Forging rovers

Rover steel knives are being crafted in conjunction with the artist-in-residence program at the museum this year––a tool for adventure made from a vehicle for adventure! Series spring steel has not changed spec since the first in 1948 and replacements today are even made with the same composition. The works in progress below are made from reclaimed steel by heating in a charcoal forge and hand hammering to shape on a block anvil. They will be mounted using traditional materials and techniques generally reserved for Japanese swords.

Poppy is currently earning her keep hauling hundreds of lbs of blacksmithing and knifemaking tools to and from the museum forge for Saturday knifemaking demonstrations.
1965 Series 2a Land Rover front axle leaf springs, well beyond their useful life on a vehicle.
Lighting the charcoal sword smith style knifemaking forge.
The hand powered fuigo (box bellows) provide air to the fire to heat the steel.
1965 Series 2a Land Rover leaf springs disassembled with hammer and chisel in preparation for forging.
Plenty of corrosion and loss between leaves so some clean up preparation is helpful.
Hand forging 1965 Series Land Rover leaf springs into a knife blade.
The forge is fueled by charcoal and air is provided by hand powered fuigo box bellows.
After several hours forging the blade will be within a mm or so of finished dimensions by hammer work alone.
Some minimal hand filing is required to clean up the profile and adjust the edge geometry.
Applying the clay in preparation for yaki-ire, quenching and hardening the edge.
Drying the clay in preparation for yaki-ire (hardening the blade).
A successful hardening leaves the edge as hard as a cold chisel and the body of the blade at full toughness.
Forming a pommel cap from reclaimed sheet steel used for the vintage Angolan plate cover.
Heating some reclaimed copper scrap in the forge provides a few moments of bright blue flame.
Turning electrical bus plate copper into a guard by hammer work and tang-shaped punches.
Texturing the outside rim of a copper tsuba (handguard) using a small hammer.
Filing some reclaimed lighthouse bronze for a handguard.
Bronze guard shown with vintage lighthouse glass reflector frame it was made from.
Traditional togi-dai (sword polishing platform) for finishing and sharpening blades.
Waterstones from Japan, used for polishing antique and classical style swords.
Carving a handle profile with a small kiridashi knife forged from a file.
Using a kanna (handplane) to rough shape the outside of a handle carved from magnolia.
Using a nomi (chisel) to carve and adjust a tsuka (handle) block shape.