It's looking very classy. Fine work all around. I'm very glad you posted that.

Lin thank you very much that really means a lot.

Gilbert McCann

I finished forging the last 2 of this set of seven chefs knifes, for the women in the family, the one with the shortest tang is being converted from full tang to hidden tang because I treated the AEB-L like carbon steel. I also finished punching 4 of them...cause I kept breaking the punches I made to for it do to the punch getting stuck in the created hole, figured out my issues with that. I also started the grinding marathon I will be doing to lighten these up on the recommendation of my mother. tomorrow it's grinding between forging as the only heat source in my shop is my forge and I am just too frugal to waste propane to grind and as I made my aunts husband a dinky knife three years ago (the men in the family got some of the first blades I forged and I feel I am now good enough to make the women in the family a blade)

...I am so happy i do not have the HT equipment to get a good HT on AEB-L as I do not have a marathon polishing session. I plan on showing them to the ladies of the family well getting there imput on what handle material they want and pins.

the reason I am converting the small handled one to a hidden tang is these are all forged from the same bar of steel and that is what makes them special.

I finished the file work on one side of this frame.

Very nice file pattern Joshua.

Thank you Lin. This is just sanded to 600. I still have to buff it out. Depending on how that ends up looking, stepping up to 800 may be in order.

Gotta love some good ol' rope.

The funny thing about rope is how complex it is to really get it "right". There are a lot of different angles and curves that all need to be blended into a smooth surface.

Yesterday I tried rust bluing some fittings, spacers and frame came out good but I couldn't get the guard to look good. The pieces are all mild steel (I have had very limited success with rust bluing and it was totally useless on mild steel.)from Joshua States to bad I didn't see this before I made my plans. Well I can see why people like rust bluing I really liked the color. I used the steam method with Brownells' classic rust blue hopefully I can get the guard to match.

Wow Gilbert. I really like that spacer package and the file work looks great.

What's your steam set up?

Thank you Joshua. I try to keep things simple, I just welded a plate on one end of a square tube maybe a 2x4x18 inch. I put a few inches of water in the tube and simmer on my hot plate. I suspend the pieces a few inches below the top. This was my first try, here's what I did steam with solution scrub, steam scrub apply solution steam repeat. I tried covering and leaving it open.

Gilbert

Thank Gilbert. I have to try that now. I may call you when I do.

|quoted:

Thank Gilbert. I have to try that now. I may call you when I do.

I'd be happy to help any way I can Joshua.

Gilbert

I've worked up the nerve to start a little file work on a frame handle. The frame is .06" 410 SS. Here is the progress on one side so far. Still a long way to go.

Round two on the vine work. I never know how thin to take this pattern. Sandwiching it between the scale really shows you where you still need to work it.

This side looks OK, not "great" but OK.

The pattern goes all the way around the frame.

This side needs some work still