I'm in the process of making a W2 camp knife with a homon line I used the heat treat app and it says to use a brine to quench but further research has shown me that parks 50 is a better option so would you recommend spending the money and getting parks 50 or will a brine work for quenching ..read more

Well, I am working on my second blade made from pops silver steel/Werkstoff 1.2210. I really like this stuff and am wondering if there is a more affordable equivalent I can get.  ..read more

Ok, I bought a 20$ ring-making starter kit on Amazon last month after taking a copper jewelry class...and I want to start making some rings...but I can't hold it in my little vise and dont want to shell out for a specialty vise i figure I can eather make the design in the photo here along with the drifts I would need (which would be fun to do but take a lot longer)...or weld a tab of mild steel to the end of it so I can lock it in the vise... I am not sure which route I should go because I am not sure what the mandrel is made of it could be mild steel, or it could be Stainless...and I dont hav ..read more

I'm looking for a list of this year's ABS two week into class and can't find a list or in the case of SOFA, can't find a way to register for the class. Any accurate links would be greatly appreciated ..read more

Does anybody have experience with 26c3? I'm wanting to try to make a chef knife with a hamon and was wondering if it will take. I've heard some steels will not achieve a hamon very well and it will look weird or kinda muddy. Will this steel produce a good hamon? I know heat treat plays a big factor in it. Just curious about this ..read more

When you just wanna cry.     https://i.ibb.co/h8F5WLT/Careless-Blade1.jpg https://i.ibb.co/27kr0Rr/Careless-Blade2.jpg   This individual stuck this knife in his hunting pack, then forgot about it for over a year!  When he asked if I could "fix" it, I told him as far as the knife goes... not without a complete tear down, regrind/refinish the blade, and a complete rebuild, and that it IS NOT covered under warranty.   And as far as him leaving it in his pack,  No! I can't fix STOOPID!        It's soaking in WD40 right now, and I intend ..read more

Has anyone had luck joining belts that are separating at the seam?  I’m using new, but old (dry stored for ~12 years) Norton and 3M belts; 3/3 have or are separating at the seam.  I tried to glue the tape joint with rubber cement but that failed quickly. I have 2 clamped up with a silicone based product called E6000 or something such as that. Any help is appreciated!  Thanks in advance, Jason ..read more

This is only blade #8. It is 8670 with ironwood scales. I would appreciate some feedback if at all possible. Thanks!  IMG_20240325_1235079672.jpg ..read more

Hi I am new to ABS and have been bladesmithing for a couple of years. This is an amazing craft filled with some amazing people. I would love to learn as much as I can and hopefully be able to do this full time. I have a lot to learn and hopefully I can give out some advice as well. I have always loved knives and I used to collect them when I was a kid. I decided that I wanted to start making them. My wife is very supportive of this and she is a big reason I keep going. My kids love to draw knives for me to make and they keep telling me that they want to make knives when they get older. I am 10 ..read more

Good Morning and hello from England, I am a hobby knifemaker and have made about a dozen knives most through stock removal, I like carbon steels and the flexibility and versatility that it offers regarding heat treatment. I also like patina on a blade made from carbon steel and so far have had one attempt at a hamon which, despite several mistakes turned out OK in the end. I have a simple forge and have recently made a couple of forged knives, which I believe is the essence of the craft. Being a welder and fabricator by trade, have an interest of metallurgy in general and the dynamics of a mul ..read more