What next...... I'm looking at you Lanny man... Or any other knife makers

[greensurfingbear]

OK so have finally gotten around to doing some work on a old file Lannyman annealed for me ages ago.

More or less happy with shape, but not sure what to do next. I think I need to start working on the edge and polishing the metal up as its still looking really rough....... open to advice

Sent via mind bullets, beware the ricochet.

 

[jojo]

Are you doing it all by hand? Do you use files or just a dremel so far? If by hand, you could clamp the blade to a bench so that the blade part is clear of the bench, glue some coarse sand paper 1" to 1 1/4" wide to a board of some sort, to make a sort of file. Then file/sand the blade crossways, rocking the file as you go, in a sort of see saw motion. (it looks like you have a convex shape to the blade?). You can do that without touching the cutting edge yet. Use the sand papers from coarse though to fine that way and you will get a much improved surface. You can do the same with files if you have them, but the paper will eventually have to be used to get rid of the file scratch marks. Hope that helps for now.

 

[toilet digger]

i could offer some helpful advice but i can't so i shan't. looks nice though.

 

[greensurfingbear]

I Used an angle grinder and bench grinder to get this far. So I use sand paper on it next yeah? I guess there is special paper to use with metal........


Orric

 

[greensurfingbear]

i could offer some helpful advice but i can't so i shan't. looks nice though.

Thanks.




Orric

 

[lannyman8]

hey Orric, looking good mate, like the shape....

as above, use a file or sand paper to get the grind you want, then go through the grits and take out all the deep scratches lumps bumps chips etc etc etc.

start of with around 80 then work all the way up to about 600 before the HT (heat treat).

make sure your happy before the HT though, it saves allot of time....

 

[jojo]

I tedn to use 80 grit aluminium oxide paper to start and then use wet&dry. Grit starts 120 up to 1200. Don't necessarily have to use all of them, I use 120,240,400,800. By then you get sick and tired of sanding anyway! Mostly though, I use the belt grinder...Seriously, filing and sanding is good, although slow. but if you make only a very few blades, or you're just starting, you dont want to buy an expensive machine. As lannyman says, do your sanding before heat treat. After is even harder and even slower!

 

[bushwacker bob]

Don't scrimp on the Aluminium oxide paper, buy a decent one.
I recently saw some 40g Valuminimum oxide paper that was slightly less abrasive than cheap toilet paper.
Dont forget the front end needs to be pointy and I dont think you'll need the battery.

 

[greensurfingbear]

do you get Aluminum oxide paper at hardware shops?



Sent via mind bullets, beware the ricochet.

 

[bushwacker bob]

do you get Aluminum oxide paper at hardware shops?

Yes, or builders merchants or any of the sheds(B&Q etc)

 

[greensurfingbear]

Cheers guys. Will post updates of project as I go




Orric