WIP - The tusk

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jessf

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If i called it "the tooth", then i might call it the deba, but that would be confusing as it's going to be a gyuto. I like gandknife but i want to get to the next level in finish, which calls for a next level in material. Picked up some mammoth tusk for this project. i need to find some materials for mokume gane. Unlike my last projects, this one will be slower.

 
It's just an excuse to drink beer while i shake my arm out. It pays to be ambidextrous. My neighbours probably think im nuts.
 
When you're done with knives for the day, you can do pizza! The neighbors would probably be more receptive...:cool2:
 
I got the Easy Bake Oven for that but ran out of light bulbs. LED bulbs take longer to heat up.

When you're done with knives for the day, you can do pizza! The neighbors would probably be more receptive...:cool2:
 
Your forge is awesome. I can't wait to see how this turns out, looks epic!!! :doublethumbsup:
 
The plan is to make this a hammer finish which brings with it certain challenges. I need to bang out the cross section and distal taper as close to the finished profile as i can before grinding in the primary bevel. I've come as far as making my mark. I need to pick up some more fire bricks as my last one finally fell apart and i need to make a slightly larger forge for the heat treat.

Before the wire brush



After some brushing


I've also been collecting all the metals needed for the bolster.
 
I find it really cool what you manage to pull off with really not that much tools. That forge 1000 deg. hot sitting on a wooden floor ... be careful :)
 
Jessf, how long does it take you to do a knife from start to finish? Typical of course
 
If I'm not counting glue time and stuff like that. Average time behind the grinder or anvil from steel to finished knife ranges from 10-16 hours. Fastest one was like 8 hours as the handle was a wa style with no spacers and less work to make.

Jessf, how long does it take you to do a knife from start to finish? Typical of course
 
Thanks for sharing! Very inspiring to me, it definitely makes me want to try some forging myself. What type of torches do you use and how do you control the temperature?
 
MAP torches and you just position them where you want more heat, take one out if you want less heat. I usually blow both in the front door and the heat builds up at the back for heat treating.

Thanks for sharing! Very inspiring to me, it definitely makes me want to try some forging myself. What type of torches do you use and how do you control the temperature?
 
Bought 4 new bricks and was able to make a much nicer heat treating forge. Longer to accommodate the longer blade and more insulated to keep the temp more even.





Brought the blade up to temp then into the brine then into the oil. She didn't crack and warped only a little. Into the oven for an hour of tempering
 
Jess, if I find myself with a propane burner, hammer and piece of rail somewhere on some abandoned parking lot next summer, than you will be the one to blame :) I love what you manage to pull off here - you are a true motivation for many others. I am wondering how long it will take until you will find yourself in one room with a bing spring hammer :)
 
You were painting a pleasant picture until you said abandon parking lot so now im not sure if you're making knives or killing stray cats next summer. Lol kidding of course. thanks thought!

Jess, if I find myself with a propane burner, hammer and piece of rail somewhere on some abandoned parking lot next summer, than you will be the one to blame :) I love what you manage to pull off here - you are a true motivation for many others. I am wondering how long it will take until you will find yourself in one room with a bing spring hammer :)
 
You got me there wth those cat :)

Now tell us - how do you manage to to weld those coins to the clamp, but to weld them to each other!
 
The nickel in the coins has a lower melting temp than the steel in the clamp. So, the coins fuse together sooner than they might to the clamp. the nickel it self doesn't seem to want to solder to the red hot clamp either so in the end the method worked really well. Don't use an aluminum clamp; goes without saying why. I got both stacks of coins welded last night and next week ill begin flattening out each billet.


But seriously though, why an abandoned parking lot for forging?

You got me there wth those cat :)

Now tell us - how do you manage to to weld those coins to the clamp, but to weld them to each other!
 
But seriously though, why an abandoned parking lot for forging?

Because trying to forge in my 'workshop' which is located in a basement would not be possible for several reasons, so I would have to find a remote location where I can get by car and the ground is strong enough for the work :)
 
Copper melts at around 800 and nickel some over 1430

 
I've got two mokune gane ingots now aboutt 4mm thick and 50mm in diameter.

 
Really cool project looking forward to the results
 
$4 per side but you get the idea:doublethumbsup:

It's a good analog to study the effects of heat on metal and the concept of forge welding. The anvil really needs to be hot to help this process. It's obvious in how fast the heat is sucked away when the anvil is cold that it impacts the success of the welding. I would probably seek to heat the anvil with a big leaf burner if i wanted to get serious about this.
 
You can see the top layer didn't weld properly. I could hear a hollow when i tapped the metal and i knew they was a hollow closer to one side. This blemish will face out so i'll end up grinding it away, if it had been deeper i might have been able to re-heat the metal to force the weld or be forced to make a new one.

 
Borrowed a friends mastercrap 2 in 1 sander. I can tip the table to grid the primary bevels on the bolster this way.




 
Started work on the blade. I have less to grind off but i need to be more careful than on my previous blades. It will be a finish in process as i reveal more bevel.

 
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