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Post by L Driggers (fallen) on Jun 17, 2014 20:45:57 GMT
Been challenged to forge a knife out of a ball bearing.I have some 1 in dia ball 52100 to use so I accept this challenge, going to be fun putting this one off. From round to a knife blade, think I can do it. Agian other smiths joint in. I will just making a simple utility knife.
No mild steel balls allowed in this challenge, come on and joint me.
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Post by LG Martial Arts on Jun 17, 2014 21:42:46 GMT
Can't wait to see the results! Hope other smiths join in the challenge as well.
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TomK
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Senior Forumite
Posts: 2,377
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Post by TomK on Jun 18, 2014 2:13:59 GMT
got any extras? are they commonly available? where can I get one if I want to join in?
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Post by chrisperoni on Jun 18, 2014 2:29:36 GMT
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Post by L Driggers (fallen) on Jun 18, 2014 5:55:51 GMT
That's it Chris, can get even bigger there if you are willing to pay the price.
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TomK
Member
Senior Forumite
Posts: 2,377
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Post by TomK on Jun 18, 2014 8:12:07 GMT
how do you plan on holding the ball early on? or is that a secret? I have some ideas
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Post by aussie-rabbit on Jun 18, 2014 10:07:54 GMT
And how many are you going to use.
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Post by L Driggers (fallen) on Jun 18, 2014 11:07:50 GMT
Grind a flat spot on to the bearing weld a rod on. I do have a couple extra 1in bearing.
Only one, not going to try to make a big knife. A 1 in bearing will make a knife with a blade appox 6in in long and 1 in wide, 3/16in thick, it will have a tang 4in long 1/2in wide a stick tang. I don't have a helper, power hammer or hydrualic press so I can't ready forge weld some togather.
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TomK
Member
Senior Forumite
Posts: 2,377
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Post by TomK on Jun 18, 2014 15:43:56 GMT
sounds like a lot of work. does sound fun though. I've never forged 52100 is it a bit red hard like 5160 or softer like 10xx? yeah as much as I'd love to do this I don't think I'll be able to. the only way I can use my forge right now is to drag it out of the basement into the yard. so unless the work I'm planning is pretty easy I usually dont have the time.
I was thinking welding a rod to it would be the way to go.
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Post by L Driggers (fallen) on Jun 18, 2014 16:48:45 GMT
This is my first time forging 52100, yes it is hard to get moving. I'm just diong it to see if I can, so far it's going well.
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Post by L Driggers (fallen) on Jun 18, 2014 20:03:22 GMT
Got a lot did to it this morning in about 3 hours. 52100 isn't a easy steel to move under the hammer. Started off using a 4 lb sledge, wish I had a 6 lb sledge to start with. Sorry the pictures are so dark, keep drawer around the forge while I'm working on something. Here's the bearing in my hand showing it's size. The bearing and the rod I welded on to the bearing. The rod welded on to the bearing. In the forge. Starting to flat it out. Polly pop any one it a hot one. Squareing up and drawing out. The tool I used to do the drawing out. Drawing the blade out. Draw out to 4in long, 3/4in thick. Drawing out the tang. Tang drawed out to 4in long, 1/2in wide, 3/16in thick. Blade 5in long,1in wide, 1/4in thick. I will be drawing the blade out a lot more. It will end up around 6in long, 1 1/8in wide and 3/16in thick I'll do a lot more work on the blade tomorrow morning.
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Post by freq on Jun 19, 2014 9:41:30 GMT
interesting project, only thing is without the back story its just a fairly standard knife project, nothing to differentiate it to someone who dosnt know the back story, would hate to know what the retail on this would be if you had to put a $ value on it, especially spending three hours of hard slog just to get to billet stage, then more on the actual forging, grinding, hilting etc too much hard labor for me but have fun with it
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Post by aussie-rabbit on Jun 19, 2014 13:25:10 GMT
:lol:
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Post by L Driggers (fallen) on Jun 19, 2014 13:30:53 GMT
Got the blade forged out this morning, plus the filing. Worked about 2 hours on it this time. The knife blade is 6 1/4in long, the tang is 4 3/3in long, it's is 1in wide, 3/16in thick. Have the quench and tempering to do now, then grind in the bevels. Plan on polishing this one out, don't want to leave a rough forge finish as much work as I've put in it so far. Time for the update pictures. Drawing the blade out and thining it from 1/4in to 3/16in. Foruming the point. Point forumed. Fuller tool used to forum the choil. Choil forumed. Hammering in the bevels. Normalizing the 1 time, didn't get it as hot on the point on the next to runs. File work did tto the tang shoulder to even them out, and a little work to the point.
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Post by aussie-rabbit on Jun 19, 2014 13:34:28 GMT
One of these -
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Post by L Driggers (fallen) on Jun 19, 2014 13:40:40 GMT
Finditihui I will leave the post wacking to someone else, any other ideas.
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Post by L Driggers (fallen) on Jun 24, 2014 16:56:03 GMT
Sanded the blade to 80 grit to get the forge scale off and hammer marks. Then polished it out to the fine conidtioning belt. Ready to finished up the bevels and turn it over to the wife to have a handle put on.
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Post by LG Martial Arts on Jun 24, 2014 17:06:11 GMT
Looking good there! What kind of wood are you thinking of using for the handle?
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Post by L Driggers (fallen) on Jun 24, 2014 20:20:27 GMT
What kind of wood would you like to see.
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Post by LG Martial Arts on Jun 24, 2014 20:52:51 GMT
How about Ebony or a dark burl wood
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