File knife

[Ph34r]

it's not just exploding wheels, and other 'you are more likely to be killed by a falling coconut' situations, if you are using a high speed grinder, the sparks can fly off and onto your clothing, setting alight to it/ burning you. One of my mates has taken a nail off on my flat grinder (whilst wearing gloves), his finger just slipped off the wood.Grinder's lung and other conditions that wont have an immediate effect, but eventually will can also come about from abuse.

I believe that if your tools are serious, so should you be.

 

[Everything Mac]

sorry mate - it all falls under common sense for me.

wearing gloves, eye and ear protection and a gas mask in some cases; is and should be common sense. - its all school boy stuff. (or it was at least - but that is another topic entirely)

 

[Zingmo]

I noticed you mentioned being a sparky, so I'll share something I "foraged" the other day. What everyone else saw was the remains of a yellow 16A 110V plug that had been run over. What I saw was three nice solid brass pins, which have been set aside for when I get around to making a full tang. I'm sure you come across such things in your line of work...

Z

 

[DaveBromley]

TBH every spark i know would have been fighting for them, with the price of copper going through the roof they make off with every scrap lol

but I know what you mean about making the best out of other peoples waste!

Dave

 

[DaveBromley]

Well guys Annealed my file yesterday and its worked perfectly, now time to rough out the sape of the blade. I think i'm going to do a slight drop point with a fatish belly and see how that works

Dave

 

[sasquatch]

You should post pics of the various stages if you can. It would inspire others to try and it's easy to ask for help when people can see where you're at. Just an idea but I reckon people would enjoy it.

 

[DaveBromley]

thats what i intended to do but the battery in my camera has thrown a wobbley SWMBO has gone to get another one today so hopefully will get pics from this point on!

Dave

 

[dazcon]

A home-made jig is the way to go. It can be knocked up in no time with some wood and the bevels will turn out far better than freehand filing.

I can post a few pics of mine if necessary.

Dazcon.

 

[Ph34r]

A home-made jig is the way to go. It can be knocked up in no time with some wood and the bevels will turn out far better than freehand filing.

I can post a few pics of mine if necessary.

Dazcon.

Or not even a jig, I just used a protractor to work out how far away I would need ot place a piece of wood of a certain height to get my desired angle. I placed my blank on the edge of the bench, my wood at the chosen distance. (attached a tent peg to my file to prevent it coming off the wood, and file away!

 

[Everything Mac]

oooh do post pics - I really get a kick out of seeing threads like this.

I like it when people make something like a knife for themselves. -the end product is always so rewarding.

All the best

Andy

 

[DaveBromley]

Well fellas

I've been a busy bunny today, got my blade roughed out and smoothed off.

I then made a bit of a jig, well i screwed a peice of wood to the bench at a perscribed distance to give me the 22 degree bevel not sure though as im about half way and ready to flip (after a bit more work on the tip but the bevel isnt as far up the blade as i'd imagined what do you think?

 

[Everything Mac]

looking good to me matey.

 

[Noodoo]

Looking good Dave! Don't set fire to yourself/cut your fingers off/drop the knife on the dog etc haha

 

[telwebb]

At the risk of embarassing myself (I'm completely new to this process) - can you break it down into the main steps following sourcing a suitable file (its where the annealing etc. fit in I can't get my head round!).

Thanks

 

[Retired Member southey]

I'm sure some one will correct if i'm wrong but, i think annealing is the first step(after buying file) as you need to remove the steels temper other wise it would be to hard to cut, the either use a forge to shape or buy cutting away the excess with a sutable saw, then file down to your desired profile, file your bevels, drill your pin holes then heat treat your blade. once done appliy handles in which ever way you see fit.

 

[telwebb]

Thanks for that - it was separating the annealing and heat treating I was having trouble with I think - two entirely different processes?

(Apologies for the thread-jack - didn't want to start a fresh one on a subject you guys are already clued-up on!)

 

[Everything Mac]

yes - annealing is a softening process which relaxes the grain structure of the steel and makes it soft. - basically the slow cooling rate allows bigger crystals to form in the steel.

at this point you can do what you want to the file.

heat treating is the opposite of this process- you heat the blade to critical temperature - ie non magnetic or a nice cherry red colour then quench it in a fluid which is usually oil of some kind - I use sunflower oil.

this causes the crystals in the steel to shrink rapidly - they are very small. - this results in a very hard blade.

however the blade is so hard that any slight shock to it will result in a breakage. - therefore we have to anneal the blade once more - but at a much lower temperature.
- an hour in the oven at 220 degrees C is enough to soften the blade enough to make it usable and very tough.

all the best

Andy

 

[DaveBromley]

well ive finished my bevels and i'm happy with the result they are REALLY clean not at all what i expected from a hand file they look like they were done on a real knife grinder lol. Next step is drilling out the holes for the pins and then on to heat treating.

Question: what are the benefits of quenching in oil rather than water???

Thanks Dave

 

[dorkingbushcraft]

IIRC quenching in water can cause the metal to harden to quickly, but to slow it down instead of using oil you can add dirt till the water is as dense as oil
correct me if im wrong

 

[Everything Mac]

oil is a slower quenching medium - so it cools down a bit slower. a water quench is a bit more risky for an inexperienced maker. imo that is.

so you have less chance of cracking the blade by using oil.

please please please have practice runs first.