Making blades for woodworking tools - workshop

There has been a lot of recent interest on the forum in making blades for woodworking tools.

Quite a few threads have popped up on the subject recently and heat treating is something that many people are keen to do but do not have the knowledge or the equipment to confidently take on the task.

While I am no expert, I have quite a few successful heat treatments under my belt and have sufficient basic gear to do the job in my shed in Hoppers Crossing, Melbourne. I was taught by a bladesmith who makes a substantial part of his living making hunting knives. After some discussion with a few local forum members I have decided to run a small workshop session to introduce interested people to the art of heat treating blades. I already have some expressions of interest.

The purpose of this post is to allow members to express interest in attending such a workshop. I cannot give a date at this stage due to the COVID restrictions.

Once restrictions are lifted I will make a date to run the workshop. It will be a one-day program. I will need to work out all the finer details as things progress. While I will not be charging tuition fees, I may levy a small cost to cover cost of consumables like gas, abrasives, steel, electricity etc.

If you are interested, please reply to the thread and we can take it from there whenever we can.

Sounds good Doug,
Count me in.

Cheers Matt.

Me too.

Sounds great Doug!! Count me in as well please

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Originally Posted by Oldmeadow

Sounds great Doug!! Count me in as well please

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No worries, but I thought you would be too busy playing with all the new tools you have picked up in the marketplace. :rolleyes:

Would it be feasible to do a video link up to this? Or zoom or whatever it is?

I'd love to come too. Hope you have a big shed :oo:

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Originally Posted by riverbuilder

Would it be feasible to do a video link up to this? Or zoom or whatever it is?

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The biggest probelm with that is that a lot of the things you need to see do not really video too well. I think this is the reaso that despite watching a number of youtube videos on the subject I was still at a loss to understand until I saw it done by someone tho knew what they were doing in real life.

So much depends on the color of the glowing metal in the forge. Video cameras do not show that clearly. Also, the process is generally done in dim light so that the smith can see the colors in the forge. There's a program called "Forged In Fire" on Foxtel History Channel with reruns on SBS on demand. Some of the best baldesmiths in the US compete for a cash prize of $10000. They regularly make basic mistakes because the forge area is lit up as a film studio and they can't see the colors properly inside their forges when heat treating their blades. They also get stress fractures in their blades from forging at too low a temperature because they cannot see the colors properly. Here's a video by Walter Sorrels talking about it here Knifemaker's Friday Five #8: My Forged in Fire Experience - YouTube look at about six minutes in if you don't want to see the lot.

Doug

Your workshop is just what is needed. The only real problem I see is that it is about 1800Km too far south!!

It should be a must for anybody contemplating building their own planes or making their own chisels or indeed any other sharp object. I think you may have to limit the numbers, but of course the main bug bear is this Covid-19 thingy. I appreciate that a date still has to be set. If there is a way I could get there I would, but time and distance is against me.

Having said that, don't rule me out, but equally don't count me in either.

Regards
Paul

Me too.

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Originally Posted by Bushmiller

I think you may have to limit the numbers, but of course the main bug bear is this Covid-19 thingy.

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I have already been thinking about that, Paul.

There will be a limit on class size of course, for safety reasons. Flaming forge, hot steel and the inevitable oil fire are hazards which have to be managed.

In addition to limiting the size of the group, there will be dress requirements, safety briefing and anything else that is needed to give the best chance of a successful outcome.

I may consider running more than one workshop if there is sufficient interest.

Correct, I have been busy!

I've not touched anything except unwrapping over the past two weeks as I've been facilitating online school programs. Over a month before that, I spent days fettling tools and flattening the backs of blades and chisels etc.

Long term I want to learn blacksmithing and I have a list of things I'd like to forge.

Thanks for this offering!

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Originally Posted by doug3030

No worries, but I thought you would be too busy playing with all the new tools you have picked up in the marketplace. :rolleyes:

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Hi Doug,

How are you going with organising this workshop? Is it still being limited by the most dreaded of lurgi's? I'm definitely interested in learning about heat treatment.

Lyndon