Illuminated Tools: Getting Started

First I did 1:1 sketches of the tools.





These aren't exact blueprints, just scaled examples of where the project is headed.

Since I've had a hard time finding high carbon steel in my area I used a local metal reseller for most of my steel. She had some nice new 4340 available in bars for $1.50/lb, so I cut that into coupons and tacked them together without any fill rod, and forge welded it into one block.



My first "forge" was a stack of fire bricks that I pointed my O/A torch into, I have since built a more respectable forge.



I built this small press to help with forging and forge welding, it uses a 20 ton air-over-hydraulic cylinder. It's a bit slow and I'll definitely build a better one when funds allow.



For the wrench I used a car coil spring, straightened and upset on one end. I used an air chisel to cut a slit in the upset, then opened it and wrapped it around a rod (sorry, no pics). Then I filed the open box by hand to fit a 3/4" bolt.





Then I forged a taper on the other end and cut 1/4"-20 threads, this is how the handle will be affixed.

Seven Day Knife Project- Day V

Today's knife, in keeping with the recent (and necessary) quick and dirty blade construction, is styled after a prison-fashioned weapon, colloquially called a "shank" or "shiv." It is made from an old wood chisel, exactly the kind of object an inmate might have access to.

Seven Day Knife Project- Day II

 My previous every day knife was a Kershaw 1670TBLKST with Speedsafe^TM spring assist. I love having spring assist, unfortunately the blade was less than high quality, the tip bent and broke while folded in my pocket. So I used the same high carbon mystery steel from before to make myself a new blade.*

I started by covering the original blade with masking tape and outlining the space available inside the handle.

Then I drew the new blade shape on the tape, cut off the remainder, and traced it onto the steel and cut it out.

Next I had to make the new blade work with the old handle, this meant grinding and hand filing the two to be identical.

One problem I was having was in locating the detent on the new blade. I didn't want to drill through the hardened steel to transfer the mark through, and I don't have any precision measuring tools to aid me. 

After some contemplation, I noticed that the detent had worn a line into the paint of the blade, and after repeatedly testing the swing of the new blade a similar line had been left on it. So I simply punched a deep divot at the end of that line and it seems to work perfectly.

You can see that I changed the blade length and profile, and added a flapper to help open it with a thumb-stud.

My grind is nowhere near as good as the original unfortunately, but once I get better I can make redo it or make another one. That's the beauty of having these kinds of skills: you're never stuck with something inferior if you're always improving your craft.

*Kershaw's warranty position is that if your blade breaks, you broke it, and it is not covered by warranty. They will replace and sharpen blades with new stock for a fee of $10. For them to be able to cover the blade and labor for only $10 there's nothing telling me that I'll get any better product than I had before, and another chipped blade will be only a matter of time.

The Seven Day Knife Project

I've recently become very interested in knife making. I've been collecting knives since I was a tween and now I want to make my own. Pursuant to this goal, and for a school project about ritual and artifact, I've decided to make one knife a day for one week. I will attempt different styles and techniques, and not work on them again once the day is up. This will be difficult not only because I've never made a knife but also because school is in session and I have plenty of homework already.

Regardless, here is my first knife build:

I wanted to start by setting up real quench tanks, no more plastic bottles of water. I've had this medical oxygen cylinder kicking around for years, so I cut it in half. 

I wanted to use both halves but the top (valve) side didn't like to stand up, so I whipped up a quick and easy stand.

One half will hold water and the other will hold oil, both for quenching hot metals.

Starting with a piece of mystery steel from my pile (not the best way to start, but it was Friday afternoon and I wasn't going to go on a high-carbon hunt) I made the length about the same as my current pocket knife.

I sketched my first idea with soapstone onto the cleaned metal and rough-cut it with a cut-off wheel.

Then I smoothed the lines and started grinding the edge.This took a while.

When the edge was nearly done I heated the blade and quenched it in oil

New quench tank.

After finish-grinding the blade I used some wood I had lying around (pine? again, not the best start, oh well) to make the handle sides.

And used high-strength epoxy to attach them. Next time I will probably use brass pins as well.

Once the epoxy had set up I sanded the wood down into a nice grip-able handle.

Again, this was my very first try at making a knife, I have a long way to go still.

Another new thing I'm trying is time lapse photography of my work sessions, I cherry picked from the 400+ photos from today the ones that I thought were cool and in which I don't look too flabby.

Hipster safety goggles.

Regrouping, Minimally

Following my ordeal trying to work with glass I still needed a minimalist sculpture for school. I had two steel frames already made, so I ran with them.

I had welded on tabs that were going to hold the glass sheets, but now they were unnecessary and unsightly.

But thankfully they were easy to remove.

After grinding and sanding off all the blemishes, I cut one corner off the larger frame and put it on top of the smaller one, and slightly at an angle.

Then welded on some quick feet to keep it upright.

And painted it matte black.

Before

After

And bam! Display In the courtyard.

UPDATE: This piece was very well received and I was invited to install it in a courtyard on campus, along with another student. It is also available for purchase.