And no one mentioned he split his kindling with a hammer ….

I noticed that, thought ‘eh?’, then realised that he was being clever and using the tool inserted into the anvil that’s used for cutting heated steel for folding. Makes sense, really.

Was that a different insert to act as the blade bit?

Japanese swords use a different principle for the cutting edge. They’re folded steel, using several different steels, along with charcoal, like the Damascus knife, but when the blade is finished, wet clay is moulded along the blade, then carefully scraped off of the edge, then the blade is re-heated and quenched, making the cutting edge very hard, and leaving the rest of the blade flexible.
That edge has a pattern, called the Hamon, which is unique to each swordsmith.

countzero you should check out this chap http://owenbush.co.uk/ really nice stuff and some of the courses look really tempting. .. especially the damascus seax one

CountZero,

for shaping the handle you can use sandpaper cut into long thin strips and backed with two layers of duct tape. Its strong enough to use a ‘wire saw’ motion to shape curves into the handle and strong enough to stand some use. More satisfying than power tools too 😉

Clamp the blade in a soft vice then work on the handle as required with the strips. I did the scales on this one using that method

scales reprofiling by subZero rider, on Flickr

scales after polishing by subZero rider, on Flickr

Nice vid and pretty tools but to be much use an axe needs to be twice the wieght of that one. That one is only good for making kindling.

Andy, that’s a really neat tip! Pretty obvious, once you know, but I’d have never thought of it. Thank you very much. 😀
Daftvader, thanks for the link to the blade forging site, some really nice stuff on there. I particularly like the bearded axes, and the Viking sword is seriously tasty.
Hmmmm, tempted, very tempted…

No problem, always glad to see someone making stuff like this :-). I got loads of advice on British blades forum when I started making em.

other really important tip is WEAR A DUST MASK. Wood dust is really bad for you, do it outside if you can and make sure you wear a good quality dust mask. Ffp3 mask or better!

Outside is my only option! I have a shed, but it’s very small and cramped, I have to have the door open to use the vice!
Just waiting for some warm, dry weather…
Dust mask tip well taken, too, thanks. 😀
Oh, and pretty knife, too! What wood is that? It’s beautiful.

Cheers :-). Wood is spalted maple or beech I think, basically wood with fungus damage that causes the patterns. It’s also stabilised with resin so the wood is mostly immune to moisture and will polish up like a plastic.

Do a google image search for Arizona desert iron wood burl for some really nice wood!

Cheers, Andy, I’ll do that. I’m going to stick with the Yew for this knife, but Casstrom do this rather nice full tang forest knife blade blank for £30, which I’d like to have a go at, so something like your knife handle would look the mutts, I reckon…
http://www.casstrom.co.uk/epages/Casstrom-Outdoor.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/Casstrom-Outdoor/Products/33110
http://www.casstrom.co.uk/epages/Casstrom-Outdoor.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/Casstrom-Outdoor/Products/33101

Just had a look at a site that does desert ironwood burl scales for knife handles, for around $50, some really beautiful grained wood, and their buckeye burl scales are tasty, too:
http://shop.arizonaironwood.com/Buckeye-Burl-Scales_c21.htm

what this thread really lacks is a proper man beard…

or do all these latvians shave themselves with damascus axe blades? their arms as well…

probably do shave with fiendisly sharp, custom, hollow ground, damascus cutthroat razors. as for the arms… having done a little forge work you dont keep hair on your arms for very long!
countzero… caastrom stuff is really nice but i would phone them before you order anything and make sure its in stock, internet and real stock dont always tally! that said the customer service is really good. but i would really think about using that yew you have. once its shaped and polished yew can be stunning

wood and knife supply another really good and helpful chap. got some nice bits and pieces but will also stabalize wood/bone/horn.. i have some spalted silver birch which i want to get done…

edit… this really isnt helping as i now want a new blade to play with!!!

I just found this thread again and loved how wintery and relaxing the vids were so thought I would give its bump. I also REALLY want the knife. And the axe. Ok, and the chisel. Please Santa, please?!?!

Not my thing at all, but the axe video is brilliant. £146 seems a bargain!

does anyone know about tempering an axe edge? i have a lovely axe head that i got from a farmers market when i was about 16, i sharpened it on an angle grinder when i was stuck for a sharpening stone a few years back and now it loses its edge really quick so i dont use it any more. i’m hoping i can re-temper it and get it back into use. do i just get it cherry red and dip in oil?