Can I make a File from a Knife ?

Robert Dark

Robert Dark

Joined
Aug 27, 2004
Messages
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Probably not........ But here is a knife that I made from a file.

Funny how the question of files comes up every day or so. I made this one for fun, and to try and get my old elbow back into shape after several months of fighting "Forger's Elbow".

Its 10 1/8" long with 5 3/4" of the blade sharpened.

Paracord treated with Teak Oil.

Robert

Parafile.jpg
 
Believe it or not, in history prior to the late 1800s, it's probably more likely that you'd find files made from old knives than the other way around. File cutting was a treasured skill and good files were worth a lot more than good knives. The whole making knives from files instead of the other way around really only dates to around the time of machine cut files in the late 1800s.
 
I do not remember the source, but I read where the English were cutting files by machine, beginning in the late 1750's.
 
When you make a knife from a file, do you anneal it to soften it or just grind it and keep it cool. Wht about heat treat? I would like ot try one and was just wondering how you went about it. Thanks
 
I've heard of people making one just by grinding it, keeping it cool, then tempering down. However, you'd be better off annealing, shaping, then heat treat it again like you would 1095. Make sure it's not case hardened before you waste any time. Most people here will advise you to just buy a quality, known steel, such as 1084 to begin with. (Good advice, too) The sticky at the top of the forum probably has more on it if you want.
 
Robert love the overall look of the knife. The curviture from butt to the point really looks like it would be easy to use as well as how the grind goes tto the top. Very nice. Mike
 
Big Smitty said:
When you make a knife from a file, do you anneal it to soften it or just grind it and keep it cool. Wht about heat treat? I would like ot try one and was just wondering how you went about it. Thanks
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Before I started getting serious with this project, I forged about 2 inches of the file (I actually flattened and lengthened the end section). Then I brought it up to non-magnetic and quenched in oil. Once it was cool (room temperature), I put it in a vise and "tapped it with a hammer". It broke like a piece of glass.

I inspected the grain of the broken ends and it was very tight grained. Then I started forging the blade to shape.

Once I had the blade forged to shape, I ground it on my KMG and carried it to 220 grit.

I normalized the blade at just over 1415-1425 degrees. I did this three times and let it cool to room temp each time.

I did a clay coated heat treat on this one. I brought the blade to 1440 degrees and when it was heated through, I quenched in 135 degree vet grade mineral oil.

I did one temper at 425 degrees for two hours. Before I spent any more time on the blade, I chopped on a 3/16" brass rod, then shaved brass filings from the rod with absolutely no edge damage. Then I did a little more grinding, finishing up at 400 grit. Back in the oven at 425 for two more hours, then started hand sanding.

To make a long story short........ Files are a guessing game, and as Blue Dragon said....... go with a known steel. I did this one for fun only, and just got lucky.

You are always better off using a known steel and proven heat treat methods.

Robert
 
LRB said:
Use Nicholson files, and you will not have a problem
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LRB is right about Nicholson. Last I heard, they were still being made from 1095. Good Stuff.


jw517 said:
Wouldn't a car/truck spring be better?
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Car/Truck springs are still a guessing game. Some are made from 5160, some from 10X steels, and some from who knows what.

It is always fun to play with unknown steels as long as you remember that its just a fun experiment, and who knows, maybe you get lucky now and then.

I'm in the process of forging myself a Santoku-like knife now from a piece of spring-tine cultivator blade. I have made several knives from this stuff before and it makes for a great blade........ BUT...... I still don't know what it is made from.

To change the pace and have a little fun now and then, I will use unknown steels. When I get serious, I use known steels.

Robert
 
Nice work Robert, before opening thread, I had the thought, if anyone can make a file from a knife, you could.:D
Jim
 
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