So, after the catastrophe that was the Kukri Monster, I dug out a daintier leaf spring that I had lying around and decided to give it another go.  This time I'm building a kindjal.

Here is the leaf spring I started with.  Can you guess what I had originally planned for it?


And here it is straightened and pointified with the handle roughed out


I must say, working on 1/4" steel is much easier than working on the foot thick Kukri Monster.  Sorry about the odd picture format, I'm still figuring out photobucket.

Masiakasaurus wrote on Apr 3^rd, 2013 at 11:05pm:


Blade's just a touch over 12".  Handle's 5.25" and it's almost 1.75" wide.
Kindjals and qamas aren't just from Russia, but that whole Eastern Europe/Caucasus area, even getting into parts of the middle east, such as Iran.  I'm a bit of a Middle-East-o-phile (anybody know the actual word for this? Like Anglophile or Hispanophile?), and I've wanted one of these ever since an Armenian tried to sell me one in Israel.  That and you know how you look at a piece of wood or metal and you know exactly what it's meant to be? That.

I plan on sharpening only one side (and a false edge near the tip on the reverse) to retain some utility.  I have some half-baked notion of using this as a "bush sword," like an overly sturdy machete. We'll see how that goes

Bill Skinner wrote on Apr 4^th, 2013 at 10:29pm:


Yes. The leaf spring's off a trailer so it isn't very big. That's just the hole that leaf springs have in their centers. Do you see any problems arising from it?

Nice,mini gladius USE OIL ONLY FOR QUENCHING Also look for the edge to be cherry red,the rest will be about orange (edge cools quickly as you take it out)
Quench it vertically,otherwise it can kink,because of the uneven cooling in oil.
Try to heat it uniform as possible,if one side is not so hot,move it in the forge. Heat to orange ,then take it out and just watch the edge run down to cherry,then dip immediately vertically in oil. Tempering oil or used motor oil,should work,probably not so good.
After the quench,put it back in the forge,burn down oil,just until it burns down. Don't heat it too much ~200 C max.,then take it out,drop on the ground,(not concrete) soil,or dry sand,then let it cool slowly.
When it's cool,check with a file.If it barely sharpens it,almost slides on it,it's good.
That's all i know,you may want to read up further..

Topic added to the Pw's index.
TC, you may want to fill the hole by welding it with C40 steel. You could also repair your kukri in the same way 
Greetings,
Mauro.

Mauro Fiorentini wrote on Apr 8^th, 2013 at 9:13pm:


How do you mean exactly? Are you talking oxy welding or stick?

Or you could clean out that hole, countersink it and peen rivet in a bit of brass rod for some extra bling...A little spot of gold.


Mick

squirrelslinger wrote on Apr 11^th, 2013 at 6:56pm:


If it was done by a pro, I could see it looking really good.  Maybe it could be carved into a flower or something (interesting how swords often have relatively effeminate decorations, yet nobody says anything).  I doubt my ability to pull off that particular feat however.

Updatewise, I've quenched the blade, no sign of cracks, and am waiting on the oven to heat up for tempering.