Tigershark in Honey Micarta

[liontribe]

here is another Tigershark in W2 tool steel. this one is wearing raw honey micarta. this is my favorite model right now. i may even get to have one some day.

liontribe

 

[JShirley]

You have been busy.

How do you like W2 compared fo 1095 and 5160?

John

 

[liontribe]

W2 and 5160 are my favorites to work with. not really any one reason. when you work with certain steels for a long period you just start picking up on certain nuances. these two steels seem to respond better to my particular style. that doesn't really make any sense, unless you are goofy like me. one thing is that these are the two steels i have been working with since my teen years. i don't get surprises with them. never a heat treat problem. i sometimes get odd problems that creep up with some other carbon steels. nothing outrageous, just a bad warp or crack in heat treat for no apparent reason. W2 and 5160 are my rock to lean on. they never give me undo grief. long winded tonight. maybe that makes a little sense. and yes, i am crazy busy right now. it is looking like i won't have time to get a group together for Blade. i was really hoping to go this year. we'll see.

liontribe

 

[heron]

Nice design. the stripes on the blade go well with the eye-like pattern on the scales.

Certain to go the distance, too; that blade looks like you could take a car door off with it if you had to.

 

[JShirley]

Sam likes 'em, too. Unfortunately, we can't find any more "skinny' W2...

 

[liontribe]

i get most of mine from my pop. and i have no idea where he sourced it originally. he was a steel hoarder before it was trendy. he taught me the basics of forging when i was about 14 years old. i have been a steel monkey all my life.

liontribe

 

[JShirley]

So, are you forging or doing stock removal?

John

 

[liontribe]

i am doing a bit of both at the moment. 90% of my work is straight stock removal. but we have been getting back to some forge work. my pop and i made a little batch of rough blanks to build on. the first finished one is my Bull Mastiff. we just had the urge to hammer a bit of steel a while back. i have about a half dozen designs roughed out in 5160 and a few more in 1084 high carbon. it was a good time.

liontribe

 

[jbkebert]

Another great looking blade. Always look forward to seeing your work.