knife and axe

hondo1892 · Post by **hondo1892** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 9:16 pm

Oh my aching arms. My arms aren't used to forging and filing like I've been doing the last few days. Forged out this knife and axe head last Thursday. Filed, polished and started engraving them on Saturday. I had planned on finishing up the .40 flinter I've been working on but I have a big show this weekend and the customer won't be there. So I wanted something I could make a few bucks on at my table. The last few years I've had nothing for sale and several guys have been disappointed. This is my big show for the year and a lot of the guys that show up have deep pockets. I hope I can pick up a few rifle orders this year. Today I finished the engraving on the axe head and added a couple of silver inlays. I even heat treated the axe and normalized the knife blade and stained the wood for both. This evening I made a new ram rod for my rifle after not having one for four months. Needed to make one before the show because it will probably be photographed for an upcoming article.

M. M. Wright · Post by **M. M. Wright** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 9:42 pm

Oh yeah! Those are nice.

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 11:02 pm

Superlative....Utile....I need a lite camp axe....

mark · Post by **mark** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 11:26 pm

Oh!, to be so talented.

Let's hope the people with "deep pockets" have long arms, no pun intended.

Cheers Mark

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 2:41 am

I wish I had just one ounce of your talent for making beautiful and usable works of art....

plowboy 45 · Post by **plowboy 45** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 8:06 am

Them look GOOD, how do you do the engraving

hondo1892 · Post by **hondo1892** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 8:45 am

Plowboy I just used wriggle engraving on this one but I also engrave with a chasing hammer. I'm not that good but a lot of the old timers weren't either. I'm planning on taking an engraving class next year lord willing. Thanks for all the compliments guys.

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 3:11 pm

Very nice work Hondo.

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 3:22 pm

GREAT looking job.

Nath · Post by **Nath** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 3:51 pm

I do like that hawk. Just would prefer a square leading edge for small incisions.

What steel and hardening?

Leverluver · Post by **Leverluver** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 5:24 pm

That's what the handle of all hawks should look like. I never liked the "slip out of your hand" reverse taper of conventional hawk handles. That is some craftsmanship with class.

hondo1892 · Post by **hondo1892** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 6:52 pm

Nath the axe head is wrought iron with a 1084 steel bit. The knife is 1084 also. 1084 is my favorite steel it welds in with iron nicely without burning and makes nice knife blades also. Its easy to heat treat also.

plowboy 45 · Post by **plowboy 45** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 7:42 pm

Would you show a pic of your engraving tool, your speaking greek, I know nothin about engraving
Seems like something I'd like to try

Thanks PLOWBOY

hondo1892 · Post by **hondo1892** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 8:59 pm

Plowboy, I'll be pretty busy the rest of the week but I will get a photo for you. I'll also try to take a photo of it in use. It took me years to find out how to do wriggle engraving but once I seen someone do it I couldn't believe it was so easy.

plowboy 45 · Post by **plowboy 45** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:29 pm

OK, I appreciate it

Thanks
PLOWBOY

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:41 pm

WOW! Those look AWESOME!

Nath · Post by **Nath** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 1:50 am

hondo1892 wrote:Nath the axe head is wrought iron with a 1084 steel bit. The knife is 1084 also. 1084 is my favorite steel it welds in with iron nicely without burning and makes nice knife blades also. Its easy to heat treat also.

Brilliant

mikld · Post by **mikld** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 10:09 am

Hondo, have you ever heard of using a ball peen hammer as a "blank" for forging a hatchet/tomahawk? I saw a reference to that in a "Backwoodsman" magazine, but no details...

hondo1892 · Post by **hondo1892** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 8:19 pm

Yea, I've seen a couple made from ball peen hammers. The head is made from hi-carbon steel so you can get an edge that will hold its sharpness. You just draw out the ends to the shape that you want and you have an axe. I use wrought iron because it weld really nice and it's what was used back in the day. My customers are reinactors and collectors and are willing to pay for iron. The old ball peens make a good usable axe though. Don't have a clue about the China made ones though.

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 10:04 am

.

My hardware store conversion

.

Nath · Post by **Nath** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 10:19 am

That is neat Pete.

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 12:16 pm

hondo1892 wrote: I use wrought iron because it weld really nice and it's what was used back in the day. My customers are reinactors and collectors and are willing to pay for iron.

What is your source for iron? What sizes do you work from?

I agree about 1084, it's super good. I make small chisels out of off cuts and water quench for a quickie when I don't want to heat up the bucket of oil. so far no cracks and when tempered they're still harder than 5160 which is my other favoritest steel.

have you ever forge welded 1084 to 5160? That seems like it would be a good combo if the welding is a sure thing . . .

thanks for showing your work, it's an inspiration . . .

hondo1892 · Post by **hondo1892** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 8:01 pm

Grizz my iron comes from all over. I was able to score a nice load of bridge iron about twelve years ago in Virginia. But I pick up some from antique shops and ebay so my sizes vary a lot. There is a company over in England that re-mills old wrought iron but its pricey.

bigbore442001 · Post by **bigbore442001** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 9:25 pm

Both are nice. I envy your talent.

firefuzz · Post by **firefuzz** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 9:32 pm

Leverluver wrote:That's what the handle of all hawks should look like. I never liked the "slip out of your hand" reverse taper of conventional hawk handles. That is some craftsmanship with class.

I really like that handle.

Rob

jazman · Post by **jazman** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 10:16 pm

Nice, I like them both a lot.

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