I have been putting in serious hours in the shop, as hunting season is rapidly approaching. The weather has changed here from hot, humid and rainy to nice cooler and dry days. Need to get my self in gear for fall and winter as it is right around the corner. Wrapping up some knife orders and adding the long awaited blacksmithing tools to the site have been the main focus the past few weeks. Hence, the lack of a blog post in over two weeks.
No. 101 an S.W.K in D2 w/ ivory micarta is done. You can check out the entire WIP thread on this one here:
Fridays are rapidly becoming teaching days, as Scott has been stopping by to take Knifemaking 101. Typically this is a one day thing, but we're working around his schedule so it's taking a few Fridays to get it all done. He is doing a great job and having some fun. The lesson here was, "Don't grind to much off, cause adding it back is a tricky thing to do".
Knifemaking 101 has been informally offered for the past year, people just kind of showed up and we made some knives. However I have been getting requests for a more formal offering, so I have posted Knifemaking 101, Blacksmithing 101 and just started doing a one day hammer forging class we well.
Student knife on top, the bottom three are mine and all of them are ready for a heat treating.
I am originally from Indiana, but I must admit, South Carolina has really grown on me. It's a great place to live and offers all manner of things to do. From the mountains to a pretty decent scene in Greenville.
Some out of order making happening here. Micarta glued on one and the rest are all messy from heat treat and temper. D2, however, is a cool steel to pull from the quench.
The constant work that goes into owning a home is never ending, however after thinning out some of the woods I found a used for all the mess.
Hand forging a few hardy hot cuts. This has been a long time coming, almost a year from when I took tools to make tools, but the shop is finally in a place that tool making is happening.
The first one done out of the shop in the woods.
Can Hunt 2016 is here, and I'm done with. First case and Boom!
Punches and chisels getting their striking end forged.
A run of tools. I'll be offering these are individual pieces in addition to a set. The hand tools (punches, fullers, and chisels) are forged from O1 tool steel and offered in a variety of styles. The hardy tools are forged from 4140.
The six piece set.
Scott was back over and got the bevel on his knife done. Looking pretty good.
Hammer embryos. 1045 steel.
Facebook reminded me that almost a year ago, the shop build was started. It sure has come along way here in the past few weeks and months. Still a few things to get done, but its turned into a great place to work. Check the build page to see where it all began.
https://www.jgknives.com/pages/the-shop-build
Added a few more to the "To Do" pile. Now that some tools are done, I can get on knives for a few days again.
This is one of the most intriguing parts of the hammer making process to me. Punching that hole through a 2" piece of round steel and all that pops out is that little plug. A hammer is born.
Since taking Tools to Make Tools, I've made 20 or so hammers wondering around other shops, but this one is the first out of my shop.
And it's for my striker Rich, who has been in the shop striking for me and listening to my bad jokes.
Here is No. 2. The goal is to offer these in 2-4lb weights in the coming weeks in addition to the other blacksmith tools I am making:
https://www.jgknives.com/collections/jg-blacksmithing-tools
The A.R.K. Mod. IV is done. Now 2" longer than the Mod. III. This is a knife that is never made the same way. The principle however remains, a thick stout knife for hard use.
No. 105, A.R.K. Mod. IV WIP Thread
-JG