Printable View
Modest though they may be, today's accomplishments mark new territory for me. I may have forged San Mai for the first time, although the billet is so small I might only get a paring knife or pocket knife (and the welds remain to be proved).
The small forged razor-ish shaped object was made from a scrap, so I don't feel so bad that the shape is a bit odd.
Attachment 185311
Attachment 185312
Attachment 185313
Attachment 185314
Attachment 185315
Attachment 185316
The forging was done with BBQ charcoal in my chiminea brake drum forge in my single car garage... With crappy twisted flat bar tongs. Ha! My excuses.
Looks like good start
That razor, what is the width / thickness ratio? Looks a bit flat for the width it has.
Yeah, it's too long. I have already traced a better profile. The metal was 1/4" so I was shooting for 1" blade but I thinned it during the forging which also made it longer. And it was scrap so I knew it would have a funny tang length/width.
If you have 1/4 by 1 inch stock, you can first hammer it thicker before you start beveling. that way the ratio will be better, and you have some excess material on the spine for grinding away so that you end up with a clean blade.Quote:
Originally Posted by Atchbo
Good idea. Never thought of upsetting for that purpose. This was a triangular cut-off piece from a 2" x 1/4" bar. I cut out a little chunk to differentiate between blade and tang and then hammered as best I could. I really like the forging... It seems more efficient in terms of use of steel (less removal) and the rough finish looks cool as is, or you can grind it clean.
I think 1 x 1/4 might be a good stock size for this purpose going forward. I might try with 1084 and W2 after I have made some more progress here with tool building etc. In particular, I need to forge some tongs. Pretty hard (and dangerous) to forge a small piece of hot metal that doesn't like to stay put!
Attachment 186494
Attachment 186495
Not the best welds, but heck of a good time!
You had fun. That is what matters :)
Attachment 187303
Attachment 187304
I think I overdid the tempering. Couldn't find the brick I usually put under the blades in the oven.
This was about 2 hrs at 400*F.
The blue is indeed an indication that the blades have gotten too hot and will have less than ideal hardness.
Bruno, I am still thinking of grinding these two back considerably. Do you think the interior would have tempered any less than the outside?
Next time I may try gently torching the spine... although maybe more on a knife rather than razor.
Not really. It is fairly thin, and it it reached that temperature on the outside, the temperature went through and through. Especially considering the heating was rather slow (oven) instead of fast.Quote:
Originally Posted by Atchbo
Attachment 188317
Attachment 188318
Attachment 188319
Attachment 188320
As thin as I tried to make this blade, it's over an inch and still thick, so the bevel is large, and slow to shape.
I also realized my DMT is bald (full if holes under the microscope).
Also it was getting late and I accidentally put three layers of tape on one side and one on the other. So long as it's just for me, I'll call it a feature. Japanese inspiration or something.
Somebody said not to hone before bed... I think I agree.
Yay Christmas!
Attachment 188694
Attachment 188695
Nice haul. I've got a copy of Springhammer as well, can't wait to watch.
May not belong in the forge, but this is my new setup!
Attachment 188954
Attachment 188955
An old desk from the farm, sanded and shellacked in case of lead paint, plus my current setup for stones... And it's heated!
If it works for you, that is what counts. I have used the last couple of weeks to give my workshop a complete makeover. It's not quite there yet, but almost. The most important thing is that you get the job done with the tools you have. And indeed, a heated working are is nothing to sneeze at :)
Couldn't get an edge to stay on this homebrew one-piece razor. I'm starting to wonder if I did in fact over-temper it. I went all the way from bevel set to using my new little nakayama asagi and kiita nagura three times. Edge wouldn't hold after a solid hour or so of honing. I couldn't see any evidence of over-honing (other than the timeframe) but the edge seemed to roll and flake into sparkly crap, so maybe it was over-honed.
This may be a RSO for the learning books, but I may try once more with two layers of tape just in case.
Attachment 190792
Attachment 190793
Attachment 190794
Yep. Either the geometry is too narrow or the steel is soft.
One pass at my burns and the edge fails.
On a lighter note, the combination of Chosera 1k, hideriyama suita and Nakayama asagi with kiita tomo nagura seem to work great! Will try another example on known steel.
What is the geometry? spine thickness vs blade width?
I don't have it in front of me, but it started out as 1/4" bar and was thinned while forging to about 3/16" and the blade is about 1". I know that's too long/narrow. I may go all the way back to the grinder and take it down another step.
It could still be a combination of issues, but Imo that's way too thin to support a good edge.
At 3/16 thickness, that should not be wider than a 6/8.
If you work with bar stock that is 1/4 thick, you can upset it first, and then forge it wedge shaped. That way the spine will be thicker and the geometry will be much easier to get right.
Why didn't I think of that?
That's how we learn my friend. The kick in the seat is when you forget/don't do something and repeat a error, that's frustrating!:gaah:
Spend some time at the grinder and get it down to a smaller razor. The benifit will be a super thin bevel and the challenge will be not getting things too hot to kill the HT. Good practice no matter if it comes out to a razor or rso, win-win! I have made plenty of rso's, they just don't make it on here very often...
In the end, I think this razor is looking better with a narrower blade anyway. It was just too long to start.
I will post pics later.
I also learned today that it is better to drill all the holes in scales before separating them and test-fitting the wedge. I drilled googly eyes in my first set of horn scales for another razor in this series (double pins on the wedge end are crooked).
Fitted some pins today. This razor was started something like 2 years ago. Better late than never! Last one from that first batch.
Attachment 192774
Attachment 192775
Attachment 192777
Attachment 192778
Attachment 192779
Attachment 192780
Attachment 192781
Needs to be tightened at the pivot pin and another coat of lacquer or polish.
Also got this one to shave. For some reason I still could not sharpen this forged O1 except on my diamond film. At least I know now that the steel can survive a shave.
Attachment 192782
Attachment 192783
Attachment 192784
Attachment 192785
Attachment 192786
Attachment 192788
Nice work. Try to keep spine thickness /blade width ratio at 3/10 for a more comfortable shave.
I have a new challenge: I apparently have a hard time honing smiles. I spent well over an hour on my Chosera 1k trying to set the bevel on this new razor. I feel compelled because part of bevel at the toe doesn't reach the edge (due to imperfect grinding). As I gone away the steel, I notice that despite doing some rolling x strokes etc I am effectively grinding the smile out of it.
Attachment 192828
Attachment 192829
Attachment 192830
Attachment 192831
