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Re-use. Re-Cycle<br />
FROM A MOTORCYCLE CHAIN TO A COLLECTABLE KNIFE<br />
It’s the right thing to do...<br />
OK chaps and chappettes!<br />
Now here is an unusual feature and you might ask why its<br />
in this here quality motorcycle magazine?<br />
Well that’s easy.<br />
Usually your old motorcycle chain will end up in the scrap<br />
yard fetching like a few cents to the hard earned rands that<br />
you paid for it. Here’s an innovative idea that Knifemaker<br />
extraordinary Michael von Brandis came up with.<br />
Bikes are a very personal thing. Why not put the chains to<br />
good use for a lifetime momento of the great times.<br />
We like - no we LOVE the idea - so we grabbed an old chain<br />
from our garage and headed to his forge and spent time<br />
learning about knife making.<br />
Burning out the O rings and residue.<br />
FEATURE<br />
Now. And lets cover this right away.<br />
These knives are not your usual run of the mill variety that<br />
you’ll find at your local flea market. Each piece is bespoke<br />
and unique and takes approximately 20 hours to manufacture.<br />
The tools and skills required for this craft are really<br />
specialized.<br />
It is an art - perhaps even, a dying art and we were amazed<br />
at the patience and time taken to craft this blade. In our opinion<br />
- worth every penny.<br />
So we’ll run you through the process. It was really fascinating<br />
to watch and learn about.<br />
• Clean the old chain. Sound easy? Well. The cleaning<br />
took the bulk of the time. To start with a forge is lit and<br />
the chain is left to braai on the flames. The idea is to<br />
burn out all of the little X-Rings and O-Rings and gunk<br />
used in the art of producing something as high tech as a<br />
motorcycle chain. Heat, Bash, Brush. Heat, Bash brush<br />
its a process that requires much patience.<br />
• Cut the links to length. Mike cuts the chain into sections<br />
of the correct workable length required. Then<br />
he piles five sections together and Tac welds the bits<br />
together as tightly as possible. And then its cleaned<br />
again... with a wire brush Mike welds a handle onto<br />
the block...<br />
• Start Baking. The welded chain is dipped into a<br />
solution of water and Borax. Borax is acidic and it<br />
acts as a flux to help weld the metals together. When<br />
the block is red - it comes out, borax is sprinkled into<br />
every nook and cranny - and it goes back in again.<br />
Out, clean, borax added, back into the forge. AND<br />
THEN.... guess what? In and out and clean, about -<br />
no lies 20 times.
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