What knife did I make you buddy? That was a folder I believe? Post a picture of that?
Any old iron?
- Thread starter Pattree
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While agreeing with you - it’s a bit late for the handle! (I have made them before.)
Some time ago one of my daughters bought me a lump of Kingwood. I had no idea what it was but just knew it was very dense and beautifully if subtly grained. I’d already started to shape a handle before I read anything about it.
I’d have laid up my pattern for the handle a bit more carefully to get a better off cut if I’d googled before.
“……the most expensive wood used in furniture making…..”
So I’ll work the handle to the best of my ability and should I need/want to, I’ll fit a better blade later. The very first one shall be made of cardboard because all of the components are non standard.
With that in mind I shall make the first blade from the thinnest practical material that I have, certainly less than 2mm. This will give me the option to fit a thicker blade later. If I fitted a thick blade first I’d find myself shimming a thinner one.
Edited to add:
This last thought has arisen from this thread. Thanks people, the hive mind is working!
Some time ago one of my daughters bought me a lump of Kingwood. I had no idea what it was but just knew it was very dense and beautifully if subtly grained. I’d already started to shape a handle before I read anything about it.
I’d have laid up my pattern for the handle a bit more carefully to get a better off cut if I’d googled before.
“……the most expensive wood used in furniture making…..”
So I’ll work the handle to the best of my ability and should I need/want to, I’ll fit a better blade later. The very first one shall be made of cardboard because all of the components are non standard.
With that in mind I shall make the first blade from the thinnest practical material that I have, certainly less than 2mm. This will give me the option to fit a thicker blade later. If I fitted a thick blade first I’d find myself shimming a thinner one.
Edited to add:
This last thought has arisen from this thread. Thanks people, the hive mind is working!
Yeah, I’ll find it later and post a pic. Very functional, not to mention very sharp. Made from an old file like the Michael Morris friction folders.
There are a number of articles on the BCUK website detailing making tools from old saws
bushcraftuk.com
Knives from an old handsaw
Got an old saw? Put it to use as new knives! This is a simple project that was inspired by a chance encounter with a young lad named Woody at the last summer Moot. Apparently whilst the rest of the family was setting up camp, Woody
bushcraftuk.com
More novice questions:
1. I’ve thought about rotating the blade in a mapp gas flame to get even heating. Might this also help the material to become paramagnetic?
2. Is bluebacking / colour running a partial anealing process?
The blade blank is likely to be only:
90 x 25 x 2mm
1. I’ve thought about rotating the blade in a mapp gas flame to get even heating. Might this also help the material to become paramagnetic?
2. Is bluebacking / colour running a partial anealing process?
The blade blank is likely to be only:
90 x 25 x 2mm
It helps to even the heating. Mag Curie temp does not care about anything else than temp. It is used as indication to ferritic-austenitic change because In practical carbon contents It happens to work.
Old powered hacksaw blades make decent blade stock.
Found it. And a Brusletto Balder, orange Delica and a Boker slack (quite rusty from storage compared to the others).
It’s a good chunk, long tang and wide handle makes for a pretty secure non locking system.
Found it. And a Brusletto Balder, orange Delica and a Boker slack (quite rusty from storage compared to the others).
It’s a good chunk, long tang and wide handle makes for a pretty secure non locking system.
The file was quite smooth, worked this one slowly to keep the temper/hardness of the steel. It was and has been the second of two folders I made.... perfect for Rich, as it has a bottle opener in the tang
It took and holds a razor sharp edge... cannot beat an old file for making a knife
Glad you found it, was always proud at how well that one turned out....
@Pattree I don't or ever will claim to be a knife maker, but I have had fun trying. I would go stock removal on any knife projects...I have beaten steel into shape before, but it's hard work with limited tools and still have to grind loads of metal off to make it look okay'ish
…….. and that is the whole point for me too. To turn an unconventional idea into something tangible that works.
That is not to say that I don’t recognise the work of those artists and crafts people who make something conventional and beautiful. I’m simply not one of them.
This thread and those who have contributed to it have helped me to focus this project.
The blade can wait just a little while as I make the handle. Then I might make more than one blade to fit into it.
pee ess, I’ve found a brushwood cutter blade that I rarely use and for which I have a couple of unused replacements. I can get a couple of little blades out of that.
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The steel on things like brush cutters are not (typically) hard; the steel is chosen to dent rather than chip (and have bits flying off) when the blade hits stones etc.
True, though one should remember that the "toughness" is dependent on both the steel and it's heat treatment. Also at the extreme both can be used to achieve the desired properties.
(Just a side note: in most tech usage "iron" is reserved for pure - or almost - element and "steel" is an alloy where carbon is the main property affecting alloying element, it is also used where the alloying is more complicated.)
I put it as a side note because it is not the every day usage.Been out hunting for metal.
I find that I own eight or nine panel saws of various tooth. I now think that a blade made from one of them might be too thin for my envisaged needs.
So:
Today we set out for a tour of the South Shropshire junk shops. I found an old file easily - £1 ( + a couple of free bits of rubbish )
Then I had a brain fart! Of the various tools discussed for making a knife blade, I hadn’t thought of a knife blade.
So I bought a carving set - £3.
Sheffield made stainless steel. Not particularly good quality but quite good enough for a first attempt. Almost invariably, a junk shop sharpening steel is worn smooth but this one still has quite a bite to it. Bonus!
Then I went to see how hard it would be to reduce the thickness of the file by a third. As I picked up my angle grinder the guard fell off. It has worn/vibrated completely though so now I await a replacement.
I’ll get on with the handle. It’s got to be made first and the blade fitted to it. Not the usual way about but that is swivel locks for you.
I find that I own eight or nine panel saws of various tooth. I now think that a blade made from one of them might be too thin for my envisaged needs.
So:
Today we set out for a tour of the South Shropshire junk shops. I found an old file easily - £1 ( + a couple of free bits of rubbish )
Then I had a brain fart! Of the various tools discussed for making a knife blade, I hadn’t thought of a knife blade.
So I bought a carving set - £3.
Sheffield made stainless steel. Not particularly good quality but quite good enough for a first attempt. Almost invariably, a junk shop sharpening steel is worn smooth but this one still has quite a bite to it. Bonus!
Then I went to see how hard it would be to reduce the thickness of the file by a third. As I picked up my angle grinder the guard fell off. It has worn/vibrated completely though so now I await a replacement.
I’ll get on with the handle. It’s got to be made first and the blade fitted to it. Not the usual way about but that is swivel locks for you.
Would angle iron be worth using? If so, how might I need to treat it? NO
Would an old circular saw blade from a chop saw be useful? Again, what would I need to do with the blank once I’ve cut it out? Depends how its made, is it pure carbon steel, all the way through, or harder steel welded to a softer body?
I have a strip of drawn steel from B&Q. I’ve no idea how useful that might be but I’ll put it here because it’s available. No
Right now I’m very tempted to use the blade from a set of secateurs but it just won’t span the swivel lock (water pipe fitting) by 0.8mm!!!!
I’m more than used to using a right handed knife. I believe it would be called a chisel grind here. Stop being a tight bottom, and just spend a tenner.
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