Suppressors First attemps at making a couple knives.

[donws2]

Well I got some money for my birthday and decided to treat myself to something I had never done before. I called a friend and he arranged for me to buy some extra production from a guy that makes Damascus Steel for several of the big factory knife companies. Here's what I've done so far. Hidden tang knife is no sweat. The other three I've got are full tang and I'm still thinking about them. Enjoy.

First one I made

Second knife I made

Thrid and last for the moment

Donald

 

[AlabamaShooter]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

Damn Don lookin good. I have always liked the Damascus steel blades.

 

[donws2]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

Al Shooter the steel comes from a guy in your state. He's up in Jacksonville. I went by there last month with a friend. Went over to your neck of the woods so he and another guy could buy a couple Kimbers from the CMP as well. I had him introduce me to his freind as I had heard of him several times. It's a neat place if your over that way. He'll let you come by if you contact him first. I really was fasinated about how him and his crew made the steel and get the neat patterns to show up after surface grinding down the plates of steel. I'd say anyone that like Damascus should make it a trip some day.

donald

 

[stefan73]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

I am a big fan of damascus!
The cool stuff is when you start getting into pattern welded damascus!


BTW, those are some nice grinds! If you have some tools and some patience it is easy to get into forging! The hardest part is finding an anvil but a section of rail will also work.

 

[madd0c]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

That is some very nice looking steel. The knives look great also

I would LOVE to see a full tang scaled knife based on that first knife shape. Maybe grind in a choil.

did you get knife blanks or grind down bar stock?

madd0c

 

[The Mechanic]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

Really like the pattern on the large blade

 

[donws2]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

I started off with blanks. These are my first knives and I know enough to know I do not have the correct grinders to correctly profile yet. I'll do some box/utility knives some time and cut them out of mower blades. I think I should be able to do the kind of grinds for that on my bench grinder.

Here's the other three blanks. I'm thinking one Walnut from a large limb that fell out of a century plus tree in the yard. One with green micarta from a belt guide off of an old peice of lumber saw equipment and one with buffalo horn I have left over from my black powder days. I have some Osage also that I was going to make a bow from but I'm not going to and saw a custom knive with Osage and burl Burch grips. Sexy as hell. I'll hold onto it until I know I want screw it all up.

 

[Tengu]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

Wow beautiful work! What kind of steel is it? Does it have 15N20 and 1090 or carbon steel in it? Don't worry to much about haveing the right equipment. I've seen knives made with files and useing cross draws.
Been itching to do my own for awhile now. The only thing I'm missing is a set of blacksmith tongs. Those vise grips keep loseing grip and dropping the metal. Not to mention to damn HOTT(+-1600F)! Not about to have something like that fall on my feet.

 

[chris223]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

Those look great!

 

[1010]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

AWESOME...Damascus is cool..!!

 

[donws2]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Skyclad Shinobi</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wow beautiful work! What kind of steel is it? Does it have 15N20 and 1090 or carbon steel in it? Don't worry to much about haveing the right equipment. I've seen knives made with files and useing cross draws.
Been itching to do my own for awhile now. The only thing I'm missing is a set of blacksmith tongs. Those vise grips keep loseing grip and dropping the metal. Not to mention to damn HOTT(+-1600F)! Not about to have something like that fall on my feet. </div></div>


There's a true withches brew in the steel. I'm lazy to I just copied the info from the web site of the company that made the steel.

Material = (4) layers 5160, (3) layers 203E, (3) layers 52100, (3) layers 15N20 folded 5 times for 416 layer damascus

Crazy but works. After acid etch you get a nice mixture of white to black in the pattern.

Donald

 

[Switchblade]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

This is a cool damascus hatchet made by my neighbor. He makes a few blades each year, and writes for a few knife magazines as a blade evaluator but mostly just does his thing around here. I got to see one of his latest designs the other day as it went thrugh the leg bones of a deer in a single swift stroke and made the straightest cut through bone I have ever seen. Breed blades are freakin amazing!

 

[Red_SC]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

Nice, Don, I like the damascus pattern.

 

[NYShooter]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

I love the pattern of the blades on the top and bottom knife in the first pic.

 

[charliejhusn]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

Very very good job. I've always liked the Damascus and I love those handles!

Charlie

 

[donws2]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

Thanks guys. I've started on a full tang yesterday. I made a guard from a piece of brass flat stock and cut a piece of spalted wood from an old Maple stump in the yard. Cut two scales for the handle out on the band saw but the wood is soft so I'm soaking in wood hardener for a couple days then will have to let it dry for a couple more. I want the wood hardener to soak all the way through so the handles will be strong. I'm going to use copper sheet to line between the handle and tang and guard. Hope it turn out well and think the combo should make for a nice looking knife. By the weekend I should be able to show it off if all goes well.

Happy holidays, Donald

 

[Rob257]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

Nice looking blades Don, Good Luck.

 

[black_ump]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

vary vary sick (awesome)

 

[caver101]

Re: First attemps at making a couple knives.

Love the top knife blade profile. Good looking work, especially for your first knife!

Who is the fellow in AL doing the Damascus? I am not far from the AL line.

There is a custom knife maker in Dallas, GA, but I don't think he does his own damascus.