Well Norm,
The rivets were a bit of a chance find really, in my accumulated leatherwork stuff - including mum's gear, that she handed on to me last year.

She doesn't have the hand strength that working with leather requires, any more. Still does a sterling job on quite fancy patchwork quilts, though!

Practical completion

Blade now flame hardened and colour tempered. Heated to harden with oxy/LPG torch; tempered with hand held Primus propane torch, as this gives finer temp control, when tempering thin sections.

[Linked Image]

Tempered to around cold chisel/axe edge hardness, so that the final edge can be touched up with a fine file, rather than requiring stoning.

The only remaining finishing steps are full length grit blasting, etch priming and painting. Followed by final grinding and honing of the blade edge.

The actual 'build' is now complete.

Attachments
IMG_0982a.JPG (153.05 KB, 182 downloads)
Tempering colours
Cheers,
Gadge

"ODK Mods can explain it to you, but they can't understand it for you..."

"Crazy can be medicated, ignorance can be educated - but there is no cure for stupid..."