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My new "Wrench"

It is. I was kinda hoping the 'wrench' part of it would be a real socket type with teeth that would fit a lawn mower spark plug or something like that, but it's round and smooth on the inside. I'm guessing that's for the little pinky finger to hold onto with... :0)
 
It is. I was kinda hoping the 'wrench' part of it would be a real socket type with teeth that would fit a lawn mower spark plug or something like that, but it's round and smooth on the inside. I'm guessing that's for the little pinky finger to hold onto with... :0)
Looks like a crescent wrench handle
 
It is. I was kinda hoping the 'wrench' part of it would be a real socket type with teeth that would fit a lawn mower spark plug or something like that, but it's round and smooth on the inside. I'm guessing that's for the little pinky finger to hold onto with... :0)

If you have a wrench you want converted to a knife, I can do that. However, be aware that the heat required to forge the blade section will change the hardness/temper of the wrench end and will make it more brittle. May be able to draw that end out with a torch to make it a bit safer to use, but it would be a guess job.
Plus you really don't want a sharp knife blade on the other end of a torque/lever type tool if you actually plan to use it. Just asking for serious injury. If it's a chromed wrench, not interested, because burning of the chrome for forging work is both hazardous and contaminates the forge itself.
Also will not work with a ratchet type wrench because it will ruin the internal spring and latch mechanism.
 
If you have a wrench you want converted to a knife, I can do that. However, be aware that the heat required to forge the blade section will change the hardness/temper of the wrench end and will make it more brittle. May be able to draw that end out with a torch to make it a bit safer to use, but it would be a guess job.
Plus you really don't want a sharp knife blade on the other end of a torque/lever type tool if you actually plan to use it. Just asking for serious injury. If it's a chromed wrench, not interested, because burning of the chrome for forging work is both hazardous and contaminates the forge itself.
Also will not work with a ratchet type wrench because it will ruin the internal spring and latch mechanism.
Actually more information and use of an oddity like this I was looking for. A simple forged 6-12 point spark plug end would have been nice....not worried about the dangers of using a 'knife' handle for the other end of a wrench. I know how to flip it over so the sharp side isn't what I'm pushing... It's a cool knife concept from a well-renowned blade maker in a nontraditional form. I call that kind of stuff 'quasiquidity.'
 
In no way did I mean to imply you wouldn't be responsible and act safely, I do not know you and I apologize if that's the case. Just that I have made knives for some real knuckleheads over the years and this is a public forum.
The chrome issue is real - heavy metal airbourne gas can be lethal and the residual that contaminates the forge takes a long time to dissipate - not an over night thing.

Got any idea what year Kabar came up with the idea? It's very unlikely that the knife was actually a repurposed wrench. Kabar was known for quality blades and would have used blade quality steel which normally has higher carbon content than most tool steels. To my knowledge Kabar did not make wrenches.
Not saying that a quality wrench cannot be repurposed. They are usually a different alloy mix as well as heat-treated differently to provide a tool that is tougher and not as brittle. Thermal cycling plays a big part.

I enjoy working with recyclable steels and do quite a bit of experimenting and testing - you'd be surprised how many popular brand name tools are less than desirable as suitable blade material. I think the first "wrench" knife I forged was back in the early 70's and I was still learning a lot about thermal cycling steels. Never called it a serious knife, just a novelty, but it worked well for butchering smaller farm animals - rabbits, goats, fowl. So it was a "working" knife. I'm sure it could have been done better.

On another note: Love your avatar - My first car was a '51 DeSoto, miss that old tank. At $125, it got me through college just fine.

Just for grins, here are a couple of "Adjustable Wrench Knives" I forged from pipe wrench jaws - yes, the blades are hard and hold an edge pretty well, but are still what I call novelty.

wrench 2.jpg
 
In no way did I mean to imply you wouldn't be responsible and act safely, I do not know you and I apologize if that's the case. Just that I have made knives for some real knuckleheads over the years and this is a public forum.
The chrome issue is real - heavy metal airbourne gas can be lethal and the residual that contaminates the forge takes a long time to dissipate - not an over night thing.

Got any idea what year Kabar came up with the idea? It's very unlikely that the knife was actually a repurposed wrench. Kabar was known for quality blades and would have used blade quality steel which normally has higher carbon content than most tool steels. To my knowledge Kabar did not make wrenches.
Not saying that a quality wrench cannot be repurposed. They are usually a different alloy mix as well as heat-treated differently to provide a tool that is tougher and not as brittle. Thermal cycling plays a big part.

I enjoy working with recyclable steels and do quite a bit of experimenting and testing - you'd be surprised how many popular brand name tools are less than desirable as suitable blade material. I think the first "wrench" knife I forged was back in the early 70's and I was still learning a lot about thermal cycling steels. Never called it a serious knife, just a novelty, but it worked well for butchering smaller farm animals - rabbits, goats, fowl. So it was a "working" knife. I'm sure it could have been done better.

On another note: Love your avatar - My first car was a '51 DeSoto, miss that old tank. At $125, it got me through college just fine.

Just for grins, here are a couple of "Adjustable Wrench Knives" I forged from pipe wrench jaws - yes, the blades are hard and hold an edge pretty well, but are still what I call novelty.

View attachment 3353386
KaBar did it because it's cool...novel idea.
 
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