The making of a
Shull Handforged knife starts with a piece of Hi-carbon tool steel,
heated to a glowing red and slowly hammering the steel into the shape of
desired blade. Each heat will be at a slightly lower heat until the
finishing heat is a dull red barely visible in low light. The rough
hammered blade is brought up to a non-magnetic heat and left to cool in
still air until it reaches room temperature. This normalizes the steel
and helps relieve stresses put into it by the hammering process. The
blade is again brought to a non-magnetic heat and slow cooled in wood
ashes or vermiculite. This process is repeated 1 to 3 times depending
on the steel. This is needed to further refine the grain and to soften
the steel for working.
Before hardening the blade, file and sand the bevels in the blade to 220 grit, leaving the cutting edge about the thickness of a nickel to prevent warpage and carbon loss when hardening the blade.
After hardening 1 to 3 times depending on the steel used, the blade is put on a belt grinder for a fine convex edge then hand sanded to a 600-800 grit finish. All my blades are tempered 3 times for 2 hours each time at 350-450 F depending on steel type.A handle is then fitted with epoxy and brass pins. A heavy leather sheath is then made and wet fitted for each knife. This is the process in it’s simplest form and can be upgraded as wanted by the individual.