Bah, I'm 8 hours into my first bowie and I think I botched it. I made it out of half an old large rasp. I ground the teeth off it and still left a .25x1.5x8 inch bar of steel to work with. It was coming out beautiful until I dug the belt into the ricasso.
Anyone have any good videos on making a bowie/fighter? There's a few key areas I had trouble with. I think I worked the ricasso down too thin, so by the time I got to the belt it was just going to give me trouble. That rasp was also really tough stuff, even after annealing. I had to quench a couple times because it wouldn't oil harden in peanut oil unless I got it well beyond critical. And then tempering took much longer. I did 3 1 hour cycles at 450 before it finally got straw colored.
Also I really think it's time to step up my tooling. My anvil is a little too high and it needs to be surfaced as it has a little bow in it. Not a big deal for smaller knives but had issues with the bowie. Same with my tongs. I'm using smaller flat nib tongs and I think I'd like to make a pair of offset v tongs. And finally my hammers. They're too round. I surfaced them probably a little too round to be safer on my strokes to not mark the steel. But I'd really like a 1.5lb square face with rounded edges for knifemaking.
Lot of lessons learned on this one. I wish I had more time. I'm meeting a mastersmith for the first time tomorrow and I was really rushing to have something to show him. I think I'm just going to start something new tonight and lay the other one to rest haha.
Pictures would help.
Unknown steel is difficult to make work for a lot of reasons.
For all the trouble you've been through buying a bar of 1075 or 1084 would save you a lot of trouble.
HI Nicholas, I've been reading your post on the fourm. They remind me of where I started two years ago! It's great you have a mastersmith to work with you!
The advice that I was given when I started came from John White, he told me over and over I had to go to an intro class, finally I enrolled ,I went to Haywood
The class was taught by mastersmith James Crowell, best two weeks of my life next to my honeymoon! John White passed shortly after I completed my class.
I asked his wife Jill one day if she had any recommendations for my knife making. Her advice was stick with the mastersmith and go to hammer ins
Scott
Nicholas,
I am going to try and answer some of your questions, but I must warn you in advance. I like to answer questions with more questions (Socrates).
First: Are there any good videos on Making a Bowie/fighter? Yes there are tons of them. Some are on this very forum and there are more at the ABS Youtube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/user/ABSwebmaster/videos) Use the search function to find them using keyword "Bowie". What parts of the construction are you having the most trouble with? It sounds like the grinding is the biggest headache at the moment. So try searching for videos on grinding rather than making a particular knife style. There is also an excellent video of Tim Hancock showing his grinding method for sale through the ABS store. This video is a must have for any apprentice.
Next: Tooling seems to be an issue. What hammers are you using? Are you using typical sledge hammers that you purchased at the local hardware store/home improvement big box, and just tried to shape them "appropriately"? Forging metal is a very specific type of metalworking and it deserves a specifically designed hammer. You will probably have to try several different kinds before you find the ones that suit you best (I know I did) and you will probably end up with a few favorites for particular applications. Sledge hammers are great for a lot of rough forging, but not so great for really shaping the steel.
Why don't you want to bring that Bowie to show the MS? Are you interested in impressing him, or learning from him? If you are more interested in the former, then don't bring anything. He might give you the opportunity to do something and that will be your chance to impress. If you are interested in the latter, bring your latest work and ask him the same questions you are asking now.
Joshua States
www.dosgatosforge.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg
https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71
Also on Instagram and Facebook as J.States Bladesmith
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.â€
Ya I'm still going to show him. I just wish I had more time to show him other stuff. I've given away or sold most of the ones that are semi-presentable haha. I have a paper bag full of prototypes and screw ups I'll get to "show off" too.
I'll post some photos when I get back.
