Moving onto the next step in my new knife making adventure is prepping to anneal the steel. To keep everything simple and basic I will explain it without any real in depth lingo haha.
So annealing is the process of heating and cooling that will leave the steel softer, and easier to work. This is done through heating it very hot and then letting it cool slowly over time. If it cools to quickly you can be in the same place that you started, with hard steel.
So today I worked through a gift that i have received. I met someone that let me come and pick up a full barrel of wood ash from their fire place!!!
This may not sound like much, but it is a big deal. For me first off...it is free, and it is what I am used to using. So this will act as an insulator to keep the steel warm as it cools down. I am hoping to leave the hot pieces in this ash for a day or two. I'm not big into rushing a process...and I have tried to work hard steel before haha.
So my videos documenting this journey is not for someone that wants to know the complicated details, but more for the would be creator. The person that wants to try to make a knife and just needs some times. The person that wants to try blacksmithing and may be looking for some times and options.
I look forward to sharing more with you all as I continue toward making some brand new custom blades! Stay tuned because I believe that next up will be cutting and heating the steel to start the annealing process!
Be well
~The Yeti
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