A modification question- with a pic!

Pete1977

Pete1977

Joined
Apr 15, 2002
Messages
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would a dremel be suitable to do this simple modification of a budding/grafting knife blade? the original blade shape is on the left, the intended cut is in the center, and the right is (hopefully) what the blade would look like afterwards.

will this work? I don't want to start, and end up with a crappy knife. :)

100_0377.jpg


pete
 
I'd sooner use a 4x36 belt sander. 2x48 or 2x72 would be even better and produce less heat but the 36 will work for a reprofile like that. I think I'd mount my drill in a bench holder like my portable Craftsman lathe and put a larger drum sander in it before I'd use a dremmel.


The smaller the wheel is the more you have to watch out for heat build up. Keep the blade cool by having a cup of cold water near by.

STR
 
All I have IS the dremel :)
so it is either that, or go at it with a file.

so this leads to another question: using a dremel, heat build up would be my biggest problem, right? and to keep it from ruining the blade, I would keep dipping the blade into the cup of cold water?

I noticed that while buffing some mirror polishing jobs I was doing with the dremel, the blades started to get hot to the touch, not enough to burn my hands by any means, but hot nonetheless.

Pete

edit: by the way, I got ahold of a U2 you had done some modifications on, and let me tell you, this is close to becoming my favorite little knife.
 
If all you have is a dremmel just use the biggest drum it can handle. If it gets hot enough to burn your soft tissue areas its too hot. Skip testing with your hands or fingers. Touch it to your arm or if you must use your hand use the mid palm instead of the fingers. Caluses lie to ya.

Picked up a U2 huh? I've done quite a few of those mods. Was the one you snagged the one with two thumb studs? Its the only one I did like that if so. It was done for a customer at his request and then he didn't like it afterwards so I bought it. If it were a bigger knife I'd still have it. See the knife in my signiture line? I made it similar only larger. There were lots I liked about the U2 but its just too small for me.

STR
 
STR said:
If all you have is a dremmel just use the biggest drum it can handle. If it gets hot enough to burn your soft tissue areas its too hot. Skip testing with your hands or fingers. Touch it to your arm or if you must use your hand use the mid palm instead of the fingers. Caluses lie to ya.

Picked up a U2 huh? I've done quite a few of those mods. Was the one you snagged the one with two thumb studs? Its the only one I did like that if so. It was done for a customer at his request and then he didn't like it afterwards so I bought it. If it were a bigger knife I'd still have it. See the knife in my signiture line? I made it similar only larger. There were lots I liked about the U2 but its just too small for me.

STR
Click to expand...

STR-
It was a single thumb stud, and zytel pocket clip. I like it a lot. I have smaller hands, so it fits quite nicely. I might take the thumbstud off if I can find an allen wrench small enough, to see how I like it W/O. The clip is staying on though. can't beat the easy carry of a clipped on knife.

back to business though :) so the dremel will work, and if it starts to get hot, dip it in the cup of cold water?

I might get started on this tonight when the girl goes on myspace. I will post a pic when (if) it is finished. :)

I could never sell this knife, and I never carried it because the blade shape was a little uncomfortable in the pocket. I like the handle pattern though, and this knife is heavy. so, I figure if I modify the blade, I will carry the knife more often. I am not worried about weakening the tip of the blade, as it is pretty thin already.

pete
 
Only suggestion I would offer would be if you're using a grinding wheel or a cutoff wheel, to have an assistant constantly pouring a stream of water over the cutting (grinding) area. It'll be REALLY messy, but it'll help a ton to keep the blade cool, and will be best for preserving the temper of the blade.
 
If Dremel is the only tool you have, use it.
Lay the knife in cold water about 5-10 mm under water. Use long shaft on the sharpening device you use. Change water now and then so that the blade is cold during the work.

Takes some time to do but it works.

Thomas
 
You guys are going to get him electrocuted, or ruin his Dremel at least!
Just file the tip down, and finish it with the Dremel. You won't hurt the blade's temper until you get it hot enough that the steel changes color.
Bill
 
Or dremel it down and file the rest - only dremel in 10 second hits and dip in cold water between - finish with hand file when hump is smoothed out - you'll be fine.
 
This is a grafting knife, I believe. Used by horticulturists.
Bill
 
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