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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Anyone offer grinding services?
- Thread starter fla556guy
- Start date
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- Oct 18, 2001
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- 20,978
what kind of blade? what steel? heat-treated already? what finish?
not heat treated, 1/4 inch 01, not finished, poor excuse for a chisel grind (I think that there should be enough metal left to correct my incompetence). It's a fixed blade with one complete edge, and a mix of a hunter and dagger on the top (1/2 of the top was to be sharpened, and then the rest of the top wasn't). The handle I planned to wrap in para-cord. I didn't have too much trouble shaping the blade the way I wanted it, and I can complete the rest of what I need to do besides the blade edges I just need the blade ground so that after it's heat treated I can sharpen it. I started this project thinking it would be easier than it turned out to be. I like the blade shape that I got cut out, and I don't want to ditch it, because I think it will turn out great, at least for my 1st knife. I think the problem lies in the fact that I don't have the proper tools, etc.
I appriciate the reply,
adam
I appriciate the reply,
adam
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2005
- Messages
- 118
if you still need it i can grind the blade no problem
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2000
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- 3,140
Just buy another file and get back at it! Treat yourself to a 12" Nicholson Bastard Mill File. It will be really hard to break! Don't bang it on stuff, just file the steel nice and evenly. You can do it!
Most everyone here offers grinding services. That's how we all make knives!
Most everyone here offers grinding services. That's how we all make knives!
Knifeaholic. How much $ would you like for the job? Only request is that you don't laugh at my first-born (lol)
J. MacDonald: I bit off more than I could chew most likely. My patients has run out with this project, and rather than screw up a potentially good blade, I have chosen to attempt to patronize someone in order to get this situation fixed. I don't have that much $ invested, but I have much time. I'm not saying that this is the end of my blade crafting attempts, just this particular one. Probably will go with something......less headache causing.
The knife is about 14 IN in over all length. The blade is between 7-9 inches. All cut out with a hacksaw and a file.
BTW....the file that is broken was a nickolson 12 in bastard, and it was just that. It's breakage wasn't caused by working on my knife. If you want your files to stay in one piece, please don't cause them to be in a high speed impact with a concrete floor.
J. MacDonald: I bit off more than I could chew most likely. My patients has run out with this project, and rather than screw up a potentially good blade, I have chosen to attempt to patronize someone in order to get this situation fixed. I don't have that much $ invested, but I have much time. I'm not saying that this is the end of my blade crafting attempts, just this particular one. Probably will go with something......less headache causing.
The knife is about 14 IN in over all length. The blade is between 7-9 inches. All cut out with a hacksaw and a file.
BTW....the file that is broken was a nickolson 12 in bastard, and it was just that. It's breakage wasn't caused by working on my knife. If you want your files to stay in one piece, please don't cause them to be in a high speed impact with a concrete floor.
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2000
- Messages
- 3,140
Bruddah, I know the frustration of filing a knife from scratch. With a big one like that, it's gotta be worse. I completely understand. That frustration is what's caused me to spend enough to get a nice used car on grinders, and I 'm still not a decent knifemaker. But I can make scrap faster than you can blink an eye now!
If we're going to make decent knives, patience is something we all must learn. But in teh shop sometimes there's just times when you're DONE with that project and it's time to move on to the next one.
Don't give up.
If we're going to make decent knives, patience is something we all must learn. But in teh shop sometimes there's just times when you're DONE with that project and it's time to move on to the next one.
Don't give up.
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2004
- Messages
- 6,212
yep put that one up on the shelf and come back to it later when you think your up to it
find some 1/8 inch and make a nice 4-5 inch blade
that big blade will wait for you
i had to put up a 18 inch tanto i started that was made out of a file
i was grinding it full hard so it took forever and i was using a 4x36 grinder
i worked on another knife for a while and came back to it seems i just needed a brake from it
butch
find some 1/8 inch and make a nice 4-5 inch blade
that big blade will wait for you
i had to put up a 18 inch tanto i started that was made out of a file
i was grinding it full hard so it took forever and i was using a 4x36 grinder
i worked on another knife for a while and came back to it seems i just needed a brake from it
butch
Gringogunsmith
BANNED
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- Mar 25, 2006
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- 491
shoot me a photo of what you have.
I'm bad to the bone with a grinder and flat out the best there is with a buffer.
BUT
I never made a knife ( other than a bunch of awesome chisels and scrapers for gunstock inletting) well a couple of klunkers from old files and saw blades.
If I don't think I can do it I wont try.
If I think I can.... and screw it up.. we both screwed up ! LOL
Cost to you? Nothing
To me ? fun !.. and experience.
I have good equipment.
Mmmmm I built my mom a chefs( sorta) knife about 35 years ago.. Color Case hardened, 12 inch
Ever handled a 3/16 by 12" razorblade ?
:jerkit:
I'm bad to the bone with a grinder and flat out the best there is with a buffer.
BUT
I never made a knife ( other than a bunch of awesome chisels and scrapers for gunstock inletting) well a couple of klunkers from old files and saw blades.
If I don't think I can do it I wont try.
If I think I can.... and screw it up.. we both screwed up ! LOL
Cost to you? Nothing
To me ? fun !.. and experience.
I have good equipment.
Mmmmm I built my mom a chefs( sorta) knife about 35 years ago.. Color Case hardened, 12 inch
Ever handled a 3/16 by 12" razorblade ?
:jerkit:
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2001
- Messages
- 8,474
it's funny to hear, it's not as easy as you think.. not making fun of you but
thinking about buyers that think you can just whip these out.. well at least until you have a few under your belt..
if you are going to be a knife maker
put that one on the shelve and as said work on a smaller, simpler knife
you need to train your hands to work with your brain and it takes a little time.
if you let someone else do it for you and don't go back to it later in time
you will have let it beat you..
.custom knife making is filled over the top with stuff you never have done before
and we deal with it all the time with Customers special orders..and in
our own will to go on to new things in this trade..
to be blunt, in most cases,
if you have to have someone else do your job for you, you won't make it very far..and if you don't have or learn to be patient
hang it up now..
just food for thought
not making fun of you but thinking about buyers that think you can just whip these out.. well at least until you have a few under your belt..
if you are going to be a knife maker
put that one on the shelve and as said work on a smaller, simpler knife
you need to train your hands to work with your brain and it takes a little time.
if you let someone else do it for you and don't go back to it later in time
you will have let it beat you..
.custom knife making is filled over the top with stuff you never have done before
and we deal with it all the time with Customers special orders..and in
our own will to go on to new things in this trade..
to be blunt, in most cases,
if you have to have someone else do your job for you, you won't make it very far..and if you don't have or learn to be patient
hang it up now..
just food for thought
Dan. I understand where you are coming from. This project was something that I thought would be demanding, and I got the steel for $5. If it goes bad, I'm not out much except $15, which I can deal with. I have gained a new level of respect for someone who can make knives well, no matter what the size. I knew it wouldn't be easy, and I'm sure that if I kept at it, I could finish it (probably not very well, btw). However, I have come to be attached to it now, and I want it finished so that it's actually usefull for something besides a paperweight. I never wanted to be a full time maker, this was kind of a "try it out, and see if I like it" kind of thing. I've found that I enjoy doing the project as much, or more than the actual product of that project. When you finish it (whatever "it" is), there is that personal pride of "I did that" etc. If we don't have people trying new things, then we would never have gotten out of the stone age.
When I was in the Police academy, one of our instructors said this:
There are cops in this room, and there are plumbers, the plumbers just don't know it yet.
ETA: I've always appriciated good craftsmanship, and I've always thought that it should bring a premium. I'll be the first to say that a good knife maker is an artist. I may not be able to afford their product, but I can sure appriciate the hard work and beauty of it.
When I was in the Police academy, one of our instructors said this:
There are cops in this room, and there are plumbers, the plumbers just don't know it yet.
ETA: I've always appriciated good craftsmanship, and I've always thought that it should bring a premium. I'll be the first to say that a good knife maker is an artist. I may not be able to afford their product, but I can sure appriciate the hard work and beauty of it.
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2005
- Messages
- 1,991
Fla556guy,
One cavet...I am not now nor have I ever been a "knifemaker"...I am simply a humble apprentice shoe cobbler that has made several knives from files...
But I digress..:yawn:
I feel your pain when it comes to grinding...What I would suggest ya do, is what Dan and butcher are suggesting...Put it away and get a smaller file to play with...Once you get a better grinder you can tackle the larger stuff and be better at it...
This is what I have gathered about knifemaking...
It isnt as simple as it looks...We have both learned that one the hard way huh??
Having a belt sander and a hunk of steel doesnt=knife...It does equal FUN though!!!
making a small knife that you can USE isnt that hard after a bit of practice...err unless your me and you have to send it to someone to sharpen for ya
Having a needle and some Nyltex and a hunk of leather DOES make you a leatherworker...err or does it??
One cavet...I am not now nor have I ever been a "knifemaker"...I am simply a humble apprentice shoe cobbler that has made several knives from files...
But I digress..:yawn:
I feel your pain when it comes to grinding...What I would suggest ya do, is what Dan and butcher are suggesting...Put it away and get a smaller file to play with...Once you get a better grinder you can tackle the larger stuff and be better at it...
This is what I have gathered about knifemaking...
It isnt as simple as it looks...We have both learned that one the hard way huh??
Having a belt sander and a hunk of steel doesnt=knife...It does equal FUN though!!!
making a small knife that you can USE isnt that hard after a bit of practice...err unless your me and you have to send it to someone to sharpen for ya
Having a needle and some Nyltex and a hunk of leather DOES make you a leatherworker...err or does it??
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2000
- Messages
- 3,140
Leatherface said:Fla556guy,
One cavet...I am not now nor have I ever been a "knifemaker"...I am simply a humble apprentice shoe cobbler that has made several knives from files...
But I digress..:yawn:
I feel your pain when it comes to grinding...What I would suggest ya do, is what Dan and butcher are suggesting...Put it away and get a smaller file to play with...Once you get a better grinder you can tackle the larger stuff and be better at it...
This is what I have gathered about knifemaking...
It isnt as simple as it looks...We have both learned that one the hard way huh??
Having a belt sander and a hunk of steel doesnt=knife...It does equal FUN though!!!
What he needs is not a smaller file, but a nice big file that's still in one piece, and a smaller piece of steel to start with. I think a belt grinder is still a ways off.
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2001
- Messages
- 8,474
all the more reason to put it on the shelf and do it as you can..you'll befla556guy said:
happyer for it later,
don't be that plumber..
then again
if you don't want to try ever again then that's a differant story
in this case
I would pay the guy that does it for you for his labors though
just my 2 cent
Fla556guy,
The best thing that ever happened to me, as far as knifemaking goes, is when a seasoned knifemaker looked at the first blade I had profiled out of a leaf spring and flatout REFUSED to grind it for me, even after he said over the phone that he would. He told me that " if you can make a blade that looks like THAT out of a leaf spring, you don't need me to grind it for you, you just need a file." That was just at the beginning of the year and I have sold and made some really nice knives since. Not to beat a dead horse but everyone else is right don't let that blade win, for you will always wish you hadn't. Start small and work up to the day when you can finish it by yourself and give it to your son someday and tell him "This is the first knife I ever started and I want you to have it" instead of " here's a knife some guy ground for me, if you want you can keep it."
Just my .02
Matt Doyle
The best thing that ever happened to me, as far as knifemaking goes, is when a seasoned knifemaker looked at the first blade I had profiled out of a leaf spring and flatout REFUSED to grind it for me, even after he said over the phone that he would. He told me that " if you can make a blade that looks like THAT out of a leaf spring, you don't need me to grind it for you, you just need a file." That was just at the beginning of the year and I have sold and made some really nice knives since. Not to beat a dead horse but everyone else is right don't let that blade win, for you will always wish you hadn't. Start small and work up to the day when you can finish it by yourself and give it to your son someday and tell him "This is the first knife I ever started and I want you to have it" instead of " here's a knife some guy ground for me, if you want you can keep it."
Just my .02
Matt Doyle
I can only agree with the other wise men here.
You have to do it yourself,put it away and come back again some other day.
If you allow someone else to do the grunt work for you you will never be able to feel truly satisfied about the finished product.
BTW, do not think that when the blade is done, the rest is easy.
Good luck,
Mike
You have to do it yourself,put it away and come back again some other day.
If you allow someone else to do the grunt work for you you will never be able to feel truly satisfied about the finished product.
BTW, do not think that when the blade is done, the rest is easy.
Good luck,
Mike
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2004
- Messages
- 3,041
I'd keep it, too! Just think of it as a few smaller blades, all joined together! Do a section at a time....
I can understand the desire to outsource what seems like a duanting task, but dont let it get the better of you....
I can understand the desire to outsource what seems like a duanting task, but dont let it get the better of you....