Search found 203 matches

by Mike Blue
Sun Sep 25, 2022 11:44 am
Forum: Spyderco General Discussion
Topic: Straight Razor from Spyderco
Replies: 464
Views: 46541

Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco

Okay. The pandemic caught everyone in its web, I understand.
by Mike Blue
Wed May 25, 2022 2:25 pm
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: Knife Making Suggestions
Replies: 14
Views: 1309

Re: Knife Making Suggestions

Bob Engnath's shop catalog if you can find it. It is the best introduction to knifemaking. He passed away in 1998. Bob was unashamedly 50% of the Knifemakers Guild all by himself until he died. David Boye's Step by Step Knifemaking is good too. Might be in the library. Wayne Goddard has a lot of goo...
by Mike Blue
Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:02 pm
Forum: Spyderco General Discussion
Topic: Straight Razor from Spyderco
Replies: 464
Views: 46541

Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco

Lovely.
by Mike Blue
Mon Mar 01, 2021 4:47 pm
Forum: Spyderco General Discussion
Topic: health effects of sharpening
Replies: 44
Views: 4682

Re: health effects of sharpening

I'll add that industry has Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) available for every chemical that humans can find themselves exposed to. They are not hard to find. https://www.msdsonline.com
by Mike Blue
Wed Jan 06, 2021 2:57 pm
Forum: Spyderco General Discussion
Topic: Straight Razor from Spyderco
Replies: 464
Views: 46541

Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco

Yeah. Sorry 'bout that. The whole project is on hold until we can get back together. Mike and I discussed this and we think we'd like to make the first piece out or Banite. (He twisted my arm :p ). Mike and Ed are working on a heat treating system that we can use to stop at banite in heat treat. We...
by Mike Blue
Mon Jan 04, 2021 4:08 pm
Forum: Spyderco General Discussion
Topic: Mr. AT Barr passes
Replies: 16
Views: 1506

Re: Mr. AT Barr passes

That's somber news. My condolences to his family as well.
by Mike Blue
Wed Dec 02, 2020 3:48 pm
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: PM4 rivet former
Replies: 2
Views: 861

Re: PM4 rivet former

I've read many specification sheets for steels that contain the word "unforgeable." As has been noted, you have to get it hot and use forging tools to get it close to a final shape for the customer. Powdered metals also need to be pressed to close the gaps between the powder grains, in the...
by Mike Blue
Mon Nov 30, 2020 2:03 pm
Forum: Spyderco General Discussion
Topic: What is it that sets a good knife apart from a great one?
Replies: 34
Views: 3195

Re: What is it that sets a good knife apart from a great one?

All the factors previously mentioned figure into a checklist I think I use intuitively at this point in life.

The knife has to feel good in my hand with my eyes closed. If I pick it up to feel it, it's passed the checklist.

Any knife with a story wins.
by Mike Blue
Fri Nov 06, 2020 5:22 pm
Forum: Spyderco General Discussion
Topic: More 52100?
Replies: 37
Views: 3168

Re: More 52100?

And heat treated to Bainite. That pretty much puts 52100 at the top of the list.
by Mike Blue
Fri Oct 30, 2020 4:34 pm
Forum: Spyderco General Discussion
Topic: Is H1 work hardening a myth?
Replies: 63
Views: 12431

Re: Is H1 work hardening a myth?

Work hardening is no myth and bronze is a well known material for work hardening. It's fascinating to me that iron could often be a component that was used as a flux during bronze or copper smelting and that the two types of material overlapped in history. Good link Wartstein!
by Mike Blue
Fri Oct 30, 2020 2:23 pm
Forum: Spyderco General Discussion
Topic: Is H1 work hardening a myth?
Replies: 63
Views: 12431

Re: Is H1 work hardening a myth?

....This brings up an interesting question- does forging improve a metal through work hardening? I suppose the answer should be yes, but in the context of knifemaking the next step is heat treatment so I suppose the heat treatment goes beyond the point of the forging and the end result is the same ...
by Mike Blue
Wed Oct 14, 2020 4:51 pm
Forum: Spyderco General Discussion
Topic: A Spyder With A "Sintered" Blade?
Replies: 6
Views: 854

Re: A Spyder With A "Sintered" Blade?

Pokey, you’re correct. Powder metals are much finer, with less porosity, essentially it’s the same process.
by Mike Blue
Mon Sep 21, 2020 1:28 am
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: Jeweler's Loupes & Magnifying devices?
Replies: 45
Views: 6083

Re: Jeweler's Loupes & Magnifying devices?

I found these and several others on Amazon; https://www.amazon.com/Dental-Power-Bin ... 225&sr=8-3

Pretty close to what you want marketed as Dental visors. Not bad prices really. I'd wear them.
by Mike Blue
Sat Sep 19, 2020 10:33 pm
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: Jeweler's Loupes & Magnifying devices?
Replies: 45
Views: 6083

Re: Jeweler's Loupes & Magnifying devices?

I'm a bladesmith at heart but I pay the rent working in healthcare. The above link is a reasonable copy of the double lens headset but at a considerable savings in cost. If it has medical/dental tagged to it the price is automatically 10-15x higher. I keep a pair in the shop for working on folding b...
by Mike Blue
Sat Sep 19, 2020 6:44 pm
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: Jeweler's Loupes & Magnifying devices?
Replies: 45
Views: 6083

Re: Jeweler's Loupes & Magnifying devices?

I have multiple options to use in the shop. This set gets the most use. They are comfortable, interchangeable lenses for different magnifications and have a light built in. https://www.amazon.com/Beileshi-Magnifier-Professional-Interchangeable-Magnifying/dp/B00KAU5FSC/ref=sr_1_48?dchild=1&keywor...
by Mike Blue
Mon Sep 14, 2020 1:27 pm
Forum: Spyderco General Discussion
Topic: Z-Cut blade discoloration
Replies: 15
Views: 2591

Re: Z-Cut blade discoloration

First, you're right handed, or you were cutting corn right handed. These are oxidation colors/patina but boiling water for corn should not be enough to cause steel to lose hardness. Increased heat may make this process more active than room temperature. Possibly something in the water as a chemical ...
by Mike Blue
Sat Sep 05, 2020 8:20 pm
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: "Torture Test" cringe videos = childhood nostalgia for Millennial
Replies: 4
Views: 814

Re: "Torture Test" cringe videos = childhood nostalgia for Millennial

Yeah, a good blast from the past always brings a tear to my eye: https://youtu.be/1s0dRcdyizU
by Mike Blue
Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:15 am
Forum: Spyderco General Discussion
Topic: VG-10 or S30V first knife steel?
Replies: 22
Views: 1908

Re: VG-10 or S30V first knife steel?

I like Twain quotes no matter the context. Thanks wrdwright.
by Mike Blue
Wed Sep 02, 2020 2:22 pm
Forum: Spyderco General Discussion
Topic: VG-10 or S30V first knife steel?
Replies: 22
Views: 1908

Re: VG-10 or S30V first knife steel?

Is it not fair to say that knife makers are an opportunist bunch? In searching for that grail blade steel (or just value-judged one), they’ve tried any number of recipes, even ones where the resulting steels first found a role outside the world of knife making? Maybe just call them human beings? On...
by Mike Blue
Tue Sep 01, 2020 12:00 pm
Forum: Off-Topic
Topic: Advice for new knife designers
Replies: 15
Views: 1419

Re: Advice for new knife designers

The Tower of London excavation was a complete surprise when I first learned of it. It settles, in one piece of evidence, the argument about originality of knife design. But there are other museums that help that too. The other three books (you ordered), I consider the basic starting set for anyone w...