An attempt to make a crook, or spoon knife, from an old coil spring. #GaryHuston #Blacksmithing #Farrier #ASMR #Horseshoeing #Fabrication #Ironwork #Hoofcare #welder #repairs #horse #farriery #engineering
Not knowing what spring steel you have there, but most of them don't like to be quenched in water at all...Might have been the reason for the cracks appearing. Nice little project though!
I think the reason for the cracks was that I should have made another one rather than re-forge re-harden and re-temper one I have already forged hardened and tempered! It was fine the first time round!
I think Harry has the idea... Green wood is the way for spoons. Excellent video as always, and I'm always learning from your posts! Thank you for sharing your knowledge... you have a great way of showing your technique while keeping the show down to earth and entertaining. Thanks!
just want to say thanks mate you have no idea how helpfull your vids are to blokes who have no idea on how to do this stuff. have been pottering with blacksmithing for about a year now and the longer i'm doing it the more i realize how much i don't know so thanks again maybe one day i can pass on some of the things you have shown me to some one else/ thanks
One aspect that makes crook knives (at least the native american style) work really efficiently is (probably the reason they're called crook knives since many of them have straight blades) the handle generally attaches to the blade at an angle so if you do a draw cut in a reverse grip, you dont have to twist your wrist to get the blade perpendicular to your piece which would make the straight bladed ones essentially a one handed draw knife (and bracing the thumb against a depression in the end of the handle gives leverage). Then a blade that is straight for the first few inches then curves tighter and tighter toward the tip will give you your spoon carving tip while still being allowed to use the base as a draw knife.
I love watching your vids, Gary. Proper craftsman. Having the bevel on the outside means the blade scoops the wood out, inside bevel makes the blade dig in to the wood., just like a wood chisel works.
I started out forging my blades out of leaf and coil springs. 15-20% of them would have a very small hairline crack or two in the edge that would only show up after they were acid etched (my final step). At the blade show in Atlanta Georgia in the late 90s I talked to some professional blade smiths. One of them told me that happened because the used springs probably had metal fatigue from being used so long and to just buy the type of steel I used in bar stock. I started to buy 5160 from Admiral steel and never had that problem again. My blades started looking better and more uniform also because of standard size. Sorry for the long post, I didn't want to sound like a smart ass and just say "it's because of used springs".
You want a spoon carving knive convex on the outside (with a small flat graund bevel) to easily follow the cut. and you want it concave on the inside for easy sharpening. the one you made is jsut the other way around. It might have started out flat on both sides, but bending it puts a little belly (convex) on the inside and a slight hollow (concave) on the outside.
Well done again Gary! Polishing...... can you show how you polish and your methods please. I've tried but my finish is not looking as mirrored as yours!! Thanks again for a fab video.
It can be used in the right hand by cutting away whilst holding the wood with your left hand, I've been mine this way and it works great for me. Good video :).
I was wondering if you were left handed as you made it. I made two out of straight razors and they came out great! They are super sharp! I barbed my tangs and epoxied them into hand made persimmon handles. Thanks for sharing.
after forming the blade bring up to non magnetic and allow it to cool to below black heat do this atleast twice ..this will normalize the metal and help prevent cracking..also quinch in oil..old motor oil is fine ..i use alot of coil springs for tools and this is what ive found works the best to help prevent breakage...the make grand pritchel punches for horse shoeing as well...love your work keep up the vids!
Thanks for another great video. I like the way you just turn the camera on and say "right I`m going to make this", even if you haven`t`made it before. The first few knives I made out of coil spring all developed hairline cracks. Not sure if l over worked it- only have a small gas forge. Anyway had better results with oil.
kommt da noch ein griff aus holz dran, oder wird er angeschmiedet? den griff aus holz könnte ich machen :-) ( hartmuth vogler meine dia show , you tube) gruss aus thüringen
That blade is not to big, it is definately sharp, but the edge should be on a non curved surface -not like bending a normal knife but like bending a knive with the edge on the flat side. ya
I was screaming at my iPad noooo make it a longer handle being an epileptic wood worker who is not allowed to use power tools so there's no way I could use a forge I would never have a chance to make my own I think yours is sooo much better than any that you could buy Your design is so much more Fuchinal I so can't spell today but I hope you no what I mean it would be perfect with a little longer handle to keep the blade alittle longer away from my Bobby for safety I so need one of these do you make these to sell them is so how much would you charge and I'm right handed
Here is something to think about when blacksmithing, welding or working with anything that requires high heat. Only wear gloves that are made out of leather. Never wear gloves that have any synthetic materials like nylon or have wrist bands. Synthetics can melt and stick to your skin causing nasty burns and the the bands prevent rapid removal of the gloves if they get to hot . If the leather gloves get to hot they can be shaken or thrown off.
Im not a black smith but i wish i could start learning! Anybody know any good tips for starting out? Also it seems that a lot of blacksmiths use the term "wingin it" I kinda like it haha cause everybodys "wingin it" these days. haha
+Donovan Jost I have no idea how to make it, I just buy it by the bag! The only benefit over coal is it is more controllable, it goes out when you turn off the air but is not quite as hot as coal.
garyhuston Not sure if this is what lex huismans meant, but I'd be interested in stuff like case hardening, what grades of steel can and can't be hardened, stuff like that, along with the uses for various colours when tempering (I have books on that latter, but many won't). This of course is if/when you have time and so forth :)
lex huismans I have just uploaded a video for you but I may take it down as I really am not happy with it. I know nothing about heat treating but the very basic technique I have used for the last thirty odd years. I heat treat so infrequently that one method is all I need. It is a mysterious art, there are so many variables of materials, sizes, shapes uses to be considered it would take years to understand them all. If my basic method doesn't work for you, you're best bet is to Google your specific needs..
What a complete amateur both with the video and at blacksmithing! This video shows how not to do it; by his own admission he knows nothing about what he is demonstrating.
Damn you talk way too much about nothing man and you did overheat your steel and you use warm oil to quench not water that's why it cracked. You should practice first before making a video so you would know what your doing and not make so many mistakes.
Gary Huston All I was saying is keep your comments to a minimum don't ramble on so much. Run a check piece before going in front of the camera so you can get past common mistakes when you first design and build a piece. If you've been smithing for awhile you should be aware of burning your steel, once burnt can't be used again it's a piece of junk. Only heat your metal until it loses its magnetism limit but not white hot! You can use just about any oil for quenching but it's best to heat it up considerably before the final quench. Just heat a piece of steel and place in your oil to bring its temp up 30 or 40 degrees. This will help in lessening thermal shock. Please don't stop making videos on my account as I'm not worth a shit at smithing. There are folks here that enjoy your work..I was just trying to help. My wife says i come off as an asshole, I think she's right. Sorry if I hurt your feelings. Didn't mean to.
I've only been at it about forty years! If I did a test first then it wouldn't be a one off would it! If you have watch any number of my videos you will see I have an oil quench tank. I just like to experiment with things.
Gary Huston If you've been smithing for 40 years then you would have known not to quench high carbon steel heated to white hot into cold water wouldn't you. Plus Gary you said this was your first and last video that too was a bag of rubbishy wasn't it.
There are many types of carbon steel and some are water quenched, I have data sheets for a few different ones so I thought i would take a punt. As for it being my last video I never said that, I said it was my first and last crook knife. You really should listen to your wife!
