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Bruno Giordan





Joined: 28 Sep 2005

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 919

PostPosted: Fri 05 Oct, 2007 8:27 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Norman McCormick wrote:
Hi,
Sgian Dubh I made for my son, last time I tried this for myself was about 35 years ago and it got consigned to the bin about 34 11/12 years ago, more patience these days I hope. Materials, mid section from a broken blade reworked, bolster a bit cut from a small steel angle bracket, handle is made from oak salvaged from a Victorian wardrobe. Tools, measure, vice, 5'' angle grinder, punch, various files, sandpaper, glue and some peaceful days in the garage. Hope you like it.
Regards,
Norman.
P.S. Scabbard at present glued and left happily in a vice until tomorrow.


Is it a damascus blade?

nice shape indeed.
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Norman McCormick





Joined: 17 Jan 2007

Posts: 125

PostPosted: Fri 05 Oct, 2007 9:25 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hi Bruno,
No, not a damascus blade, there was already some age patination on the blade I cleaned it up gently applied some gun blue then lightly rubbed it with a fine grit paper to lighten the highlights slightly, this was intended to give an appearance of it having aged mildly with use although it had just been made. I think the gun blue has enhanced the patination giving it the slightly damascus effect. Any more questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Regards,
Norman.
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Norman McCormick





Joined: 17 Jan 2007

Posts: 125

PostPosted: Fri 05 Oct, 2007 2:52 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Here's a Dirk I've nearly finished, just got to add a chape to the scabbard and it's done.
Regards,
Norman.
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Norman McCormick





Joined: 17 Jan 2007

Posts: 125

PostPosted: Fri 05 Oct, 2007 2:54 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Sorry forgot the photograph.
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Nick Winley




Location: Sydney, Australia
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Reading list: 12 books

Posts: 44

PostPosted: Fri 05 Oct, 2007 5:12 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hi Norman,

That's a nice knife, I really like the fittings on the scabbard and the hilt. Any chance of some more photos?

Also, what's the wood and what's the blade made from?

Cheers,

Nick.

"The Riddle of Steel. Yes! You know what it is, don't you boy."
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Norman McCormick





Joined: 17 Jan 2007

Posts: 125

PostPosted: Sun 07 Oct, 2007 5:09 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hello Nick,
Many thanks for your interest it is really only the second blade I have attempted so I'm flattered that you like it. Most things I potter about and make are made from found objects ie, bits lying about, bits found in skips and bits cannibalised from household stuff no longer used, the Dirk was no different. I couldn't tell you what type of steel the blade is made from only that it produced plenty of yellow/orange sparks under the grinder and that it apppears to take a reasonable edge. A 5 inch grinder and a drill are the only power tools I have so anything else is done by hand e.g. the fullers were a few hours with a round file. The other fittings were roughly shaped with the grinder and hand finished with files and sandpaper, the scabbard throat profile was achieved by pushing the blade through a piece of stiff cardboard and using the resultant shape then transfered on to the metal which I drilled as far as I was able and then patience and a selection of small files. The wood is oak which was salvaged from a Victorian wardrobe, I suspect it is English oak as the item was made prior to WW1 when home grown was more plentiful. I used a piece from the back of the wardrobe which is of a looser grain than than the front, when I make another blade I'll probably use the tighter grained front which should look better. The wood was lighly stained and oiled with mineral oil that I use for my wooden kitchen worktops. You will see from the photographs that the steel fittings are slightly pitted, cannibalised from an old shovel handle, but I quite like the effect as I don't know if I'm a fan of an item that's too pristine and perfect anyhow I don't have a choice if I wish to continue using "found items" to make things. I hope this has been of some interest to you and if you wish to know anymore please do not hesitate to ask.
Regards,
Norman.
P.S. It is still capable of tickling the ribs of any "Redcoat".
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Hugo Voisine





Joined: 25 Feb 2006
Reading list: 7 books

Posts: 336

PostPosted: Sun 07 Oct, 2007 7:15 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Very nice work Norman, this is exactly the kind of knife I would like to carry for everyday use. It looks good and sturdy. I like how you worked the metal fittings. Happy

The fuller is very well ground also.

« Que dites-vous ?... C'est inutile ?... Je le sais !
Mais on ne se bat pas dans l'espoir du succès !
Oh ! non, c'est bien plus beau lorsque c'est inutile ! »
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Norman McCormick





Joined: 17 Jan 2007

Posts: 125

PostPosted: Sun 07 Oct, 2007 1:00 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hello Hugo,
Thanks for your interest, I too would like to carry the Dirk for everday use but it is rather large and I'm afraid the law in the U.K. does not usually allow a knife like this to be carried in public. The sizes are as follows, blade length 12 1/2 inches ( 32cm ), blade width at widest 1 3/8 inches ( 3 1/2 cm ), total length 18 inches ( 46 cm ).
Regards,
Norman.
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Nick Winley




Location: Sydney, Australia
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Reading list: 12 books

Posts: 44

PostPosted: Sun 07 Oct, 2007 2:19 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Norman,

It sounds like your method of working is exactly the same as mine. I too only have an angle grinder and a drill and I try to make a point of only using recycled and second hand materials. For me there's something very gratifying about finding a shining core of unblemished metal inside what looked like a big lump of rust.

Also I love your idea for finding the shape of the scabbard throat. Very neat.

Cheers,

Nick.

"The Riddle of Steel. Yes! You know what it is, don't you boy."
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Norman McCormick





Joined: 17 Jan 2007

Posts: 125

PostPosted: Sun 07 Oct, 2007 4:13 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hi Nick,
Couldn't agree more, there is something about taking an object that has been discarded for whatever reason and seeing something in it that nobody else has. Having said that I will buy something if I can't scavenge it but it is much better fun, I find, to try and use your imagination and rework a found object. Although the Dirk is essentially only my second knife I think I have now been bitten by the" Blade Building Bug" and intend to attempt some more. I have been designing some jigs to assist with some of the more difficult aspects of grinding and shaping but with the amatuer makers constraints in mind so if any of them "work satisfactorily" I will post photos as they might help others , like me, with minimum machines and facilities and a hobbyist budget. Nice to hear from a like minded enthusiast.
Regards,
Norman.
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Norman McCormick





Joined: 17 Jan 2007

Posts: 125

PostPosted: Wed 19 Dec, 2007 2:56 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hi,
Got hijacked by a friend of my son to make him this for sca?, I think that was the initials. Anyhow stainless blade, hard stuff to shape, and the rest made from found bits and bobs, turned out ok I hope. More for decor than rib sticking.!!!!!!
Regards,
Norman.


Last edited by Norman McCormick on Wed 19 Dec, 2007 3:10 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Jared Smith




Location: Tennessee
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Likes: 1 page

Spotlight topics: 3
Posts: 1,532

PostPosted: Wed 19 Dec, 2007 3:09 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Norman,
Nice job overall. I like walnut wood a lot, and the wood/stain combination you used has that look that I like. I'll bet the ribbed grip design feels good too.

Absence of evidence is not necessarily evidence of absence!
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Norman McCormick





Joined: 17 Jan 2007

Posts: 125

PostPosted: Thu 20 Dec, 2007 7:27 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Jared,
Thanks, the grip does feel pretty good now that you mention it, took a wee while as I don't have a lathe therefore had to cut it by hand with a round file but I think it turned out o.k.
Regards,
Norman.
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Adam Bodorics
Industry Professional




Joined: 15 Apr 2005

Posts: 132

PostPosted: Fri 21 Dec, 2007 11:32 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

-as I couldn't delete it now, I simply erased all, sorry-

Last edited by Adam Bodorics on Sat 22 Dec, 2007 12:17 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Anders Backlund




Location: Sweden
Joined: 24 Oct 2007

Posts: 629

PostPosted: Fri 21 Dec, 2007 11:42 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I hope this works...

Vårsnö, viking-ish single-edged shortsword:


Nymåne cutlass/hirschfenger-like thingy:
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin


myArmoury Admin

PostPosted: Fri 21 Dec, 2007 7:14 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

A reminder to all:

If you are a business or are selling items for sale to others, this topic is not the place for you. This topic, and this specific forum, is only for hobbyist makers to show their "homemade" items.

.:. Visit my Collection Gallery :: View my Reading List :: View my Wish List :: See Pages I Like :: Find me on Facebook .:.
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Dustin R. Reagan





Joined: 09 May 2006

Posts: 264

PostPosted: Thu 27 Dec, 2007 4:19 pm    Post subject: my first blades         Reply with quote

Here's a few seax-like blades i've been working on. They are handforged/heat-treated from 9260. They are all hand-finished using files and sand-paper (well, they weren't quite "finished" yet). The handle material is from a rocking chair someone was throwing away on my street that i rescued...i have no idea what sort of wood it is. None of them are finished...all in various stages of progress. Still working on carving the handles, as well.

What do you folks think? Any suggestions on how to change the shape(s) to be more historically accurate? Just looking for suggestions for my next batch of blades I forge...I know the construction isn't that accurate (mono-steel), but for now that's what I'm going to stick with until i get good enough at forge welding to do more accurate constructions such as iron/mild-steel body and high carbon blade, and/or mild steel / high carbon laminates.

Dustin.



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Jeroen Zuiderwijk
Industry Professional



Location: Netherlands
Joined: 11 Mar 2005

Spotlight topics: 2
Posts: 740

PostPosted: Thu 27 Dec, 2007 5:11 pm    Post subject: Re: my first blades         Reply with quote

Dustin R. Reagan wrote:
What do you folks think? Any suggestions on how to change the shape(s) to be more historically accurate? Just looking for suggestions for my next batch of blades I forge...I know the construction isn't that accurate (mono-steel), but for now that's what I'm going to stick with until i get good enough at forge welding to do more accurate constructions such as iron/mild-steel body and high carbon blade, and/or mild steel / high carbon laminates.

Looking pretty good Happy Concerning the blades, the middle one is a bit too straight. Most saxes have slighly curved edges, and also the tip frequently has a slight curve (like the lower one). For accuracy, ditch the metal bolster. I've so far not seen a single broken back style sax with metal bolsters/pommels. For the hilt, I'd recommend a simple oval cross-section, flush with the edge and back of the blade, and fairly long. And I recommend looking for some really nice pieces of wood (ash for simple or fruit woods like cherry, apple for a more fancy hilt), they'll make them look so much better Happy
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Jan H.





Joined: 12 Oct 2007

Posts: 14

PostPosted: Sat 26 Jan, 2008 9:17 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hello Everyone!

These are three objects I made already 2 years ago, but it was not possible for me to get my hands on a proper hammer and anvil again.
At the time I had finished school in Germany and worked for 2 months at Gransfors&Bruks AB in Sweden and quite enjoyed my time.
The head smith over there, Lars Enander, showed me how to make axes that were already used in that region during the viking age. I was quite surprised to see the very axes I made all the time in the Svenska Historiska Museet in Stockholm a bit later, only the pieces there were about 1100 years old. I made this axe and some others with an additional cutting edge from high-carbon steel welded into the body of the axe-head.

The two damast-knives are the embodyment of my dreams I had at the time. I would never had dreamed that I would manage to do this. The guys over there took me asside after work and were really fond of somebody they could give some knowledge on. So first they thaugt me the very simplest of forging techinics, went over to welding and finally damast. I was in heaven.
The bigger knive was inspired from seaxes, has a small plate from deer-antlers and a hilt from moor-oak.
The smaller one is more inspired from later ages and has a black cowhorn hilt, fixed with hemp-strings.

At the moment I am studying in Munich, but I would love to proceed in forging.

greetings to you lot,

Jan



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Stephan Hall




Location: Germany
Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Reading list: 1 book

Posts: 41

PostPosted: Fri 25 Apr, 2008 5:14 am    Post subject: stuff you made yourself         Reply with quote

After getting an email from Tamás Tölgyes a friend of Adam Bodoric where he told me adam created more stuff than his grotesque warhammer ,I came to the idea to open a topic where Amateurs could show us what they have created, for their own pleasure o as a present but NOT FOR SALE!! So there is my stuff enjoy !!!![/b]


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Some leather purses, unfortunatly leather on the two lower ones is not period. [ Download ]

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some spoons and knive grips ... [ Download ]
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