Daniel Fairly's Q&A thread

Kevin, if you want some help on the 1084 HT, I've screwed up enough to know what to watch out for. I've got a couple gallons of fresh canola oil as well we could use with your oven. I've ben itching to get back in the shop, so hopefully tomorrow I can.


-X
 
Hey Daniel,

I picked up a set of 1/4" dies to rig into a 1/2 ton arbor press for kydex eyelets. Will those dies work to flare tubing? Pops has some 1/4" tubing. Or is this an entirely different and mystical practice?
 
Farchyld said:
Hey Daniel,

I picked up a set of 1/4" dies to rig into a 1/2 ton arbor press for kydex eyelets. Will those dies work to flare tubing? Pops has some 1/4" tubing. Or is this an entirely different and mystical practice?
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I think you will need the bigger 82 degree dies for flaring... you can cut the ends off some deck/drywall/sheet metal screws and use them though, they work OK and are the needed 82 degree angle. I used some in a vise for a bit but the USAKM ones are way better.

Check this out!

[video=youtube_share;k048jII7h3U]http://youtu.be/k048jII7h3U[/video]
 
Daniel, I'm a huge fan of your handles, especially Coke bottle. I patterned my last set after yours. :)

My question is, how do you treat your wood? Are you using predominantly stabilized or...?
 
Farchyld said:
Ahh, that makese sense. Cool. Down the line then, hah. Thanks Daniel!
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Glad to help out! I do think I would wait and get the USAKM ones or maybe some custom made.


Strigamort said:
Daniel, I'm a huge fan of your handles, especially Coke bottle. I patterned my last set after yours. :)

My question is, how do you treat your wood? Are you using predominantly stabilized or...?
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Much appreciated! That is cool to hear.

I use either stabilized wood or wood that doesn't need stabilizing like African Blackwood and Desert Ironwood. Blackwood and Ironwood can't be stabilized as they are so solid with high oil content. When it comes to woods that can be stabilized I do prefer to have them that way for peace of mind.

I also wipe everything down with acetone and alcohol before glue-up... it can take a bit of oil out of the woods surface for better epoxy adhesion.

Hidden pins, micarta pins, rough sanded or blasted handles all help on the glue-up side.

Many tropical hardwoods can be used without stabilizing... stuff like Maple I like to buy stabilized a pro like K&G. I want a handle that will last... home stabilizing jobs don't cut it for me.
 
Daniel, Can you suggest a good quench for 1095? I have 2 knives in 1095 to HT and I don't really want to have to buy 5 gal of Parks 50. What would you suggest? I was thinking about brine quenching but one of the knives is not mine, I am doing the HT for another forum member at the same time as I HT mine.I don't want to run a (bigger) risk of cracking or warping someone else's blade.Thanks, yo!
 
Oi, Daniel, supposing you had $150 to buy stuff to make a knife.

All you had already is some 1095 bar stock, a drill press, some decent files, micarta and a 1x30 and wood belt sander, what would you buy? Also some propane torches and canola oil... mustn't forget those. :p
 
Strigamort said:
Oi, Daniel, supposing you had $150 to buy stuff to make a knife.

All you had already is some 1095 bar stock, a drill press, some decent files, micarta and a 1x30 and wood belt sander, what would you buy? Also some propane torches and canola oil... mustn't forget those. :p
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Hi, strigamort
With the HT set up you have I would stay away from the 1095 and go with 1084 . You will likely get better performance from a simpler steel. Do you have a 2 brick forge yet?
Daniel, if I am wrong on this please feel free to poke me with a red hot piece of w2.
 
flatblackcapo said:
Hi, strigamort
With the HT set up you have I would stay away from the 1095 and go with 1084 . You will likely get better performance from a simpler steel. Do you have a 2 brick forge yet?
Daniel, if I am wrong on this please feel free to poke me with a red hot piece of w2.
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Oh you aren't wrong! :)

I have a tbf, but it's in my old shop,which is hard to get to, along with most of my other stuff. When I put my first order in for supplies years ago, I didn't realize that 1095 was a poor choice. I had never heard of The Baron, or knew anything about 1084.

If I grind up the 1095 I'll have to send it out. If I buy some 1084 I'll want to make a new tbf. ;)
 
flatblackcapo said:
Daniel, Can you suggest a good quench for 1095? I have 2 knives in 1095 to HT and I don't really want to have to buy 5 gal of Parks 50. What would you suggest? I was thinking about brine quenching but one of the knives is not mine, I am doing the HT for another forum member at the same time as I HT mine.I don't want to run a (bigger) risk of cracking or warping someone else's blade.Thanks, yo!
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I'd chance it on brine of they are not bevel ground or are even/thick. If not Canola oil is very fast and will be great on the thinner sections for 1095. Parks 50 of course is less risky and possibly better. You really can't go too wrong with canola oil for steels in the faster range. (until you save up for Parks 50)



Strigamort said:
Oi, Daniel, supposing you had $150 to buy stuff to make a knife.

All you had already is some 1095 bar stock, a drill press, some decent files, micarta and a 1x30 and wood belt sander, what would you buy? Also some propane torches and canola oil... mustn't forget those. :p
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1084 or send out for heat treat.. that won't cost you a ton. Heck I'd try heat treating the 1095 with a torch, just test and see.

Good sandpaper - Ryhnowet from supergrit? I can't find my link.... you can get 3m locally I bet, decent paper will help. Use it like it is free.

A vise is handy...

Hand sanding setup...

You are doing well as far s setup goes, spend your money on heat treat and entertainment while sanding. :D More later...\

I'm tired from a long day, I bet I have forgotten a lot! A granite surface plate is nice to have for judging flatness and having a fl;at surface to sand on. Woodcraft.com...
 
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Strig, something that gets thrown around the webz quite a bit is that anything other than 1084 should never be used if you don't have precisely controlled HT regime. Fooey on that. 1095, O1, 5160, and other mid grade tools steels can get reasonably hard during basic home heat treat. Would I ever sell a knife with sub standard HT? No. Would I ever keep and use a knife with less than optimal HT, hell yes! And I do.

O1 and 1095 can make very useable, deffinetely hard, and perfectly ok knives is done in a 2BF and used motor oil. Ok, used motor oil should never be used, its just plain bad as a quench and even worse for your health.

Understanding how it should properly be done and doing your best to approximate it with what you have available will yeild a reasonable result.


-X
 
Thanks DF, FC and Xander!

Very interesting about the 1095. You're right, I can't remember the last time that I read that it can (methodically) done at home with limited gear.

My stock is a bit large/thicker than I'd like (rookie error) but shouldn't be that hard to make good. I can set up a good sanding area maybe using a couple of 2x72 belts cut up.

I'm thinking a small, thin bird & trout or something else similarly small.

About how thick would you leave the edge before trying a tbf, and without knowing the temp, what color would you shoot for? Just let it get to color, or let it soak? Non-magnetic okay?

Thanks again! :)
 
Strigamort said:
Thanks DF, FC and Xander!

Very interesting about the 1095. You're right, I can't remember the last time that I read that it can (methodically) done at home with limited gear.

My stock is a bit large/thicker than I'd like (rookie error) but shouldn't be that hard to make good. I can set up a good sanding area maybe using a couple of 2x72 belts cut up.

I'm thinking a small, thin bird & trout or something else similarly small.

About how thick would you leave the edge before trying a tbf, and without knowing the temp, what color would you shoot for? Just let it get to color, or let it soak? Non-magnetic okay?

Thanks again! :)
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I agree, better to get going than wait... you might want to send it off after the work but if you are like me you are going to want it heat treated fast! Most people have a strong opinion on the subject... I say unless you are selling them I wouldn't worry too much about it.

The 1095 requires a soak at temp but the real kicker is the quench speed, the nose is very fast. Hard to do perfectly without a fast oil...
5160 is easy to quench right but really needs the controlled soak
O1 just isn't that good unless really well done, I soak for 30 minutes at 1500

This was my guide for making my first knife, it really sums everything up. ----> http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/694673-How-to-instructions-for-making-a-knife

Heat treat - you may need some firebrick (2bf I see...) or something to retain the heat. Get it just past non-magnetic and do your best to hold that temp without burning the tip.

edge thickness - for the forge leave it dime thick or so.... leave room to sand off decarb but not so much that you need to remove tons of metal

A Bird and Trout sounds excellent!

:thumbup: :thumbup:
 
What is the best way, and what are the best type of drill bits, for drilling titanium? And, is there an easy way to cut it? I have a sheet that is .050" thick.
 
Man I wish I had experience. Gut says drill very slowly. iirc there's something to do with heat transfer and titanium? That's all I know D:
 
gooeytek said:
What is the best way, and what are the best type of drill bits, for drilling titanium? And, is there an easy way to cut it? I have a sheet that is .050" thick.
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DF will know more about alloys, but I drilled 25 holes in a plate of CP ti yesterday using a hss bit and a little wd-40. I set my press to the slowest setting. Leaned into it a bit, and once I saw a coil, tried to keep even/firm pressure.

It was very easy in my .07 plate.

IMAG1811_zpsfc33b52d.jpg


Making a shield pendant btw. ;)
 
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