18 Minutes of metalworking artistry

[DATo]

Forging a Bowie knife from a semi truck leaf spring. Mesmerizing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LwUYbXmS1w

[jr45acp]

I truly have an issue with safety in this. Hearing protection = Outstanding. The absence of eye protection makes me shudder and yes I have done a bit of blacksmithing over the years.

[Willy]

I just got around to watching this video and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The knife is a beauty and I can appreciate all of the hard work that went into it.
One question, near the end of the video at the 16:35 mark the knife maker is shown brushing a product onto the steel to finish and darken it. I really liked the finish that it left on the steel. The product appears to be a Dutch product (Bernax 540).

Does anyone know of an equivalent product available in North America that would leave a similar finish to what was achieved in the video?

[jdincau]

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-to...cals/index.htm

[Willy]

Thanks for the link. Yes I'm aware of the various cold blueing and blackening products available, I have some myself.
What I was after was more along the lines of the soft gray effect that the Bernax 540 left on the steel shown in the video.

[TMo]

It's a really well equipped shop, but he's got some really bad technique and safety habits.

[Hammeredsmith]

I’ve tried getting it sent to Australia with no luck however I started using black oxide which seems to be more or less the same thing with very similar outcomes and it can be diluted to get lighter shades I am still trying to find out exactly what the bernax active chemical is but black oxide seems to be available in most countries from local companies under a range of different names

[mattthemuppet]

I picked up a couple of old (1960s truck?) pickup leaf springs the other day that a neighbour was throwing out AND I live in San Antonio, down the road from the Alamo. I don't think I really have any choice other than to make a Bowie knife

[tlfamm]

I don't think I really have any choice other than to make a Bowie knife

A Brit in Texas talking about Bowie knives? And what accent is that I hear? No, this will not do ...

[mattthemuppet]

touche, sir, touche

[darryl]

I enjoyed that too. I found the surface grinder interesting, with the horizontal wheel-

[Jim Stewart]

A Brit in Texas talking about Bowie knives? And what accent is that I hear? No, this will not do ...

touche, sir, touche

A Brit in Texas speaking French? Is nothing sacred? Sacre Bleu!

-js

[Danl]

Nice workmanship there, no doubt. I certainly would have worn safety glasses, but that's just me.

I wondered about how he attached the halves of the guard together. Looked like 3 bolts through to the other half, which he'd threaded. However, he then cuts all three bolt head off at 9:22. Do you suppose that was a very tight fit, or that he spot welded the cutoff heads to keep the halves together?

Dan

[DATo]

Watched the video (which seemed vaguely familiar) and read all the posts before it occurred to me that I was the one who posted this video two years ago. I'm getting very old. This weekend I plan on hiding my own Easter eggs.

[Paul Alciatore]

That is a nice knife. Well made.

I have to ask, is a truck spring supposed to be a good alloy for this? Or was it just something that was available?

And, I thought that a Bowie knife had a brass strip on the back side so your opponent's blade would not glance off when you blocked his thrust. Or would that be all too true to the original intent of having a knife for knife fighting. Not politically correct in today's world.