Rust and Grease: Forging plowshares into swords

I became interested in blacksmithing many years ago while I was actively working as a stone mason. Hammers and chisels need constant maintenance if you expect to cut and shape stone with the least effort put forth. Every few months we (fellow masons) would gather up our tools and drop them off at a blacksmith shop in South Philadelphia, known at the time for tending to stone mason tools.

As I grew in my trade through the years, I attempted to heat and temper my own chisels and hammers using the limited knowledge that I had. My results were mixed at best but in reality I had no clue what I was doing. It wasn't until I read all I could on the subject that my results started to change dramatically while experimenting with means and methods on my worn out tools and broken chisels that were laying around my shop.

Pictured below is my wood burning stove used to heating my shop doubling as a forge...

Years later when YouTube videos came into play, I found that blacksmiths from over the globe who were willing to share their hard earned trade secrets via videos. It didn’t take me long to learn the techniques of forging, shaping and tempering my tools with excellent results.

As my interest grew so did my skill level when I later became interested in making knives while watching the History channel TV show called 'Forged in Fire'. I don't claim to be a blacksmith by any stretch of the imagination, rather I see myself as a guy with a homemade forge and just enough knowledge to shape and harden ferrous steel.

That being said, here's what I managed to turn out to date. Most were fabricated using old files and and worn out chisels and chipping gun bits. The two shown below were made from old Farrier rasps.

This knife below started from an antique file that my father had buried in his tool box I inherited. It was in terrible shape which is when they should be turned into something else more useful. The antler was found on a walk through our mountain property over twenty years ago. I made this for my grandson's first knife that i'll gift to him one day.

Finished knife and sheath below

The knife below I made for my personal use. It started life as an old file also. The antler handle was from a upstate Pennsylvania buck that I harvested in the early 90's.