Bevel filing CPM 3V

S

Silverbullet951

Joined
May 16, 2009
Messages
94
Hi everyone,

I'm looking to make a camping/survival knife out of CPM 3V. It will be hidden tang and roughly 5" blade length. I thought they normally come annealed but I'm not sure if that will be still way harder than other steels. Is it even remotely feasible to do the bevels with a chipbreaker file such as Pferd brand? I was planning to use an angle grinder to get everything pretty close and then file to clean up the bevels.

Thanks!
Josh
 
Not sure about the type file you have but you should be able to file it so long as it is annealed. Be carefull with the angle grinder on the bevels as you can get things so far out that you can't get them back flat with a file.
 
You can do it, but 3V is hard on even a Pferd chipbreaker. This is a new Pferd 12" chipbreaker file after filing part of a bevel in 3V on a Gough type jig. I used only the file, not an angle grinder. Brushing away the chalk reveals the dulled (shiny) surface of the file, and I can feel the file not biting very well into the workpiece.

Y29QssT.jpg
 
The most important thing is DO NOT SASW BACK AND FORTH when filing. File a stroke, lift the file a bit, return, file the next stroke. I see people going back and forth all the time on YouTube. That kills a good file in a couple dozen strokes.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
The most important thing is DO NOT SASW BACK AND FORTH when filing. File a stroke, lift the file a bit, return, file the next stroke. I see people going back and forth all the time on YouTube. That kills a good file in a couple dozen strokes.
Click to expand...

I KNOW!!! It kills me! literally every file on earth comes with instructions warning not to backstroke. How has everyone learned to stroke both ways with a file?! Rant over.
 
In this particular case, I filed only in the forward direction. I was a bit disappointed with the Pferd not lasting too long. Maybe other Pferd users have a different experience on 3V.

One approach that might be worth trying is to not rush the job, use only moderate pressure on the file, and let the file do the work.
 
I find even annealed, 3v goes through belts twice as fast as regular carbon steels. It seems "gummy" when grinding. When hardened, the gumminess goes away, but man it needs sharp belts and wears them out fast.
 
compared to "simple" steels 3v is harder to work even anneale made short work of 1x42 belts si wasas using when in started making knives. no place close to higher alloy steels but for sure harder to work then 10xx stuff
 
Thanks everyone for the info! Sounds like it's doable but might kill the expensive files pretty quickly. I guess I'll give it a try and if it gets too tiring, maybe pick up one of the entry level belt sanders.
 
I would use a bit of cutting oil on your file. Always makes filing tough materials easier.

Boelube was great for that, the wax form would stick on the file. Black pipe threading oil works though.
 
I beveled just a few knives with a file (filing jig) - and after making a 240 mm kitchen blade out of D2 I would not go that route again. By that I mean - filing (and later grinding on a diamond plate and water stones) a stel with high wear resistence is so much more work than a simpler steel. I would start with simple carbon or stainless steel (AEB-L, Niolox). Get a 1x30" belt sander - for less than $100 you will save a lot of sweat. Still - my advice is - start with cheaper, easier to cut, grind and sand steels. And if you like check out my signature - I have an aritcle on how to make a filing jig (the design comes from Aaron Gough) - it allows to make super nice & even bevels with ease (and sweat :) )
 
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