# Guess who made the Local Paper



## chuck richards (Feb 1, 2010)

Well the local outdoor writer contacted me the other day and came out to do an interview. Turned into a full page article. They even have an online version. Here it is comlete with a short VID.

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20140209/LIFE/302090001/Salem-s-Chuck-Richards-finds-calling-forged-sharp-steel?nclick_check=1

Thought it would fit well in the DIY section.


----------



## Roblor1985 (Feb 7, 2013)

Grats! Are you giving free knives to all PT members in celebration?


----------



## jswift (Dec 24, 2012)

Nice write-up- Didn't realize that you made your own steel- Beautiful knives!


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Great write up, thanks for sharing.


----------



## Agney5 (Sep 28, 2013)

That is awesome Chuck! I also made my first knife in high school out of an old band saw blade believe it or not that was a short 7 years ago. That teacher was 70 and I was his last class it is a shame to see that program no longer is around. I still have it, it is ugly as sin and is rough in finish but will always be one of those things I hold on to. Your knives are a piece of art and it is not very often you see people appreciate quality craftsmanship anymore, good for you.


----------



## OHIOOutdoors2 (May 1, 2013)

Congrats! Your knives are very cool. I have a bunch of railroad steel I collected at my grandpas for scrap money. Maybe I will see if I can make a customer blade!


----------



## chuck richards (Feb 1, 2010)

Well First Thanks for the positive feedback.

Free Knives???? Let me think on that for a few seconds. NOT. Takes me about 15hours to make a damascus knife. I would never be able to get them done before I died.

I love to make my own damascus steel. Would not do it otherwise. I do buy new bar stock to layer up. Don't take it from iron sand (yet).

CS2 what kind of rr steel do you have. Tracks may or may not work, not enoigh carbon. Old springs work great. Some of them have a really unique grain structure. I would try one out and see if it will harden.. If you need some help getting things going let me know. I will help out as much as I can long distance. This goes for anyone on the forums.

Take care


----------



## OHIOOutdoors2 (May 1, 2013)

Just some odds and ends. I have plates, spikes, a few brake calipers that fell off the train. These where all shot off when they re-did the tracks so some are more rusted than others.


----------



## chuck richards (Feb 1, 2010)

plates and clips might be 1080 Great steel. Spikes do not have enough carbon though make for some great forge practice. Not sure about brake calipers. I used to work for the RR and have a collection myself.


----------



## OHIOOutdoors2 (May 1, 2013)

My grandpa has a lathe so I could turn the metal there. He gave me huge bolts. These are like the bolts that hold together the sky scrapers.


----------



## Guest (Feb 10, 2014)

Roblor1985 said:


> Grats! Are you giving free knives to all PT members in celebration?


Rules are rules! I second this rule!


----------



## chuck richards (Feb 1, 2010)

Roblor1985 said:


> Grats! Are you giving free knives to all PT members in celebration?





short204 said:


> Rules are rules! I second this rule!


Stay tuned, might be something coming down the road.


----------



## dwtrees (Mar 5, 2012)

An auction for one of your knifes??????????


----------



## chuck richards (Feb 1, 2010)

dwtrees said:


> An auction for one of your knifes??????????


We'll see. This forum has always been very welcoming. Just might do something to say thank you.


----------



## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Congrats on the article Chuck

We thank you for being a part of PT Chuck. I've looked this ( see below) thread over (Attu memorial ) a few times....fascinating stuff !
I don't recall seeing the finished, with scrimshaw, knife though. Do you have any pics ?

http://www.predatortalk.com/topic/13939-ww-ii-commemorative-knife-build-photo-intense/?hl=attu


----------



## chuck richards (Feb 1, 2010)

Yes I do. Here is the link to the project.

http://www.knifenetwork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45952&page=6

Here are some of the non pro pics.




























I made the blade. Andy Sharpe put it together.


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Outstanding craftsmanship.


----------



## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Sweet... It's nice to see a true craftsman.


----------



## Dialed_In (Jan 5, 2013)

You make beautiful blades! I hang out occasionally with a local Knife Maker (Gene Baskett). He does lock-backs, field and tactical knives. It's amazing what your guild can do with steel! And each maker has his own personal signature marks on his blades. I really like the scrimshaw on the picture above. Any more pictures of some of your other creations?


----------



## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Outstanding ! That knife found a deserving home with that hero, and he deserved it.


----------



## chuck richards (Feb 1, 2010)

Dialed_In said:


> You make beautiful blades! I hang out occasionally with a local Knife Maker (Gene Baskett). He does lock-backs, field and tactical knives. It's amazing what your guild can do with steel! And each maker has his own personal signature marks on his blades. I really like the scrimshaw on the picture above. Any more pictures of some of your other creations?


Thanks again all. Best place to see some other pics is on my website. www.woodchuckforge.com Have far too many to post here.

Decided what I was going to do for PT. The small blade I patterned in the article will be finished and I will have a giveaway. I will post another thread with all the details once the blade is finished. This is of course as long as the blade survives the Heat Treating. Have not lost one in a long time (many years) so I am not worried. If for some reason it does not I will substitute another blade.

Stay Tuned


----------



## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Wow ! That is very generous of you Chuck !


----------



## enderst (Oct 7, 2012)

awesome work


----------



## Rick Howard (Feb 25, 2012)

Well deserved. You obviously put in a tremendous amount of time and effort resulting in beautiful knives.


----------



## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

A very well done article for a very deserving knife maker, congratulations!


----------

