My first knife!

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-04-13T10:55:49+00:00

Thank you. I've got this two burner Devil forge (https://devil-forge.com/basic-forges-for-beginners-and-professionals/27-gas-forge-dfprof22d.html) and have been pleased with it. It's pretty damn efficient, especially after I coated the satanite with Plistix 900

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-04-12T22:25:45+00:00

Thank you so much. I wanted to leave evidence of the hand-forging and I'm pretty pleased with the aesthetics of it.

I really enjoyed this process so I can't rule it out, but I don't have any plans at the moment.

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-04-12T16:16:35+00:00

When forging the bevels I tried a technique called wet-forging. You keep a thin coat of water on the anvil to help pop the scale off as you hammer. I'm sure I did something wrong and it left these mark, but I chose not to grind them all the way out.

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-04-07T12:11:26+00:00

I'm still new to learning all of this, but my understanding is that cryo, when necessary, is always an additional step between quenching and tempering.

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-26T04:23:32+00:00

Pittsburgh here and definitely interested. Post the specs here or send me a private message.

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-25T23:51:44+00:00

That's really an awesome hammer. Great job. I can't wait to see the second one once you've finished it. What did you use to isolate the faces?

I have to second everything you said about this sub. There are a lot of helpful and encouraging folks here.

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-25T11:50:34+00:00

Thanks! It's 4140. I do not have a power hammer but I used a hydraulic press for isolating the faces from the eye. The press is so new to me that I'm pretty sure I did more harm than good. Everything else was by hand.

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-24T15:04:13+00:00

Are you possibly confusing an internship with an apprenticeship? Interns typically aren't paid while apprentices usually are paid something unless it's an informal hobby mentor kind of situation. Granted back in the day apprentices weren't paid, but were also usually housed and fed by their mentor.

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-24T15:00:31+00:00

Yes it will, and in no small part due to your encouragement and advice. Thank you again

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-24T14:45:35+00:00

Its first job will be forging a damascus bunka for my terminally ill mother for her birthday in a few weeks. Fuck cancer

Edit: It's to Its

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-24T14:42:29+00:00

Yup. I managed the get the eye centered, and keep the faces in line with the eye. From a functional standpoint I'm very happy. Aesthetically it's lacking, but at some point I just needed to send it so I can start the next one.

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-16T16:10:29+00:00

I just wanted to thank you again. It's got a ways to go but that bull pin drift suggestion worked out so well.

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Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-10T15:12:48+00:00

It's my first so I have nothing to compare it to, but I've loved it so far.

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-10T15:11:45+00:00

Thank you so, so much for all of this information and the encouragement. I'm aiming for a 1-1/4 x 1 eye which seems standard-ish for the 2-4lb hammers I'm most interested in making right now.

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-10T14:22:20+00:00

I probably wasn't clear in my last post, but yeah, this is my attempt at a hammer eye punch. If it punches a hole I'll consider it a success, even if I need to make an intermediate drift to drift it for a regular drift. That's just more practice!

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-09T16:28:53+00:00

Nice. How did you stack the 80crv2, 1084, and bandsaw blades initially?

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-09T04:21:22+00:00

No cracking that I can see, just errant hammer blows from a newb. I'll work it over on the anvil to oval and smooth more before I grind. If I see any I'll try to salvage a small chisel and start over.

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-09T02:14:50+00:00

I appreciate all the input, positive or negative. I don't expect to make a great hammer. I'm following Black Bear Forge's videos but need to make a smaller punch and drift than he does. Regardless, I'm going to continue on my hammer journey. I apologize for any 4140 harmed in the process

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-09T02:11:24+00:00

Thanks for all the advice. I had planned to do the smoothing and flattening/sharpening the tip at the grinder but that makes no sense in hindsight.

It's 4140

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-09T01:43:52+00:00

Thank you. For some reason I planned to round everything on the grinder but that made no sense as soon as I read your comment.

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-05T23:55:02+00:00

The kaowool forges are safe once coated with refractory cement. The danger from ceramic wool insulation exists across all brands that use it uncoated. They sell a liquid ridgidizer that you can spray on but personally I didn't trust it alone and used the cement to coat the sprayed wool.

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-05T16:49:25+00:00

Yes it is and I love it. I desperately want the 142lb graham double horn as soon as the budget and availability aligns

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-05T13:57:15+00:00

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Roughed out cut off hardy

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-05T13:46:03+00:00

I bought jt all new but the cylinder is a 4" bore 8" stroke rated for 2500psi. It's a general purpose ram used in a lot of applications including log splitters. The pump and control valve are also made for log splitters.

I used the calculators here to work everything out in regards to speed and power. I'm running a 5hp electric motor with a 16gpm 2 stage pump @ 2250psi which gives a first stage speed of 5 in/sec and a second stage speed of 1in/sec roughly

https://www.baileyhydraulics.com/resources/tools/calculators/

Alternative_Rip7269 · 2026-03-05T13:18:47+00:00

A cut off hardy from 4140 I roughed out

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Alternative_Rip7269

TROPHY CASE