Jared

I appreciate your efforts and initiative in performing an advance practice performance test and taking the time to post the video. Your knife performed well but I am concerned for your safety.

I have personally witnessed a large number of JS and MS Performance tests and the safety of the candidate is very important. I would highly recommend that you secure the 2x4 and keep your free hand safely behind your back. In addition, I would recommend that you use a pipe over the blade when doing the bend test. I have witnessed blades literally explode into pieces during the bend test.

We want all candidates to be safe during the performance test. I would recommend that all JS candidates watch the video that I have posted on the ABS YouTube Channel of Master Smith Kevin Harvey administering the JS Performance Test which I have embedded below.

[media] http://youtube.com/watch?v=28BzKl3SM4k [/media]

Thanks Dan,

I noticed a few safety issues while I was editing that will be corrected in the future. Mainly the holding of the 2x4 by hand.

also...is that a 4x4 he is chopping in the video you posted?

Jared congratulations, that is a good showing for a practice run. I would second Dan's concerns for safety but also for performance. Securing the 2x4 will give better performance from the knife; even supporting the 2x4 from the end that is taking the blows will be an improvement. Free handing the end being chopped results not only an unsafe condition it also allows the 2x4 to bounce (so much so that your opposite end broke off). What this means is that the 2x4 does not have to take the full force of the blow and the blade gets much less penetration per hit. The fewer times the edge comes in contact with the wood the less chances for edge degradation, so you want every blow to have its maximum potential. Fastening the 2x4, or resting the end being chopped on the ground or a wood support, will give you the opportunity to bury that blade on each blow. Obviously, on a real test, I would have stopped you on the second cut and got another section of 2x4 as the rules state the 2X4 must be at least 4 feet in length.

I liked what you did with the leather on the bend test, I always prefer to do this as a sharp edge on a vise jaw could result in a mark on the blade that could help propagate or further a fracture. I am also a proponent of the pipe or cheater bar for the bend, it allow the applicant to stand to one side and exert the least amount of effort in pulling the blade, while staying clear of possible flying blade parts. Dulling the edge gets another thumbs up from me for the same reasons.

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Thanks Dan,

I noticed a few safety issues while I was editing that will be corrected in the future. Mainly the holding of the 2x4 by hand.

also...is that a 4x4 he is chopping in the video you posted?

Hi Jared,

It's a custom cut 2 inch x 4 inch SA Pine beam I cut in the video. I say custom cut for the simple fact that a 2x4 is not a standard size in South Africa. 2 inch x 4 inch translates to 50mm x 100mm and that's what I'm cutting in the video. Hope this helps ...

Cheers

Neels

Nice job Jared!

Bob

The knife looks like a great cutter! The 2 x 4 cut, however, gives me the willies just watching it. Please, please think about how well that same blade

Could have cut into your leg, knee, or hand. Anchor that board or at least rest one end on the ground when you cut. I realize the camera only covers so

Much territory, but I'd rather miss a cut on camera than live with the scar I might get from being inattentive for second or two.

Great job dulling the edge before bending! As stated above, a cheater bar would move your face and body away from a potential blade particle, should it break.

E for a great effort, though!

When you take your test for real you'll probably hear a lot about safety but you'll do fine if your knife performs like that. I look forward to seeing a big ol JS on your knives before long. Great work.

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When you take your test for real you'll probably hear a lot about safety but you'll do fine if your knife performs like that. I look forward to seeing a big ol JS on your knives before long. Great work.

Thanks Lin, and everyone else. I'm looking forward to testing within the year. The part that scares me the most about getting my stamp is presenting the five knives. My fit and finish is sorely lacking.

In the future I will keep these safety points in mind. You all make great points. And yes those are ANSI z87 safety glasses.

Before I made the video and I did a test with the board supported and yes that blade was a lot more efficient without the bounce.

I have spoken to a Mastersmith about testing at his shop. (I don't want to drop names) I just have to iron out the date and make another knife.

Firstly Jared , excellent video and thanks for posting, the safety part has already been addressed so........I'm always interested in steel type and heat treat sequence if you don't mind <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//wink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

Myself I have done a couple back yard performance tests' in prepping for the test in a couple years, but while doing the bend/vise test (usually by myself, due to the lack of bladesmiths in the area) I often thought of the safety aspect

part of it as well.......and thought maybe why not some form of mechanical or semi mechanical device to do the test where all can stand way back and watch from a safe position ? maybe an

official JS bend test contraption of some kind that reduces the injury percentage to zero.........just a thought and nothing more as it may have already been addressed before my time here....

again thanks Jared , look forward to your real test results !!!

Rob

Thanks Rob, The steel is 5160 that was edge quenched up to the very top of the spine. And tempered to 350 for 2 hours X2 in my home oven. I gave it a triple soft back draw in a little jig that Steve Culver showed me. A piece of 2" angle iron with caps welded on the ends with water in it. I did several chopping tests on the blade.

The first time I left it really thick almost like the blade of a hatchet. At least that is what it made me think of. (Better to start off too thick than too thin was my thinking.) But I knew that would be too thick for the rope cut even if done correctly.

After thinning it down I did several chopping tests and rope cut tests before I made the video. One time I sharpened it on a high angle and that did not cut the rope very well still. Finally I almost laid the blade flat on the slack belt to sharpen it to a wire edge. I then buffed the edge with a green rouge until it was razor sharp.

Seemed like that last 1/32 of an inch made all the difference in the rope cut. Even then I had to watch a few videos on the ABS YouTube channel to get the technique right.

I knew the geometry was good because of the way it stuck into the 2X4 in the pre video tests.

To address the bend test contraption. I had already done some deflection tests on the whole blade (not just the edge). I wouldn't have done the bend test on video had I not already tested this blade and others. I had done some bend tests (with good results) on others just none that long and wide. I truly believe if a maker isn't confident enough to bend the blade their self then they probably aren't ready to test.

Perhaps a cheater pipe would have been better and I have used one in the past on shorter blades for the extra leverage. (one time I almost turned my 200+Lb steel table on its side with a shorter knife and cheater) I would not have bent the knife though had I not already known it would pass that part. I was more afraid of not being hard enough to hold a good edge.

I'm truly not trying to be disrespectful to anyone... I just want to emphasize the homework I had done and importance of it before testing.

I hope this helps.

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I hope this helps.

I was discussing this thread with one of our long time Master Smiths today who was a student of our founder William "Bill" Moran. He said that he took his Journeyman Smith test under the supervision of Bill Moran and I asked him about it. He said that Bill Moran began the JS Performance test by asking him to forge a blade to the shape of a template that he provided. Upon completion of the blade Mr. Moran compared the forged blade to the template. He also said that after completing the other required performance tests (rope, 2x4, and shaving) that Mr. Moran had him wrap the blade of the knife in canvas for the bend test to avoid any possible issues with flying metal pieces if the blade were to break during the bend test. He of course did not have any issues and not only passed his JS Performance Test but went on two years later to become a Master Smith in the ABS.

I thought that this was an interesting story of how ABS Founder Bill Moran conducted his JS Performance tests and wanted to share it with everyone.

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I was discussing this thread with one of our long time Master Smiths today who was a student of our founder William "Bill" Moran. He said that he took his Journeyman Smith test under the supervision of Bill Moran and I asked him about it. He said that Bill Moran began the JS Performance test by asking him to forge a blade to the shape of a template that he provided. Upon completion of the blade Mr. Moran compared the forged blade to the template. He also said that after completing the other required performance tests (rope, 2x4, and shaving) that Mr. Moran had him wrap the blade of the knife in canvas for the bend test to avoid any possible issues with flying metal pieces if the blade were to break during the bend test. He of course did not have any issues and not only passed his JS Performance Test but went on two years later to become a Master Smith in the ABS.

I thought that this was an interesting story of how ABS Founder Bill Moran conducted his JS Performance tests and wanted to share it with everyone.

INTERESTING FOR SURE , THANKS FOR THIS DAN

That is an idea I can get behind Dan. Not too overkill but still safe.