[Peter Messent]

Howdy folks,

Sorry if this is in the wrong place, I wasn't sure if this set would suitably fall under 'arms'.

These are both old files, pretty sure W2 steel - I prefer working with simpler steels, but W2 does make a good knife. I had a small triangular file already which I used for the pricker, so all I had to do was draw out the tang a bit and make the point pointier; the knife was forged from a small flat file and ground to clean it up. The set isn't really based on a specific historical piece; just an interpretation. The blade is a bit seaxier than most eating knives I've seen, just because that is my personal preference for such. I did intend to sand everything smooth and give it a satin finish after the heat treatment, but my rustic self (and my I felt it suited the oak) led me to leave some forge finish and some of the scale on. I really have to work on that!

The knife is a bit softer than I usually make knives; I'd estimate in the range the low 50s on the rockwell scale. The pricker was hardened only so that the finish would match the knife and then it was softened again. The bolsters are both made from soft soapstone, which I thought should be durable enough for an eating knife. I left the knife handle a little chunkier than usual, as it is suitable for use as a utility knife as well.



I haven't made any leather for this yet, struggling a bit for inspiration - I'll figure it out, though!

Pete

[Bjorn Hagstrom]

Beautiful. That pricker has a nice awl-like shape. That would look great not only as an eating set, but in a sail-makers bag as well!

What kind of wood have you used for the handle?

[Radovan Geist]

I really like their simple & elegant lines. is the tang pinned at the end of the handle?

[Peter Messent]

Thanks Bjorn! The shape was inspired somewhat by an awl and somewhat by a stiletto I used to have - the triangular cross section is, to me, much more beautiful than a simple round one would have been - and as you suggest, quite functional! The handles are oak with soapstone bolsters.

Thanks Radovan! The tang does not go all the way through on either - I admit that it would probably be preferable, but I wanted the simple aesthetics of having a completely hidden tang.

I just got off a night shift but when my energy is back I'll be looking for inspiration for clothes for these again!

[Peter Anderson]

Oh these are lovely! Great simple shape on the eating knife, I like that little bit of saxiness. The triangular pricker is slick too. The handles look great too.

I've thought about using old files as knife stock, but I don't have any that are so far gone that I'd sacrifice them yet.

How's the cross-section on the knife?

[Peter Messent]

Thank you Peter! Tell you the truth, I don't go out of my way to us a file for a knife - a good file (older ones are better, a lot of cheap modern ones are case-hardened) makes a great knife, but W2 is always such a pig to work on the grinder. Maybe it's not and it's just me and my admittedly wimpy grinder, but it seems much more grinder-resistant to me than 1095, O1 etc, which I guess would make sense given its content anyway.

The cross section is very thin, but it does come to a pretty robust edge - I didn't want it to get dull as soon as it touched a dinner plate, but I didn't want it hardened so much that it scored the dinner plate for breaking, either So the edge is more robust than I normally like on a knife, but I think well suited for an eating knife. Steak will tell

[Mark Moore]

Those are just fabulous, Peter! FWIW---If you are ever scavenging for steel to make blades, I've made DOZENS out of old chainsaw bars. The steel is good--flexible to a degree, hard as hell, and pretty durable. I make them from stock-removal, and as long as I don't overheat them while grinding, I don't even bother with heat-treat. Unless, that is, to draw down a tang a bit for flex. As for 'clothes' for your set, I suggest you just match it up with your fave sword. A simple leather double compartment job would be period authentic.......but a little Medieval 'bling-bling' would dress it out for showoff purposes. Once again....great work! I could see me carvin' and pokin' a slab of roasted meat with that!! ...and a beer. ........McM

[Peter Messent]

[Mark Moore]

Peter, the 'bar' I refer to is the flat blade of the saw that the cutting chain rotates around. Many of these bars are 3-layered and riveted together. These will not work. The bars I use are solid, one piece,machine milled 'billet' bars. There is a groove milled into the bar that the chain fits into. This must be cut or ground off, leaving a flat, solid blade of steel ready to be ground into shape and edged. The steel is VERY hard, and I go through several angle grinder wheels to get it done. But, I like the results and so do many satisfied owners of blades I've made this way. ....Hope that cleared up things for you. .........McM

[Peter Messent]

Thanks for the clarification Mark, if I come across any I'll give it a shot