Does anyone have experience in...

[Ibbo]

Hi all,
I've recently started experimenting with making knifes from scratch, and was wondering if anyone knew or had experience in welding two thinner pieces of metal onto each other to make the peice more stable?

Its a bit complicated, but basicially i have two designs cut out from 2.5mm (i think) sheet steel and want to weld them together to make the whole thing stronger. 2.5mm on its own is too thin, and the blade would bend, but 5mm would be perfect... The idea is that i cut the blade part of the metal further down on one of the blanks so that once welded there will be a step on the blade, as one of the blades sticks out farther than the other. After grinding the step down i should have a cutting edge where one side is chamfered and one is flat...

A bit crazy i know but at the moment im just experimenting. I would greatly appreciate any help people can give! I know British Blades seems to be held in high regard here so i shall go and check out there too!

 

[C_Claycomb]

If you have the design cut out already, you are going to be out of luck I think. What you are talking about is similar to the laminated Japanese kitchen knives using a single chisel grind, I think. Normally when such lamination is done it is carried out on bars. High temperature is needed, and hammering, any profile you have created will be lost and what you end up with, by welding two 2.5mm thick sheets together, after you have ground off all the scale and hammer marks, will probably only be about 3 - 3.5mm thick.

I might be tempted to start with something a little less ambitious, like a three layer laminate forged from a thin bit of tool steel with mild steel folded around it. Even that isn't the sort of thing to be undertaken lightly if you are only just starting out. How many other knives have you made, what metal working experience do you have? Some people who haven't done knife making are skilled at metal work already, so giving them a big head start, hence my question, if that is the case....I will go hide and shut up

 

[jason01]

Ibbo, it sounds like youre describing a chisel grind with a flat bevel on one side only, such an edge would make a good carving knife with some limitations because it would be "handed" ideally you'd want a left and right handed version. This kind of edge is used on Japanese chefs knives and of course many types of woodworking tools.

What kind of steel are we talking about? It is possible to weld sheets of thinner steel together but they would need to be forge welded which takes some considerable skill and practice and it isnt generally done just to increase thickness. Your best bet would be to start of with thicker stock, good steel is cheap compared to the time you will spend making the knife.

Loads more info on knifemaking here British Blades

Cheers

 

[jason01]

Oops didnt see your reply Chris.

 

[Ibbo]

Hi guys... Whilst i do have some knowledge of metal working ive never under taken a project like this before (i've always been better at the design and theory rather than actually making it). However, im getting help from my old man on this, and he knows his stuff and is pretty adept when it comes to metal working (although hes never made a knife either).

After looking at the comments and suggestions you guys have made (which im very grateful for) we have decided that lamenating mild steel around carbon steel (i have some spring steel somewhere) would be best! However, it may just be easier to go and buy some 5-8mm tool steel and start from scratch again, but after destroying my ear drums after cutting out the mild steel on an old band saw i think i may as well give it a go to experiment (plus we already have the components we need). Thanks for the replies guys its been very helpful!