Forged in Fire Season 4

New season starts this week.

And on the 18th:

Yup, I'm the one in the green T-shirt, second from the right.

Camp bolos

Here are a couple of camp bolos that went out to customers recently.  Both of these started out as demonstration pieces, showing how I use the dies on my power hammer to forge blades.  Neither one of the customers who ended up with them had me build sheaths for them.  The blades are a little over 12" long, with false edges on top.

This first one was for the first STAB (South Texas Association of Bladeslingers) get-together out at my shop back at the end of January, forged from 1084.  I finished it out with tan over black paracord on top of a neoprene foundation.

The second was forged from 5160 as a demonstration for a fellow who came to my shop to study my home-brewed guided helve power hammer to help build his own.  He ended up buying the demo blade from me, and I finished it out in black over black paracord over neoprene.

Primal/tactical tantos

Some recently finished tantos.  All are 80CrV22, with paracord wraps over neoprene hardened with West System marine epoxy, with Kydex sheaths.

This black one was a commission, while the tan one will be on one of my tables at the Blade Show.  Blades are around 7".

This o-tanto and smaller, stabbity slicety tanto were a commissioned pair by a son for himself and his father.  The o-tanto is about a 14" blade, and the other is about 7 1/2".

The stabbity slicety tanto is about as narrow a point as I can recall doing on a blade!

 

The son decided he wanted a retention strap added to his o-tanto as a belt-and-suspenders insurance policy to keep it secured while it rides on a pack.

Wooden sword vs. Slingsword

Some of y'all may (or may not) recall a few years ago I built an 18" sword blade for Joerg Sprave, the German mad genius of creative and deadly slingshots and other unconventional weapons.  He built a handle for the blade that (of course) incorporated a slingshot.

I was pleasantly surprised to see today that he had brought the slingsword back out, as a basis of comparison for a wooden sword he had made from European dogwood, the hardest wood that grows in his area.  The slingsword shows up just before 8:00 in the video.

As far as I'm aware, this is the first time a blade of mine has been used on a tatami mat cut.  His comment: "The tatami felt like NOTHING AT ALL when I attacked it with your blade... great work for sure."  😎

STAB - South Texas Association of Bladeslingers

This past weekend, we had an informal, yet large, gathering of knifemakers and folks interested in knives at my shop.  There were demos, Forged in Fire contestants, outlaw cutting competition, material sales, camaraderie, and some of the most talented knifemakers from across Texas.  It was fun.  :)

Here's a video from Chris Thorn at DropForged Survival that captured part of the day:

Big ol' Bowie

This Bowie was commissioned by a customer who saw a similar one I had done last year.  I had traced it out, so I used that to make a pattern, but tweaked on it a bit.  It has a wider handle, which I like better.

The steel is 1/4" 80CrV2 steel, with TeroTuf handle scales and flared stainless steel tube rivets.  The top bevel is a false edge.

I played with the Kydex also, bringing it up onto the handle more than I usually do.  It's fitted with a Combat Loop for belt carry.

It's a sizeable sucker, with a blade that's 10 7/8" from point to choil and an overall length just under 16 1/2".  Balance point is about at the touchmark.

The customer commented, "Very nice.  Big yet light.  Good job."  :)

Zombie Killer Bush Sword cutting video

Thought I had already posted this.

The mesquite had been seasoning after blowing down in a wind storm just before the Blade Show, and was hard enough that each blow echoed from the surroundings.