New goal: Making my own knife blades.

[stickthrower]

I have been buying knife blades and making the handles.  I am getting to the point where I really want to start trying to make my own blades for my knives.  I guess the natural progression. 

My question is do I need to have a forge, or is this something that I can work on with out one for now.  I have been doing alot of looking online about making my own blades.  I know where I can get the metal for it, but If I get bar stock, I am going to have to have something to heat the metal. 

I don't have alot of space now for having a forge and things like that.  Frankly, I am thinking this is going to have to go on the back burner for awhile, but was just kind of hoping someone would have a suggestion or idea.

Thanks

Nathan

[JW_Halverson]

Several people in here have cobbled together forges from crazy stuff like cast off hibachi grills, bricks, and used nothing but a hair dryer for the "bellows".  Maybe some of them will post links to their posts showing their ingenuity.

A forge is anything that will hold the fuel while an air source force-feeds oxygen to get a really hot burn going.  I've seen African forges that were nothing but a hole in the ground stuffed with burning charcoal and three guys with blowpipes huffing their lungs out!

[jonathan creason]

Are you wanting to forge blades, or do stock reduction?  Either way you'll need some easy to harden the blade when you're done, so some type of forge will be necessary.  Do a search here in the campfire and you'll see several ideas, and if you'd like I can shoot you some links on Monday ( only have my phone this weekend).

[bryan irwin]

Look up forge and you can get some ideas on how to make a forge for about 20 bucks from pluming pipe and a paint can.   
                 

[stickthrower]

Thanks all!

I had done some looking last night when I was up with a sick child.  Did lots of reading.  saw one person that used a double kitchen sink and a shop vac set to blow.  It was pretty interesting.  Will have to probably wait until the basement is done so that I have the room in the garage to try to set something up.

Nathan

[JW_Halverson]

Yeah, don't use Mama's kitchen sink!

[madcrow]

I used to use the coil type burner on the kitchen stove along with a propane torch to get the metal to 1500 degrees.  A coffee can forge with work for small blades.

[Jimbob]

I was toying with the idea before I got into knapping.  I had a campfire going and had a railroad spike handy and decided to expiriment with it.  So I grabbed my channel locks and put the spike in the middle of the coals and fanned the fire with my ball cap and in a few minutes time it was glowing that light orange yellow.  I imagine that it would have taken less time if I had used a hair dryer or even just a piece of cardboard to fan with, just somthing that will move more air than a ball cap.