Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2004
- Messages
- 38,387
I was asked to give directions for some tools to make yourself.Some good tools for the anvil are a hardie cut off,a fullering tool,and a guillotine fuller.
I will briefly describe how to make your own cheaply.
CUT OFF:
Take a piece of 1X3X5" steel. Anything will work from mild steel to O-1.Measure your hardie hole ,lets say it is 3/4". Mark the piece of steel 2" up,and cut it so there is a 3/4" stub sticking out (2" long).You will have to grind a little off each side to make it 3/4" square (Leave a little extra to grind a nice fit to the hardie hole). Grind the top 3" to a rounded wedge. A fat grind going down about 1.5" is all you need.Shape the stub to fit your hardie hole and you have a cut off tool. You can harden it and draw a 450-500 temper if the steel is hardenable, but it isn't necessary.Cost is maybe $3-5.A tool like this costs $30-50.
GUILLOTINE FULLER:
Use a piece of 1X4X7" piece of steel like the cut off tool.Cut out and fit the hardie stub the same. Drill 1/2" holes down both sides 1/4" in from the edges (you will need a long bit for this 5" long hole). Cut the top off 1.5" down.Grind the top to a rounded fullering profile.Grind half of the bottom die rounded to match the top,and leave the other half flat. Cut two 5" long 1/2" rods and give one end a slight whack with a hammer about 1/4" down so it makes a little bulge/dent.You should be able to stick the rods in the top part of the fuller,and with a couple of taps it should stick in place.When they are fitted there should be 3.5" sticking out the bottom. Get two short coil springs from the hardware store. They only need to be about 1/2-3/4" long with a 1/2" center hole.Slip the springs on the rods,and put the top fuller on the bottom fuller. The springs will hold the top up enough for you to stick the tang in the space,turn it upright. Hit the top fuller ( with a sledge) over the tang area to set the fuller mark,and draw the tang out.If you are fullering a place on one side only (to mark choil or ricasso on a full tang) use the flat-rounded area.For a double draw (hidden tang ) use the round-round area. If you used hardenable steel, harden and draw a tough spring temper - 500F at least.Cost is $5-10,a tool like this is $100-150.
FULLERING THIRD HAND
This is the simplest tool you can make,and a good first tool to make. Get or forge a piece of steel square stock to fit your hardie hole,about 3" long.Get a piece of 1/2" steel round stock about 20" long ( an old tire iron works perfect). It can be mild steel from Home Depot,too.Heat the round stock near the center and bend it into a "U". The U should be about 1" wide,with one arm 2" longer than the other.Heat up the longer end and make it offset downward about 1/2" (offset S bend). Weld the square stock to the U about 3-4" up from the bend ( plain old arc welder works fine). The U will sit on the anvil and you stick the tang between the arms. Strike the top arm to fuller the tang out.To fuller one side only use the projected part of the top arm and the anvil below. When the whole thing is done, heat the bend to non-mag and quench in oil. Draw a good spring temper with a torch to a full spring blue color (even mild steel will harden up a bit).If you used spring steel you can heat up the ends and harden them.too. Draw a full temper.
I attached a sketch of the basic idea.
Hope this helps.
Stacy
I will briefly describe how to make your own cheaply.
CUT OFF:
Take a piece of 1X3X5" steel. Anything will work from mild steel to O-1.Measure your hardie hole ,lets say it is 3/4". Mark the piece of steel 2" up,and cut it so there is a 3/4" stub sticking out (2" long).You will have to grind a little off each side to make it 3/4" square (Leave a little extra to grind a nice fit to the hardie hole). Grind the top 3" to a rounded wedge. A fat grind going down about 1.5" is all you need.Shape the stub to fit your hardie hole and you have a cut off tool. You can harden it and draw a 450-500 temper if the steel is hardenable, but it isn't necessary.Cost is maybe $3-5.A tool like this costs $30-50.
GUILLOTINE FULLER:
Use a piece of 1X4X7" piece of steel like the cut off tool.Cut out and fit the hardie stub the same. Drill 1/2" holes down both sides 1/4" in from the edges (you will need a long bit for this 5" long hole). Cut the top off 1.5" down.Grind the top to a rounded fullering profile.Grind half of the bottom die rounded to match the top,and leave the other half flat. Cut two 5" long 1/2" rods and give one end a slight whack with a hammer about 1/4" down so it makes a little bulge/dent.You should be able to stick the rods in the top part of the fuller,and with a couple of taps it should stick in place.When they are fitted there should be 3.5" sticking out the bottom. Get two short coil springs from the hardware store. They only need to be about 1/2-3/4" long with a 1/2" center hole.Slip the springs on the rods,and put the top fuller on the bottom fuller. The springs will hold the top up enough for you to stick the tang in the space,turn it upright. Hit the top fuller ( with a sledge) over the tang area to set the fuller mark,and draw the tang out.If you are fullering a place on one side only (to mark choil or ricasso on a full tang) use the flat-rounded area.For a double draw (hidden tang ) use the round-round area. If you used hardenable steel, harden and draw a tough spring temper - 500F at least.Cost is $5-10,a tool like this is $100-150.
FULLERING THIRD HAND
This is the simplest tool you can make,and a good first tool to make. Get or forge a piece of steel square stock to fit your hardie hole,about 3" long.Get a piece of 1/2" steel round stock about 20" long ( an old tire iron works perfect). It can be mild steel from Home Depot,too.Heat the round stock near the center and bend it into a "U". The U should be about 1" wide,with one arm 2" longer than the other.Heat up the longer end and make it offset downward about 1/2" (offset S bend). Weld the square stock to the U about 3-4" up from the bend ( plain old arc welder works fine). The U will sit on the anvil and you stick the tang between the arms. Strike the top arm to fuller the tang out.To fuller one side only use the projected part of the top arm and the anvil below. When the whole thing is done, heat the bend to non-mag and quench in oil. Draw a good spring temper with a torch to a full spring blue color (even mild steel will harden up a bit).If you used spring steel you can heat up the ends and harden them.too. Draw a full temper.
I attached a sketch of the basic idea.
Hope this helps.
Stacy
