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THE RACK FORGE SHOPS...
Moving a knife shop 600 miles North is no easy task. In saying that it's taking me close to 6 months to get comfortable in working in one bigger shop. My NC shop is 34' x 24' complete with a 16' x 10' office. Inside this office I have my leather shop.
I have the "dirty" operations segragated with a wall. The clean area is on the opposite wall. In the middle of the shop I have my saws, drill presses and milling machine.
I built a coal forge with a side draft hood and started learning some blacksmithing from the local Brasstown Blacksmiths. Legendary blacksmith, Johnny Keirbow, has been coming over and "playing" in the coal forge every now and then.
My forging/grinding area consists of:
25lb Little Giant
Al Pendry Gas Forge
Side Draft Coal Forge
Bader III Grinder
Uncle Al Integral Ginder
B&G Horizontal Grinder
2 - 9" Flat Grinders
Baldor Buffer
16" Drill Press
100 lb. Hay Budden Anvil
165 lb. Old World Anvil
Tempering Oven
3 Chop Saws
Delta Bench Jointer
Acetyline Torch
Low Temp Salt Pot
Mutiple Vices
50 lb. Fisher Anvil
Other Equipment:
Syncrowave 2000 TIG Welder
Mill & Drill Machine
12" Drill Press
12 Gauge Shotgun
Etching Machine
Band Saw
Artisian Toro 3000 Sewing Machine
Wood Stove & Fireplace
100 watt Powered Speaker for LOUD music
THE BLADES I FORGE...
Most all of the knives I forge are from 52100 ball bearing steel in which I feel makes a great blade due to the great edge retention the metal exhibits. The 52100 steel I forge has been forged down from a 3/4" to 5" round bar to a working thickness. I utilize my hammer and anvil plus my Little Giant to forge the blades to shape. I forge everything into the blade including; the taper from the spine to the edge and the ricasso to the point. The tang and choil are forged as well. Some makers grind these attributes into the blade. I feel forging them in, develops a superior blade. I vertically flat grind my blades and use a chiseled edge or a Moran/convex edge for the final sharpened edge.
On occasion, I also stock remove blades. My Rack Stubby Skinner and the Rack Bay Filet, and the RPK models are a few that are stock removal. In this case, I utilize ATS34 stainless steel and sub
out to an outside heat-treating source in which I usually cryogenically heat-treat as well for that extra Rockwell point! The RPK Models are O1 high carbon steel and I do all of the heat-treating myself.
The Forging Shop has:
HEAT TREATING THE BLADES...
After rough grinding to 120 grit, the blade is at a point where it is ready for heat-treatment. I thermal cycle the blade several times with my torch or forge, then the blade is quenched in good ol H2O or quenching oil depending on the metal type, thickness and size.
The blade is differentially heat-treated where the edge and point is hard, the spine area, and behind the ricasso is tough, but not completely hardened. The blades are then tempered one to three times between 350 to 500 degrees (depends on the metal type again) to toughen them up to a perfect working hardness. All the finished blades end up around the 57-59 Rockwell range.
THE RACK FORGE TEST
The tests I put each blade through are semi typical of the ABS Journeyman or Master test. I first test the edge for proper hardness by pushing the blade edge over a ¼" round brass rod. If the edge is properly heat-treated, the edge will give but rebound to its original position. This test reflects if the edge is too hard or too soft. The bigger blades, I then cut 1-2 two by fours boards in half. At this point, the blade has been subjected to more force then most people would put a knife through. (At least I hope!)
I finish the testing by checking the edge if it cuts paper or cuts arm hair. Most of the time the blade would have a temporary handle on it giving me the option to correct any problems to the blade as needed! For smaller blades, I edge test then I cut into the two by four, but not in half. If all is well, the guard and handle go on.
FINISHING THE KNIFE
I hand make the guard to fit, silver solder it, properly secure the handle material, grind the handle & guard to shape, make the kydex or leather sheath, check the sharpness, wax the knife, and finally ship it! Sounds easy, but there is more then meets the eye to making a good knife that is intended to last a lifetime or more!