is 205mm long at the edge and 42mm tall at the heel.

 
That looks fantastic, congrats. What is the geometry of the blade? Looks to be a pretty heavy duty workhorse.
 
Most of my blades are convex ground where as this one is almost a zero grind with just a slight bit of convexity near the heel. It's definaly the thinest blade ive made and i like how flat i can make the primary bevel on this grinder.
 
jessf said:
Most of my blades are convex ground where as this one is almost a zero grind with just a slight bit of convexity near the heel. It's definaly the thinest blade ive made and i like how flat i can make the primary bevel on this grinder.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a really good all around geometry for the kitchen, have you tried some light chopping with the stouter grind at the heel?

Looks pretty darn sweet on the board. :doublethumbsup:
 
milkbaby said:
Sounds like a really good all around geometry for the kitchen, have you tried some light chopping with the stouter grind at the heel?

Looks pretty darn sweet on the board. :doublethumbsup:
Click to expand...

I do a lot of heel chopping in general and with this one the food release is decent, not as good as some of the others i've made. It's more of a laser in its performance. Definitely light. I checked a bevel chart and i would say it's more of a flat grind than a zero grind as there is a micro bevel. Next one i want to make the tip a bit thinner and i think it would be ideal for me.
 
Picked up a 3lbs hammer and some v-tongs for holding bigger stock. What for making bigger knives of course.





This one is from 1/4 stock.
 
1.5 hours of forging then 2hr cool down in the forge. Tomorrow it will be trimmed and some finer forging done. 203 long and 50mm at the heel is the goal.
 
New tongs are great. I will modify them to hold the 1/4 stock more securly.

 
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