Heat treating some 440c stainless steel blades, and one spring for a slipjoint folding knife.

From bottom up: Two foil packets ready to go into the kiln, in the kiln for timed soaking @ 1975 F, cooling with heat colors showing, the completed set! Some of these are finished, photos OTW...

Here are some new photos of ironwork at a Guemes Island home- a small part of a remarkable garden!

Leo ponders the frog

Frog

Contentment

You can't see in the daylight, but the area to be bent has been heated to cherry red (13-1400F) with an oxy/propane torch. It's remarkable how flexible it gets, even as it loses the color- at 900F it still bends nicely once it's been heated.

Lily pad

In order to suit a bronze frog made by my neighbor, remarkable sculptor Leo Osborne, this lily pad needs to be cut to shape, and the edges nicely turned up. Here, a press has been adapted to a small steel work table-ready to go!

Folders

Busy week, working indoors because of the snow. Five new knives ready for sanding and polishing.
Bottom left, a small Flipper- 440c blade, stainless fittings, Cocobolo handle.
Top center, a "Cypress" pattern (these are all named after islands near my home), 440c blade, stainless fittings, Bubinga handle.
Center, Eliza pattern, San Mai blade (this is a three layer sandwich, tough 15n20 nickel bearing steel on the outside, high carbon 1084 for the cutting edge), Cocobolo handle.
Bottom center, Cypress pattern, SanMai blade, Cocobolo handle.
On the upper right is a Saltwater Boatman's knife- the blade is high carbon stainless that will be polished for ultimate corrosion resistance,  all stainless fittings and silicon bronze handle.

Meanwhile back at the ranch....

Snow and pussy willows

Railing

Decorative railing surround

Rail