Blade making is the pinnacle of blacksmithing skill. This campaign covers steel selection, forging techniques, heat treatment, grinding, and handle making.
Chapter 1: Steel Selection
Steel Type
Carbon Content
Hardness Potential
Toughness
Ease of Forging
Best For
1075
0.75%
Good (58-60 HRC)
Very good
Easy
Beginners, choppers
1084
0.84%
Very good (60-62 HRC)
Good
Easy
General purpose knives
1095
0.95%
Excellent (62-65 HRC)
Moderate
Moderate
Fine edges, razors
W2
0.95-1.1%
Excellent (63-66 HRC)
Good
Easy
Hamon line, fine knives
5160
0.60%
Good (57-60 HRC)
Excellent
Easy
Swords, large blades
O1
0.95%
Very good (60-63 HRC)
Good
Easy
Precision tools
Damascus (pattern welded)
Varies
Varies
Good
Difficult
Decorative, premium
Chapter 2: Forging Process
Step
Temperature
Color
Action
Tool
Drawing out
1,800-2,100°F
Bright orange to yellow
Lengthen and thin the steel
Hammer, anvil
Tapering
1,800-2,100°F
Bright orange to yellow
Create point/tip
Hammer, anvil
Beveling
1,600-1,900°F
Orange
Form cutting edge geometry
Hammer, anvil
Straightening
1,400-1,600°F
Dark orange to cherry
Correct warps and twists
Hammer, anvil
Tang forming
1,800-2,100°F
Bright orange
Shape handle attachment
Hammer, anvil
Normalizing
1,475°F (for 1084)
Cherry red
Refine grain structure
Air cool (3 cycles)
Forging a knife (basic): 1) Start with bar stock (1084 steel, 1/4 x 1.5 x 8 inches). 2) Heat to bright orange (1,900°F). 3) Draw out the tang: hammer one end to 1/2 inch wide, 3-4 inches long. 4) Shape the blade: taper from spine to edge (leave edge 1/16 inch thick, no thinner). 5) Form the point: hammer tip to desired profile. 6) Straighten: check for warps, correct at dark orange heat. 7) Normalize: heat to cherry red (1,475°F for 1084), air cool. Repeat 3 times. 8) This refines grain structure (makes steel tougher). 9) Profile grind: grind to final outline shape before heat treatment. 10) Leave edge thick (1/16 inch minimum before hardening).
Chapter 3: Heat Treatment
Stage
Temperature
Medium
Purpose
Result
Hardening (quench)
1,475°F (1084)
Warm oil (120-140°F)
Transform to martensite
Very hard, very brittle
Tempering
375-450°F
Oven
Reduce brittleness
Hard but tough
Stress relief
300°F
Oven (optional)
Remove residual stress
More stable blade
Hardening procedure: 1) Heat blade evenly to critical temperature (1,475°F for 1084, non-magnetic). 2) Test with magnet: steel becomes non-magnetic at critical temp. 3) Quench edge-first into warm oil (parks 50 or canola oil at 120-140°F). 4) Move blade through oil in slicing motion (not still). 5) Hold in oil until cool enough to handle. 6) Test: file should skate off hardened steel (glass-hard). 7) If file bites, steel did not harden (re-heat, re-quench). 8) IMMEDIATELY temper (do not leave as-quenched; blade will crack).
Tempering: 1) Place hardened blade in oven at 400°F (for 1084). 2) Hold for 2 hours. 3) Remove, air cool. 4) Repeat (two temper cycles minimum). 5) Result: 59-61 HRC (hard enough to hold edge, tough enough not to break). 6) Lower temp = harder but more brittle. 7) Higher temp = tougher but softer. 8) 400°F is a good general-purpose temper for 1084.
Chapter 4: Grinding and Finishing
Grind Type
Cross Section
Difficulty
Best For
Edge Character
Flat grind
Flat taper to edge
Moderate
General purpose
Good slicer, easy to sharpen
Hollow grind
Concave
Moderate
Razors, fine slicing
Very thin, keen edge
Convex grind
Convex curve
High
Choppers, axes
Strong, durable edge
Scandi grind
Single bevel, flat
Low
Bushcraft, woodworking
Easy to sharpen in field
Chisel grind
One side flat, one beveled
Low
Specialty (Japanese style)
Very sharp, one-sided
Chapter 5: Handle Making
Material
Durability
Grip
Weight
Cost
Appearance
Micarta
Excellent
Very good (textured)
Light
Moderate
Industrial/tactical
Stabilized wood
Very good
Good
Medium
Moderate-high
Beautiful, varied
G10
Excellent
Very good
Light
Low-moderate
Tactical
Bone/antler
Good
Moderate
Medium
Low (found)
Traditional
Hardwood (natural)
Good
Good
Medium
Very low
Traditional
Leather (stacked)
Good
Very good
Medium
Low
Classic
Paracord wrap
Moderate
Very good
Very light
Very low
Survival/tactical
Reference Card
Leave the edge thick before hardening (grinding a thin edge before heat treatment causes warping and cracking; leave 1/16 inch minimum). 2. Non-magnetic means critical temperature (when a magnet no longer sticks to the steel, you've reached hardening temperature; this is your most reliable indicator). 3. Temper immediately after quench (as-quenched steel is glass-hard and glass-brittle; it will crack if you wait; temper within minutes). 4. Two temper cycles minimum (the second temper catches any untempered martensite that formed during cooling from the first temper). 5. Normalize before hardening (three normalizing cycles refine grain structure; fine grain = tougher blade). 6. Oil quench for carbon steel (water quench is too fast for most carbon steels and causes cracking; use warm oil). 7. Grind after heat treatment (final grinding and sharpening happen after the blade is hardened and tempered; this is when you create the cutting edge). 8. The blade is in the heat treatment (a perfectly forged blade with bad heat treatment is a bad knife; heat treatment is the most critical step).
