Thanks Lin. I suppose everything is trial and error in the end. Knife is looking great.

Great job Lin!! Thanks for posting!

You are quite correct about there being no shame in stopping forging to do a bit of grinding and then going back to forging. That's a good point to remember, for anyone attempting to forge small parts like your guard.

That's going to be a beautiful knife!!

Thanks guys.

Steve, I also will interrupt my forging to grind on a blade sometimes if it will insure that the end result is a success. I will sometimes let the rough blade cool to where I can tell where the material is by feel. Then I can think about where I can go from there.

I sometimes hear the notion that "the piece tells me what it wants to be". While its ok to take that approach, sometimes you have to work to a drawing or a particular pattern and you must be in control of the material instead of the other way around. In my view one can express one's art and imagination on the drawing pad. Then do what it takes to bring it to reality.

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I sometimes hear the notion that "the piece tells me what it wants to be". While its ok to take that approach, sometimes you have to work to a drawing or a particular pattern and you must be in control of the material instead of the other way around. In my view one can express one's art and imagination on the drawing pad. Then do what it takes to bring it to reality.

I used to always design as I progressed with a knife but you, Brion & Steve have shown me that designing with a pencil initially can add much to what you can do. Thanks.

Maybe forging a guard like this would be a good demo for a future hammer-in. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//wink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

I look forward to seeing this one completed.

Gary

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I used to always design as I progressed with a knife but you, Brion & Steve have shown me that designing with a pencil initially can add much to what you can do. Thanks.

I too used to design as I went until Tim Hancock told me that my knives had "a very organic look and feel", and while that wasn't a bad thing necessarily, he urged me to change the way I designed. I used to show my knives to friends, co-workers, hunting buddies, etc. to get feedback and non-knife aficionado opinions.

The funny thing was when I went to the other method, I went over completely. I drew everything to full scale and detail, right down to the file patterns on the liners and the spacers. I found myself spending a lot of time tweaking the drawings. I'd remove a 1/16 of an inch here, a slightly shallower curve there, etc. When I had two complete knives drawn, I set about making them and a third knife with the organic method simultaneously. When I was finished with all three, I showed them around to the usual group. The reactions were not what I really expected. Everyone, and I mean everyone, thought the two fully designed knives were a serious leap in my quality. I cannot explain it because all three knives had the same fit and finish. All three were roughly the same size and dimensions. There is something to this that should not be overlooked.

The only problem I have is forging true to the intended shape and size. I still wind up over-forging and grinding stuff to finished profile. That is what amazes me about seeing something like Lin's guard. I can never seem to get that close.

Joshua, Your experience bears out the truth about the importance of up front planning. You also point out, with compelling proof from others, that the tiny, otherwise imperceptible, details are what makes the difference. Changing the curve very slightly, lowering the tip 1/16, handle drop, etc.. While at the drawing stage you are able to not only make the changes but you can see the knife in a flat dimension getting the best possible view of its profile. Then by carefully reproducing the patterns to fit the drawing, and then religiously following your patterns, you will make the knife to look like the drawing but now it is in 3 dimension.

You mentioned the use of organic shapes and the feel and look of a piece that evokes the thought of organics. Some think that comes from forging and the flow of material and I suppose it does to some degree. But I believe that it comes from you yourself as the artist. I use organic lines in my work but I try to instill that in the planning stage and then re create it not only during the forging but the whole process.

Speaking of tiny details. Notice the guard appears to have a gradual curve that "gains" towards the ends where the balls are. Considering that the spacer is flat, the guard must have a flat area for it to sit on and that blends to curve just past the spacer. The goal is to keep it from looking jerky or having joints where the reflected light can give you away. (By the way, reflected light is a great tool if you will listen to it.)

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Speaking of tiny details. Notice the guard appears to have a gradual curve that "gains" towards the ends where the balls are. Considering that the spacer is flat, the guard must have a flat area for it to sit on and that blends to curve just past the spacer. The goal is to keep it from looking jerky or having joints where the reflected light can give you away. (By the way, reflected light is a great tool if you will listen to it.)

Thanks, Lin. That's exactly why I've been working to improve my forging skills. It forces one to be more accurate rather than saying, "That works." or "I like that.". <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//wink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

Gary

Thank you, this has been of great help to me. It's one thing to read up on how to forge a guard, but another thing to see a WIP like this. Brilliant, and thank you for taking the time to do it ... <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

Thanks guys.

A tip that I use to help me get from the drawing pad to the forge.

I use a Lexan or Plexiglas sheet to trace the blade (or handle). I lay it right over the drawing, which should show the tang's position in relation to the handle, and since the Plexi is clear, I can trace the blade exactly. I then cut that out and grind the edges as close as possible. Then, in turn, I lay that on some aluminum plate (from boat scraps)and trace it and cut that out. The aluminum pattern is then checked to the drawing to see that it is just right. I then stamp my name in it so it don't get away from me.

The aluminum pattern can withstand heat better than paper or plexi and I refer to it while I'm forging. I can get very accurate in my forging, including the tang length and position, when I have a pattern handy and while the steel is hot. I just make sure that the forged piece is slightly over sized and use the pattern to lay out the profile and grind that first. Then I can proceed with the grinding.

Thanks, Lin. That's a good tip on the acrylic sheet transfer. I've been gluing the paper pattern to the sheet stock which eliminates the original pattern.

Gary

Lin,that has class! Your outstanding talent really shows on that one!

Russell

Beautiful work Lin!! Thanks for posting this thread!

Verry nice job Line!

I like it!

Thank you for the "wip"

Lin, thank you and everyone else for contributing to this post.

I came across it because I have been interested on forging a spacer for the knife I am working with now.

Some questions, your spacer had ample material in the top and bottom to begin with, on the finish knife however, there appears to be only a small sliver of material on the bottom and top. Did you do this after the spacer was fitted to the blade? I'm afraid if I try to bring it down that close I might go all the way through.

Do you silver weld the spacer to the blade or to each other?

BTY my spacer will not be nearly as complex as yours.

Beautiful, beautiful, knife.