Greetings friends, I have a question concerning steel for my first knife. I am wanting to begin right away practicing and making test knives for my Journeyman smith stamp. I have read Mr Ed Caffreys article regarding the JS test blade and I like his recommendation of 5160. My main goal with this topic is to explore what other Apprentice smiths used as their choice steel for passing their JS performance test. I have read several topics stating that the beginning bladesmith should pick a select few steels and learn them very well so that is what i would like to do. thank you all for taking the time to reply.
My first two steels were 1084, and 5160.My first few pretest knives were made out of both. I have selected 5160 as the steel for my actual test knives. I will make 6 of them at the same time. Finish 2 for my testing process. The refine the next four, and finish them. Pass one around to with a micarta handle so I can get some advice before finish completely the rest of them. I to use a corbu screw, and two 1/16" stainless pins for mechanical attachment, and marine export as my adhesive. My blade will have a coke bottle shaped handle with a slight curve to it. Blade geometry, and sharpness is 50% of my work. Curve of handle to blade 10%. The rest is the handle safely fitting the hand of the user. Sine I'm currently disabled a friend will be taking the actual test for me with the permission of the ABS...
I used 5160. I forged 2 blades from the same bar and other than for forging all normalizing and heat treating were done at the same time and temps. I used one for my testing and the other for the actual test. Both blades were fully hardened and the spine drawn back with a torch. My test blade bent 90 fully both ways and I was able to get it straight after the test and now use it around the yard to cut limbs. Good luck with your progress and testing!
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My first two steels were 1084, and 5160.My first few pretest knives were made out of both. I have selected 5160 as the steel for my actual test knives. I will make 6 of them at the same time. Finish 2 for my testing process. The refine the next four, and finish them. Pass one around to with a micarta handle so I can get some advice before finish completely the rest of them. I to use a corbu screw, and two 1/16" stainless pins for mechanical attachment, and marine export as my adhesive. My blade will have a coke bottle shaped handle with a slight curve to it. Blade geometry, and sharpness is 50% of my work. Curve of handle to blade 10%. The rest is the handle safely fitting the hand of the user. Sine I'm currently disabled a friend will be taking the actual test for me with the permission of the ABS...
thank you for the info Mr Brackett! and good luck with your testing!
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I used 5160. I forged 2 blades from the same bar and other than for forging all normalizing and heat treating were done at the same time and temps. I used one for my testing and the other for the actual test. Both blades were fully hardened and the spine drawn back with a torch. My test blade bent 90 fully both ways and I was able to get it straight after the test and now use it around the yard to cut limbs. Good luck with your progress and testing!
I have read about the back draw with a torch. This will probably be the method I have to learn because a heat treating oven is not in my near furture. Thank you for the info!
