DIY - old file into a utility knife
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Sharpened on a flat pebble found in the garden, then fine sharpened with the Falkniven DC4, and stropped on folded newspaper. The rough scratches on the edges are still visible, but for initial rough sharpening, the pebble was very effective. The edge shaves hairs clean. So far so good, but how long will it keep the sharp edges? I will test on that, and will get back with the report
Sharpened on a flat pebble found in the garden, then fine sharpened with the Falkniven DC4, and stropped on folded newspaper. The rough scratches on the edges are still visible, but for initial rough sharpening, the pebble was very effective. The edge shaves hairs clean. So far so good, but how long will it keep the sharp edges? I will test on that, and will get back with the report
Nice that, with the wood of the handle and the crosshatching of the file on the blade the whole colour and shape puts me in mind of a fish on the bank by some driftwood. A real organic feel.
Cheers for posting.
Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.
Cheers for posting.
Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.
Depending on how hot it got during grinding it might hold an edge quite well. It will be quite brittle and chippy I imagine but I wouldn't worry too much. Nice usable little blade you've got there. I've always ground back the marks on files but I like that. Got a 9 inch bstard file to play with this morning. Oh the joy of skips
Nice knife, I admire your patience grinding it with a pebble. Don't do any levering with it though as it may be a bit susseptible to fracturing, if you havn't thought of that already.
Thank you
I am not sure what wood is the scale. It was some scrap wood in the shed. It looked like treated pine from B&Q, very old and soft.
The grinding to shape the file took a while - maybe a couple of hours. Once the blade and edge was shaped, it was then all very quick process.
The DC4 did excellent job for fine sharpening. I feel I am getting to know using the DC4 with maximum efficiency lately. When I first bought the DC4, I did not how to use it properly, and was almost going to sell it, glad I didn't.
I will do some testing with the blade when time permits - whittling hard wood for an hour, making kindling by battoning, throwing it to the logs and ground, and even some light leveraging, and see how it will hold up. I will then do some paper cut test, and see how easy and fast to resharpen to the original sharpness. Should be good fun
I am not sure what wood is the scale. It was some scrap wood in the shed. It looked like treated pine from B&Q, very old and soft.
The grinding to shape the file took a while - maybe a couple of hours. Once the blade and edge was shaped, it was then all very quick process.
The DC4 did excellent job for fine sharpening. I feel I am getting to know using the DC4 with maximum efficiency lately. When I first bought the DC4, I did not how to use it properly, and was almost going to sell it, glad I didn't.
I will do some testing with the blade when time permits - whittling hard wood for an hour, making kindling by battoning, throwing it to the logs and ground, and even some light leveraging, and see how it will hold up. I will then do some paper cut test, and see how easy and fast to resharpen to the original sharpness. Should be good fun
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Yup I think so. Will see from testing too. A 9 inch stock would be ideal for a bushcraft blade.
Always good steel too. Won't be selling it because I can't determine its exact steel but good for playing around with blade profiles etc
Did some sanding and oiling on the handle. It still looks rough, but now it feels like the handle is breathing, comfy and smooth. Have not managed to do testing yet, but just have been using it to open parcels and boxes for work. Will try to do it when a bit quieter.
nice knife, personally I would have heated it up to soften the metal before grinding, would save a lot of hard work and time when it comes to grinding it down, then simply temper it after grinding the edge.
been meaning to get back into blacksmithing jut haven't had the time or money to work on anything for a while
been meaning to get back into blacksmithing jut haven't had the time or money to work on anything for a while
Yup, that would be more fun and traditional, but as I have no proper forge and no anvil, traditional forging is difficult for now. I used the kitchen gas cooker for forging a few metals, but found out that it does not work for thicker blades than 1 - 2 mm.
3mm or anything thicker than 3mm, gas cooker fire does not seem working for heating the steel for softening at all, or maybe takes too long time. This file thickness was 3.5mm, which needed proper forge and half decent anvil for heat treating.
So, this diy was just to test, experiment, learn and also try to make use of what is available
3mm or anything thicker than 3mm, gas cooker fire does not seem working for heating the steel for softening at all, or maybe takes too long time. This file thickness was 3.5mm, which needed proper forge and half decent anvil for heat treating.
So, this diy was just to test, experiment, learn and also try to make use of what is available
That looks really cool spader. I really want to do one of these myself but I wanna also heat treat it too. but its getting the time lol
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