T: JULY 2017
Photobucket has been my main picture hosting for close to the last 10 years.  They decided to change their policies on linking 3rd party forums.  In order to cope with this (as it is their rights to do so), I am just going to update this thread with the bulk of the pictures here.   Hopefully I dont set anyones modem on fire, or you have unlimited data (for those lurkers on their cell phones)  
 
So prepare yourselves for about 90% of the pictures to be right here. (WILL BE UPDATED JULY 3RD)
 
THE FORGE
 
Daddy's little helpers:
 
A section of 12" sewer pipe




 
 Finished.

Forced air upgrade:


 
 
HYDRAULIC FORGE PRESS:





10HP motor, with log splitter pump.
 
 DAMASCUS RING






 
FIRST DAMASCUS KNIFE



It was very crude, but like all bananna's we all are green at first.
 
SECOND DAMASCUS KNIFE



a simple very low layer count.  Sadly, it developed some cracks during the heat treat.  I keep it around for opening McMaster packages.
 
THIRD DAMASCUS KNIFE - THE EYE OF SAURON
 


Sadly, this blade also failed at one of the welds.  
 
 
FOURTH DAMASCUS KNIFE





Also was my first real leather sheath. 
 
CNC'd FIGHTING KNIFE
Here is where I start to mix the craft of blacksmiths, with modern CNC'ing.  Forging a billet, and putting it on my CNC machine.







 

 
SAN MAI FIGHTING KNIFE
 









 
 
KITCHEN KNIFE:







 
SAN MAI KITCHEN KNIFE:





 
THE CHOPPER:
initial concept:

 
Final design, working 1095 prototype:


 
differential heat treating:


 
Different Handle material:





 
Blanks:



 
 
 FORGED CHOPPERS
 Using tool steel core, and 5160 spring steel jacket makes it sort of a san-mai chopper.

 
Step 1, sandblast everything

 
Step 2, stuff it all in the spring steel



Then weld the ends.  That thin film you see is pure nickle.
 
Initial vertical crush

 
All around crush:

 
Drawing it out into flat barstock:

 
 Just tool and spring steel create a black and gray look:


 
The nickle layer adds a bit of chrome in the pattern:



This was the smaller of the springs.
 
The larger spring yields:
 
THE APOCALYPSE CHOPPER
Just left much of the forge markings in the steel for a gritty looking beast:






Handle is charcoal Spectraply
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I will update finished knives here, but will continue posting on the thread normally.  Start here when you are finished with this post

Very nice. Could you build me a set of adammantium claws Nate and call it a day

one is a christmas gift actually.  As for adammantium... I am not sure carbide would cut it sadly.  If they made adammantium end mills, that would make me happy :) 

They all look good, my favorite is the dark, cold blue. The burl looks really nice. Looks like a fun project Nate! 

I like the black one just right of center.

I like the 4th one from the left.

Zuhl3156
 
I like anything that looks nasty and sharp enough to cut through bone.

It has gotten QUITE close already to doing that.  

atfrico
 
Powder coated paint knife makes it more sexier also

like so?





 

thanks!  that was just a test piece to how well it would look to CNC a knife.  I left that knife outside for a month by accident.  Just slight rust on the actual cutting edge that was sharpened.  Alumahyde from brownells.  gun coating.  Its what I use on my waterblocks too ;)

Ohh that powder coated black one is sexy.

Bocote:

 
yes?  no? 
its an exotic tropical hardwood.  

Some maple burl I am trying out.  I put a quick coating of CA on it just to bring out the color and pattern in the wood.  It will look 10 times better when I actually sand it and polish it.

with flash
 

without flash
 
and an update on that san mai one:

 
 

that san mai one is stainless over 1095 core, so yea.  stainless isnt a problem. 

All the woods look nice. The paint is awesome as well. :)

Paint hardwood, say what!!!! Stain or burning the wood, sure....
 
How soft is the wood your using Nate?