The Armour Archive

polarbearforge

I know that I've cut some scale like pieces in addition to the lamellar I've been laser cutting.

One thing that I don't offer, is forming. Maybe a forming die for pieces would be wanted?

Jamie

polarbearforge

I wouldn't say far more that what is needed to punch scales, but it will do most depending on setup. For example, a lamellar plate that is 3.825 long and .875 wide, with radiused corners and 12 holes that are 0.150 in diameter in 0.040 stainless steel requires 22 tons. Now if you do the same with al...

polarbearforge

Greetings! In Knives and Scabbards, there are a few blades that are dated from the late 1100's. They are very scramsax-ish. One of the blades is about 3 inches long and would be great for a belt knife / feast knife. Is that what you're looking for or did you have a specific design in mind? If you se...

polarbearforge

I've worked on a few parts that QA tested as bad. I held them in my hands for a few minutes, suddenly, they're good! I run a laser, have ran edm machines, mills and grinders. On a laser, +/- 0.001 is pretty tight. Wire edm can hold much tighter tolerances, down to ten thousands easily depending on m...

polarbearforge

Yes, hardened steel against hardened steel is bad. My favorite was when I was somebody hit a punch made from hardened (but not tempered) A-2. Fortunately nobody got hurt. I haven't tried bronze yet, but unless you're planning on striking thousands upon thousands , you should be fine. Try some of the...

polarbearforge

To answer your question Cet, the place I was going to buy the rod offers rod called A-2,O-1, and W-1 drill rod. If anybody has thoughts on which would be best, I'd be thankful. Kenric If your plan is to make them as authentic as possible, then none of the above. Use mild, no heat treat necessary. I...

polarbearforge

Nice looking blades, what wood did you handle them with? You should be able to some some supplier, even if they ship. Have you checked with machine shops? Coil springs are a good place to start. Some are 5160, many are not. I think there are almost a dozen different alloys used nowadays. Better to c...

polarbearforge

Depending on the quantity of coins you're planning on stamping and the material, you can use mild steel and no heat treatment. We've made and stamped quite a few coins out of pewter and silver. I've done a few in copper. Mild steel was used for all of them. The top of the top die get's mushroomed fr...

polarbearforge

The knuckly measurement is a pretty common guideline for anvil height. If you want numbers, I'm just over 6 foot tall and my anvil is 34" from floor to top.

Jamie

polarbearforge

Magnets are not the most accurate method of determining heat treat temperature. Steel turns non magnetic about 1414 deg F, also called the Curie Temperature. For 1095, you usually shoot for between 1475 and 1550. If you quench as soon as it becomes non magnetic, there isn't enough carbon in solution...

polarbearforge

1) While sanding the blade down it can get hot to touch, but does not get red hot obviously. Do I need to worry about the heat from sanding messing up the temper of the steel? Yes. You need to avoid the rainbow of colors that you get when steel gets hot. If you see anything darker than a bronze col...

polarbearforge

A lot of good information already, and I'll add a few more points. If you're planning on stock removal, are you wanting to use files or powered grinder? Either way, starting with known steel for stock removal is a good idea. There are many options. What do you want from this knife? Do you want non s...

polarbearforge

Thank you for the kind words Franchesca. Hopefully you'll post a picture when it's done? I had a chance to take a picture or two of plates. This plate is <A href="http://www.polarbearforge.com/lamellar/mild_crs_rectangle.jpg">20g cold rolled mild steel</a>. I have also added <A href="http://www.pola...

polarbearforge

Here is a sample of what I cut and sent this week. This one, an <A href="http://www.polarbearforge.com/lamellar/aluminum_tombstone_samples.jpg">aluminum tombstone</a> shows both sides. The top one is the back side and the bottom one is the front. In the top picture, the flash really illuminates the ...

polarbearforge

Jamie; you ever get the urge to make the entire catalogue of them? I did one of the folding ones, 309?, all work being low tech---no modern tools or abrasives and it is a great knife... Thomas The entire catalog? Nope, just the ones that strike me. I've made the folder as well. I used the first one...

polarbearforge

Yep, that's the book. I look through it quite often. There are quite a few knives out in the shop that are as close to reproductions as I can get.

If I can find it, I also have another book with baselards in it. It's about daggers only.

Jamie

polarbearforge

All the baselard examples that I've seen have been full tang. Some stock removal goes into refining the knife shade regardless.

Jamie

polarbearforge

Take a look at Cowgill's Knife and Scabbard from the Museum of London. There are a number of examples of knives from the 14th century. A good number of full tangs if you're so inclined.

I take it the 14" is the overall length not the blade length?

Jamie

polarbearforge

SyrTheo, thank you. I'll add that to my list. MacTavish, yes, I can change the hole size rather easily. The holes on the rectangular ones are .15, while the tombstone are .188 and .250. Artificial sinew has many uses, but I'm not sure this is the best. I've never tried it though, so it's just an opi...

polarbearforge

Robert, that's why I chose not to copy everything that was already there. I haven't even drawn those up. Truthfully, I used WMA as an example because he is on the board and people are familliar with him. If I ever do draw that style, I won't cut it from 20g stainless. If I end up cutting them from a...

polarbearforge

Without knowing the actual alloy, there's nothing that can be done. Even knowing the alloy, it's possible that nothing can be done. Many stainless alloys don't get very hard.

Jamie

polarbearforge

I require all before shipment. I'll plan on adding them to my queue and should cut them this week.

Jamie

polarbearforge

The plates pictured are 4.25 long and .875 wide. The holes are .150 diameter. I also have one modeled that is 3.825 long. The edges really aren't that sharp. I haven't come up with a good comparison for the edge. The edge left by shearing is much sharper than the edge on these plates. I can very saf...

polarbearforge

A friend of mine has a 20g shirt of lamellar, and his first comment about the aluminum was that they were a bit stiffer. My plans for testing the different plate, are to have shirts made and used and get feedback from there.

Jamie

polarbearforge

Yes, it will cut titanium. Based on what I'd heard about the price of titanium, I had not priced it out for plates.

Jamie

polarbearforge

Yep, mild steel plates will be the same price as the aluminum.

Jamie

polarbearforge

Mactavish: Yes, I can cut any of them from mild steel. Which do you prefer, 18 or 20 guage? I'll double check pricing tomorrow, but I think I can keep it on par with the aluminum for pricing. Primvs Pavlvs: Sure! Get me a sketch, a drawing, a link to a picture of a plate and I'll draw one up. Maelgw...

polarbearforge

Greetings all! At my last job, I started to make a die to punch out lamellar plates. I ended up switching jobs before finishing it and now operate and program a laser. Right now, the finer details are still being worked out, but I am planning on offer laser cut lamellar plates. I can process pretty ...

polarbearforge

I've seen a few knives that were construct san mai style. They had hardenable tool steel in the middle and a jacket of patter welded titanium on the outside.

Jamie

polarbearforge

I have a fairly good guess how that treadle is built. It's somewhat similar to the one I built years ago, but I like this version a bit better. I know a number of people who are heading to Boars Head next Saturday that are going to stop at this auction. It just occurred to me, wonder if they're goin...

polarbearforge

At best these pins, once cleaned, might be used to attach handle scales by pinning -- a technique datable to the nineteenth century and forward, btw. Um, try the mid 14th century. Knife # 63 in the London museum is the earliest example of this I know of for sure. There are quite a few in the centur...

polarbearforge

I use a stencil instead of a resist. It's an electrochemical reaction though. The stencil itself is like silk screen material. The damascus I etch doesn't have any resist. It's completely submerged. I use the bottles from Radio Shack as well, and that's what I dilute ~ 4:1. I know some makers that u...

polarbearforge

That seems weird. The silver we've struck before has always taken hits wonderfully. What condition was the silver? Annealed? How thick? We've used lead free solder before. Look for something that's 90% tin or more with no lead. Melt it down into sheets, roll it flat and punch (or cut) planchets. No ...

polarbearforge

Are you diluting the ferric chloride or using it full strength? I only use it diluted approximately 4:1 with water (distilled, rain, or well, never tap) for etching damascus. For etching my logo into blades (some of them are 1095) I use an electro chemical etch. Have you tried the salt water etch wi...

polarbearforge

Nice looking dies. I'm on the Northshield and the SCA moneyer's lists, though I don't post often. I've made a few dies, but have whomped on a lot more than I've made. For some reason, they tend to have the smith do the hammer swinging. If you're using a press, the dies can be heat treated, but I wou...

Re: file stock removal knives

Laser cut lamellar plates