"Anything With A Blade..."

When we arrived at last month’s blacksmith meeting, the forge looked a wee bit different.  I’d never seen a pot set on it before!  We were going to see something new this time.

The challenge issued last month for the “make and take” was ‘anything with a blade’.  There were some very interesting pieces.

This one is made out of a piece of wire cable. 

Isn’t the blade wild??  The maker said it is basically a show piece as the cheap metal in the wire doesn’t hold an edge.  Even so, I still think it’s great.

This “old man” knife made me smile. 

A multipurpose tool!  LOL

Quite a practical looking piece.  You could cut some serious steaks with that.

A twisted handle (not made of cable).

This hacksaw is incredible.  And it does have a blade! 

These utensils are period piece reproductions that were done by the guest demonstrator. 

He showed how to set a blade into a handle.

He had everyone’s full attention.

By now, the pot’s contents were boiling.

It was babbitt … a metal alloy for casting.  I think he said this one was tin and lead.

The molten babbitt was poured into a collar around the blade and handle.

Once it set up, that blade was there to stay!  He used the hacksaw to trim the excess and with a bit of filing it was smooth.  Unfortunately my recently charged camera battery tanked out on me, so I didn’t get a photo of the finished knife.  L