advice on jimping and spinework

S

Samwyse

Joined
Jun 8, 2012
Messages
4
Hi guys,

I'm new to BladeForums but I've been a fairly regular user over at Straight Razor Place. Can anyone point me in the direction of good threads that discuss spinework design and jimping design? My wife just gave me an old Taylor Witness fixed blade with a massive 1/4" spine that I would love to work on.

best regards,

Samwyse
 
Hey Sam,

Everything I've read has to do with files and annealed steel. The implication in your thread is that the knife has already been hardened.
 
You are going to have issues doing spine work on a hardened blade.

A friend of mine does spine work on hardened blades, but he uses a dremel with decent bits.
 
With a flex shaft or motor tool ( dremel), you can do a hardened spine. It will require carbide bits ( expensive) and some skills.

Generally, the file work is done pre-HT.

Use this search engine to search for "File Work" or "Jimping". Save this search engine in your browser bar. It is what you want to find topics like this.
http://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=011197018607028182644:qfobr3dlcra
 
Ha!

Do you know Ed Fowler by any chance?

(I think Ed wanted to remove the word from the English language)

He is a well liked, old school, wonderful blade smith, with decades of experience. You are in good company. :)
 
Samwyse said:
Really? Hhhmm, maybe it's a community thing, or just me. But what else do you call decorative spine detail?
Click to expand...

Jimping is the parallel lines that add extra grip, generally where the thumb rests on the spine. Most decorative stuff is just called file work.
 
I call it file work. I'm not saying jimping is a wrong use of words, I just never heard that term. Don't mind me, I still call a refrigerator an icebox and a coke a soda pop.
 
Jimping was the word used for decorative filework on Sheffield knives of the 1800s.
 
English

Noun

jimping
1.A series of notches down the spine of a blade created to provide grip on a knife beyond the bolster
 
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