A couple of my blades

[scherm]

The first one was a quickie project to see what I could do in 1 day.  The blade (6 7/8") is hand forged down from 1050 round stock and clay hardened and triple tempered.  The Handle is wrapped in Hemp cord (actually feels real nice in the hand).  Knife is a little over 11" overall

The Second is:
 
 Blade:  7 1/2" Triple quenched, triple tempered 5160
Guard:  Coin Edged 100 year old Wrought Iron
Handle:  4 3/4" Afzalia Burl with water buffalo spacer and mosiac pins

[Joel]

Lord, you do great work Sherm.!!! Not mention take really good pictures.  The second one is really beautiful; not only the knife, but the sheath also.  Never tried that  wood yet, but I just did get some fine Amboyna, that I can't seem to figure out what it put it on.  Nice contrast between the wood/spacer/hilt.    It's that first blade, though, that really speaks to me.....the design sings.  I can just see myself flayin' somethin'large and hairy with it.. Keep the pics coming, please.

[scherm]

Thanks Joel,  I've had some real good mentors.  The second Knife is only my 10th finished project.  
The Afzalia works up real nice, Amboyna makes a real nice handle also.  I haven't worked with it yet but I have seen several fine examples from from other makers.

[Karl B. Andersen]

You could have at least mentioned our names!

[Joel]

Heh, I was kinda wonderin'about that.  You're lucky; I had to learn on my own.......was a long time before I could build a knife like yours.

[scherm]

You could have at least mentioned our names!

You're right.  :wink:

Thanks to Karl Anderson (kbaknife) and Jerry Rados, I have been able to advance on the learning curve quite a bit.  I'm eternally in thier debt for thier mentorship!

[Will52100]

Verry nice work!  The top one is my favorite, I can picture taking it through the woods with me and using it hard.

[Karl B. Andersen]

Hey, Will! Nice web site.
I saw one of your major influences is Ed Fowler. Goddard is one of his heros. I went out this past summer to Willow Bow and took his "Seminar of the High Performance Blade". I like the stuff on your site and you and I would get along just great!
52100 makes an awesome blade and you're lucky to have access to the big material. Our seminar this summer was focused on 5160 and I've managed to locate quite a supply of 1" square bar stock.  It was a special one-time mill run for a special order that then got revised and the customer did not need it.
It's obvious you understand how forging from large stock down to finished dimension can result in a really tough blade!
Anyway, I'll trade you! (keeping in mind value difference, of course!)  I could really appreciate some 1" 52100.
Anyway, working with Sherm has been a real pleasure. It's not even that I'm any more capable than him, just been at it longer.
He put on one hell of a hammer in this summer at his place. He really needs to be congratulated for forwarding the reputation of the forged blade. (Wife's a pretty good cook, too!)
Ya'll keep up the great work!
Karl B. Andersen