defeated

artificialj

artificialj

Joined
Dec 9, 2010
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So I decided that today was going to be the day that I made my first guard. Nice little drop point hunter, hidden tang, got a new filing guide, filed my shoulders down, all ready to go. Re read Kessler's book, Wheeler's giant WIP, every possible guard post here and on KD.

Decided to use some scrap stainless steel angle iron (do you still call it "angle iron" if its stainless?) someone gave me a couple years ago. Nice large flat sections (1/4" x 4" x length), so I cut out a bunch of little rectangles (with my angle grinder), just in case I messed up drilling holes. Should have suspected something odd was happening here, as it ate up 2 cut off disks just cutting maybe 12 linear inches (1/4" depth).

Went to start drilling holes, and everything went wrong. Drilled through fine at first, then broke a bit. Drilled off center, so tried a new piece. Broke bit. Replaced. Broke bit. Tried a different piece. Drilled 2 holes. Broke bit. Broke 2 more bits.

What is happening here? I double checked that my drill speed was appropriate, used cutting fluid, was using new bits... What could my problem be? Odd impurities? Big Cr3C2 clusters or something? Am I an idiot?

So I guess I'm going to have to order some nickle silver or something.
 
Sounds like the NS will be a much better choice. The stainless type is anybody's
guess....was possibly hardened in spots from the flattening or cutting process.

In the long run, it's usually cheaper and easier on the nerves to work with known stuff...
 
As you are discovering, all stainless steels are not created equal. Some actually work harden when trying to drill and the first thing you know, you have a hot squealing bit or worse, a broken bit.

I've been there and done that. Get yourself some 416 and let the good times roll. I have used 303, but engravers hate it. Some say it seems to be "gummy" when machining. I have had good luck using it for guards, but I would prefer 416.

It is kind of like making a blade from unknown steel. It might work and it might not.

Save yourself some major frustration and get some "good stuff". Free ain't always Free. I guess anything is possible if you are willing to pay the consequences.

Robert
 
:D:D:DI am laughing with you not at you!:D

There is a lot to that free is not always free thing Robert mentioned! My son in law works in the medical/computer/technical repiar side of the medical field.

He brings me stuff all the time and says this is SS. What kind I ask, don't know he says. I have made a couple of tools from some of it but,..............most of it goes in the scrap steel pile and when I sell it I buy the stuff I really need.

I mean I don't want to hurt his feelings :eek: but, I have been there with the two blades in less than 12" thing and 5-6 bits and still don't have a hole!

So again free ain't always free, but in this case it helps to pay for the right stuff!;)
 
artificialj said:
Anyone have a good nickle silver supplier for larger thicknesses?
Click to expand...

Looks like you've heard what was said... 416 stainless is good to work with, but the NS is the way to go.

What do you want "larger thickness" wise? Jantz has a good selection of NS.

Charlie
 
My first guard was in mild steel that was laying around. It worked pretty easily. You can either keep it polished or blue it.
 
On another forum Karl Anderson posted that SS can be annealed by heating then putting in bucket of water- the opposite of what most knifemakers would think.

Have you tried a cobalt drill bit? I have bailed myself out of this situation with these bits.

I need to do more research but I believe you want to look for metals that are free machining and not all SS are free machining.
 
I had some big pieces of SS boiler plate that I used for fittings. It was only when I started using 416 that I realized what a BEAR that SS scrap was to deal with. I had been assuming that all the stress was the cost of using SS.

NS is great to work with. It works and solders like butta. Good luck, I know you'll have much better success with the right stuff.

You sound far from defeated. I know how you feel though, I worked hard on a dagger last week, it kicked my butt all day and in the end I had to step back after nearly destroying it for the third time.:eek:
 
Thanks guys. Yeah, maybe not defeated, but the SS definitely won the round yesterday. Ordered a great big selection of stuff from Jantz - got some SS, NS, and various fun spacer materials coming, decided to splurge due to having such a bad day.

And yeah, even the cobalt bits broke...
 
Sometimes things just go that way.
Turn off the lights, have a cup of coffee, an other cup of coffee, a beer, a second beer and come back the next day.
Sometimes it just doesn't happen
 
Online metals is worth looking at too, for stainless and copper. They have good prices and will cut to length for a very small fee, shipping is very quick. I didn't see any N/S there, though.
 
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