# First Bowie Knife



## PeterTheWolf (Jun 1, 2015)

Hello,

Really just a “new-be” to this Craft. It is joy to see the Master Craftsmen/women with this skill and read all that is offered here.

My process for this blade is as such:

This is a blade forged in a gas forge at 1700-1800 degrees F. of 5160 steel (should of forge at a temp of 1800-1900 deg. F.)

Once forged to size, I then did three thermal cycles to normalize the steel with:

Bringing the blade up to 1600 degrees (in gas forge) and then pulled it to let it cool in ambient still air.

Then I annealed the blade to bring it to its softest state by:

1.) With blade (Wrapped in Stainless Steel Envelope with a piece of paper) in heat-treat oven, bring it up to 1525 degrees.

2.) Hold it at 1525 degrees for 10 minutes.

3.) Open the heat-treat oven door and cool as fast as possible to 1245 degrees.

4.) Close the heat-treat oven door and then hold at 1245 degrees for 6 hours.

5.) Then shut the heat-treat oven off and let it cool to ambient temperature … about 10-12 hours.

6.) This leaves the blade so very soft with no carbon scale.

Then grind/holes/sand to about 220 grit, leaving the cutting edge about .025”-.030” thick.

Then I heat-treat the blade at such:

1.) Bring the blade in a gas forge up to 1550-1570 degrees.

2.) Pull and cooled as fast as possible in Transmission fluid at 165 degrees with a plunge/lift/plunge/lift motion (in oil) until it is cool to about 500 degrees. I have purchased 7-9 sec. quench since.

3.) Pull from fluid and air cooled to ambient temperature.

Then I tempered the blade at 300 degrees F. for 90 minutes, Which should have left the blade at about 60 HRc. However, for this steel ... I should have used 450 degrees F.

However, it ended up at about 61.5-63 HRc.






Then I applied my differential Heat-Treat to the spine by placing the blade in a trough of cold water so the cutting edge was cover by at least 3/8-1/2” and used an oxy-acetylene torch to heat the spine and handle up to just blue.

This gave me my hardness shown in the picture.

From this point on was the finishing process…. And here are the final pictures. Many flaws with this blade but it is sharp and will shave hair and paper well.

Much was learned on this first blade .... Handle is a Hawaiian Birdseye Burl Wood, sanded to 1000 grit and finished with Tung Oil. The handle finish was OK; however, I would bet many here could enlighten me how to finish this type of wood for a much better finish.

Reactions: Like 4 | Way Cool 11


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## manbuckwal (Jun 2, 2015)

Looks like you are well on your way to a new addiction, I mean hobby . Nice overall shape and form .


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## Nature Man (Jun 2, 2015)

Awesome looking knife! Really a showpiece. Chuck


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## ironman123 (Jun 2, 2015)

Very nice Bowie. Bet Jim would be proud to have it too.


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## GeauxGameCalls (Jun 2, 2015)

Wow I want one!


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