My next project was to be a small cleaver from an old hoof rasp. I got started by grinding off the teeth and starting peening it out to make it thinner and wider, then had to quit. I had Carpal Tunnel surgery and still am not back up to swinging the hammer enough. Not to mention, who wants to light a forge when it's 108 out?
But now I want to make a better Neck Knife. I love my home made neck knife but it's too heavy and bugs me to wear while I'm working so I want to make a smaller, lighter one. They are cool, but generally thought of as weapons. It's a friction fit in the sheath and hanging upside down over a thong around the neck, very handy when you're working.
The only thing I've made from store bought tool steel is a few woodworking plane blades. I have some antique hand planes that I wanted to use that were missing blades plus I made a few wooden planes that of course needed them. I'll have to dig those up. Oh and a carving tool. I needed a small gouge I couldn't find so I took a bit of old auto spring, the round kind, and made me one in the forge.
The old man next door has been slowly picking through his scrap metal piles because they are trying to move and he just hates to see me coming. So far I've talked him out of a couple old saw blades and another of those round car springs. He will NOT part with any of his 4+ bits of railroad iron though. Dang. Sure would make a nice small anvil.
As you can see, I'm focused more on hammer and anvil work than grinding and cutting and heating alone, but knife making is a lot of fun. I look forward to seeing more pictures!
Speaking of which, I'm ashamed of the way these look, but here's my first two sorry little knives.
They do cut very well, though.