My $10 Walmart forge (new video added)

[Cameroo]

So I've been wanting to try my hand at making some knives and found an old file that I should be able to get a couple shorter knives out of.  I decided to make a cheap attempt at a forge to use to anneal (soften) the carbon steel, and then later to heat and quench to harden it again.  I figured I'd video the process in case it turned out to be a humorous failure.  It actually worked out ok.

This was more or less just a chance to fool around with my camera and the Windows Movie Maker software.  It's my first video upload, so forgive me if it's not Spielberg quality   A few things I noticed after filming myself - a)I don't like listening to my own voice recorded, b) I sound like a pretty heavy mouth-breather, and c)I sure seem to say "Ummm" a lot! 

Anyway, here's a link to the video.  I'll maybe do some video of the knife making attempt too if anyone is interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NroW2kDPBCM

[Kpete]

Nice thought process.  Forced air made pretty sparks! uugh-FIRE!

[Rick Wallace]

That works!   I kept waiting for something to happen,,,,,,,,,,

[aznboi3644]

I've filled a charcoal starter (those tube things) up full of charcoal and it cooked with a metal grill over it.  Got so hot it sounded like a lil turbine engine and started to get the metal grill red hot and sagged cuz the metal was almost melting.

I'd try that out.

[Cameroo]

Thanks Kpete

Rick -Ya, the video is not that exciting. I wish I would have let the camera roll when I added more charcoal and lighter fluid with the air blowing - that was the most entertaining part of the process.  Next time I use it to heat treat I'll make sure I record that part.  There were some pretty good flames!   

Aznboi - I saw one of those at Walmart, but it wasn't quite big enough for what I needed.  When this thing melts down I might try one for smaller projects.

[Kpete]

Cameroo,
So you cut out the fun part?  I have often trimmed my eyebrows with lighter fluid and hot coals!

[aznboi3644]

Either way...its a primal instinct to love fire.  I think we all got a lil pyro in us.

[fishfinder401]

Either way...its a primal instinct to love fire.  I think we all got a lil pyro in us.

some more than others 

[Cameroo]

Well I have my first small knife roughed out and almost ready for heat treatment.  It's about 6 inches OAL with a 2 3/4" blade.  The hardest part so far is getting a nice even bevel  on the edge.  For my next one I think I'll round over the upper edge of the bevel and blend it in that way.

Since the first video was a let-down, next time I use the forge, I'll let the camera roll and show you guys the proper way to get charcoal burning 

(I've got more than a little pyro in me - I just about burned our farm yard down when I was 4 years old )

[ErictheViking]

That's a sweet little knife Cameroo, just another thing I want to try but have no time for.

[Rick Wallace]

very nice,,how do you get that grind? Or should i say what tool do you use?

[Cameroo]

I cut the profile with an angle grinder with a cut-off disk on it, cleaned up the shape a bit with a bench grinder, then to the belt/disk sander to square up the edges.  I started the bevel with that small file at the end of the video, but that was taking forever so I carefully used the belt sander to get it close, then back to the file to finish it up.  I was nervous about messing the bevel up on the belt sander, but it turned out ok.

[Rick Wallace]

Yea the bevel was what I was curious about.I use a belt sander to,im still learning the knife makin thing,,its just as addictive as bows!look forward to seeing it finished!

[Cameroo]

I had some time to kill tonight so I figured I'd do some more video editing.  This clip is just me playing with lighter fluid to light up some charcoal, and heat treating and quenching the blade I'm working on.  I had to do it twice since I don't think I got full hardness the first time (insert joke here  ).  The second time around was in the evening, I figured it might look better in the dark.  You can see when the air is turned on how much hotter the fire burns. 

In my haste to make the video, I neglected to drill the holes for the pins in the handle, thinking I'd just soften the handle portion later by heating it with a torch and then letting it air cool.  I think that even by allowing it to air cool, it still cools too fast to fully anneal the steel, since my drill bit didn't make it past half-way through the first hole.  Note to self - drill before hardening.

Anyway, here it is (music by Tool  )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jazgJBS5E4c

[fishfinder401]

it says it is private and wont let me see it?