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Post by paranger on Jul 14, 2022 13:01:37 GMT -7
I attended a bladesmithing workshop last weekend and took the opportunity to make a bench copy of an archeological find from Ft. Carillon / Ticonderoga. It is a large (7 pouce) boucheron with a 1075 steel blade coming in just a hair shy of 8". Many of the recovered blades from the area sport the cutler's mark of Barthelemy Doron. Though some contemporary makers (including the justly esteemed Ken Hamilton - and me up until now) have approximated Doron's mark with commercially available stamps (crown, upside down wine glass). I really wanted to do better, so I recently invested in a CNC machined custom carbide stamp from a professional die maker. Reproduced from an image printed in Ken Hamilton and Kevin Gladysz's landmark journal article on boucherons, it comes directly from a 1737 lead tablet used by the St. Etienne cutlers' guild as a registry of cutlers' marks. The blade contour would be a "type A" in the Hamilton/ Gladysz taxonomy. The classic French faceted boxwood handle features the signature slight downward curvature (which I find very ergonimically beneficial) and a 2 piece, 3 pin handle configuration which as yet unpublished scholarship by Gladysz and Hamilton strongly suggests may have outnumbered the more familiar 2 pin sawn slot configuration shared with English trade knives of the period.   You will have to excuse the few hammer marks which were too deep to sand out without compromising historical blade dimensions and structural integrity, as this was my first time hand forging from bar stock.     |
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Post by Black Hand on Jul 14, 2022 15:04:13 GMT -7
I see no cutler's resin in the tang slot...(?)
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Post by paranger on Jul 14, 2022 15:30:38 GMT -7
I see no cutler's resin in the tang slot...(?) Nope. French didn't do it, only the English. French tangs were full width (or nearly so) like the later (post AWI) English trade knives. In this instance, I left about 1/8" overlap on the bottom, flush on top. Another interesting thing Ken Hamilton noted in our last conversation was a tendency of French cutlers to mix and match handle sizes (e.g., small knife with larger handle and medium sized knife with smaller handle, etc.) |
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RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
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Post by RyanAK on Jul 14, 2022 16:41:55 GMT -7
Wow! Well done, J! That blade cleaned up really well. I like the modest amount of hammer marks I’m very impressed with the handle too. What finish did you use on the boxwood?
If you’ve never played with Axe Wax, get yo self some. Amazing stuff.
Great craftsmanship. I like everything about this knife. Even though it’s… you know… French. 😜
What’s the appropriate sheath??
Seriously. Great work.
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Post by paranger on Jul 14, 2022 16:55:42 GMT -7
Thanks, Ryan.
I just used linseed oil on the boxwood. It will probably need at least one more coat when this sinks in fully. Axe Wax? That's a new one for me.
I have been back and forth on the sheath. I will probably just go with a standard veg tan 4-5 oz back seam. I may try some embossing and/or etching to dress it up a bit. The other option I have been considering is to get hold of another bark tanned deer hide to simulate a sheath made by a habitant / coureur-de-bois type.
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Post by brokennock on Jul 14, 2022 18:59:32 GMT -7
Fantastic job on that knife.
I just happen to be currently reading that, "Ken Hamilton and Kevin Gladysz's landmark journal article on boucherons," that you mentioned.
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Post by hawkeyes on Jul 15, 2022 2:14:04 GMT -7
Another well done blade, very nice! While I admit I'm not a fan of hammer marks it wears well on that blade. Good solid blade all around indeed. I recently acquired a picard hammer which has changed the game. Hammer control obviously comes into play but this new banging stick with a polished face leaves an almost baby smooth finish. May be worth looking into. It's my absolute favorite thing to beat metal with!  One thing I don't use when leveling a blade is any power tools, all by hand. I have found a coarse paving stone compiled of pea gravel and water really does the trick with elbow grease. After that I move to progressively finer wet/dry belts until I'm satisfied. I usually stop at 220 myself. Many methods to the madness but that's mine. |
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Post by paranger on Jul 15, 2022 3:34:15 GMT -7
Another well done blade, very nice! While I admit I'm not a fan of hammer marks it wears well on that blade. Good solid blade all around indeed. I recently acquired a picard hammer which has changed the game. Hammer control obviously comes into play but this new banging stick with a polished face leaves an almost baby smooth finish. May be worth looking into. It's my absolute favorite thing to beat metal with! One thing I don't use when leveling a blade is any power tools, all by hand. I have found a coarse paving stone compiled of pea gravel and water really does the trick with elbow grease. After that I move to progressively finer wet/dry belts until I'm satisfied. I usually stop at 220 myself. Many methods to the madness but that's mine. Very cool, Hawkeyes. Being such a novice at the hand forge game, I may have let too much scale build up between hammering, too. At the workshop, I had to share a forge with 2 or 3 other people, so timing was not optimal. I would like to see if I can do a 1-on-1 with the owner at some point. May be costly, but probably worth it before I decide whether to take the plunge and buy my own forge /tools. |
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RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
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Post by RyanAK on Jul 15, 2022 5:53:10 GMT -7
Just A Box Of Dirt forge (Google JABOD forge), Channel lock tongs, hardware store hammer, improvised hammer. Go.
At least that’s my initial plan. Do you think you like this enough to get set up with your own forge?
Hawkeyes… what was your anvil?
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Post by paranger on Jul 15, 2022 7:47:21 GMT -7
Just A Box Of Dirt forge (Google JABOD forge), Channel lock tongs, hardware store hammer, improvised hammer. Go. At least that’s my initial plan. Do you think you like this enough to get set up with your own forge? Hawkeyes… what was your anvil? Oh, I do think I like it enough, all right. It is a more question of time, space, and $$$. It may have to wait a couple of years until the kids fledge from the nest. |
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Post by hawkeyes on Jul 15, 2022 9:40:22 GMT -7
Just A Box Of Dirt forge (Google JABOD forge), Channel lock tongs, hardware store hammer, improvised hammer. Go. At least that’s my initial plan. Do you think you like this enough to get set up with your own forge? Hawkeyes… what was your anvil? It'll get you started but... Outside of any real forge work you need good tools period. I advise against using pliers over tongs for anything outside small scale work. You'll find out quick! 😄 Anywho, anvils need not be complicated. Most important thing to remember is... MASS. Don't get stuck on the idea that you need something that looks like a "pattern anvil" which is what everyone thinks they need and don't. I do 97% of my work on that anvil which is nothing more than a 150lb piece of steel aka a counterbalance weight. The remaining 3% is done on my post vise. It's got mass which is what counts and is easy to resurface when needed. Outside of a stump anvil perdy HC as well. A hardened face isn't required either. Learning hammer control is critical and even with a hardened face you'll booger it up until you do. The chains dampen the ring and keep you from going deaf! A ground forge will work really well, you'll get tired of it quickly but it'll certainly get the job done. I three gas forges and one indoor coal forge I'm currently building. One of my gas forges heating yesterday. Built this one from an old freon tank with two 3/4" stainless burners. Usually run it at 5psi for general work and about 12psi for forge welding.  |
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RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
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Post by RyanAK on Jul 15, 2022 12:23:11 GMT -7
Refractory lined that Freon tank?
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Post by hawkeyes on Jul 15, 2022 12:46:21 GMT -7
Refractory lined that Freon tank? Absolutely, 2" kaowool followed by four coats of satinite to seal the wool then finally itc100. My other smaller gas forge has the same lining. Insulation properties are paramount, want to keep that heat in the forge! |
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RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
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Post by RyanAK on Jul 15, 2022 13:10:31 GMT -7
Oh I know. Two years ago I did a refractory job on the ash bottoms of two 850MW boilers. 1000cy of refractory.
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Post by paranger on Jul 15, 2022 13:16:11 GMT -7
Oh I know. Two years ago I did a refractory job on the ash bottoms of two 850MW boilers. 1000cy of refractory. I don't know what all that means, but I think I know who I want to build my forge...😁 |
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