- Joined
- Jan 29, 1999
- Messages
- 48
I still hand file all of my blades and I take great pride in the fact that I can cut a pretty sharp, crisp line. Since I am still a part time maker, I can still enjoy the effort it takes to do a good job without concern that I might go hungry...
I took an order to make six matching knives. The only difference will be the file work and handle material.
It took me about 4 hours to file the first blade and six hours to file the second blade. The extra time was required to carefully match the previous blade's cut.
After that, I did some thinking that there must be a better way (but still maintaining the "handmade" ethic--hold the blade to the tool, or hold the tool to the blade...). It was then that I remember reading a bladesmith's home page about 6-9 months ago.
This bladesmith (I do not remember his name and I did not save his homepage...) created a jig for holding the file while his blade is clamped in a holding device.
I quickly put together my own version. I mounted the blade in a pair of "machinist's parallel blocks" and clamped that into my bench vice. This holds my blade rock solid and securely in the vice in a perfect horizontal position. I then mounted a vertical pipe 24 inches in front of my vice. I then mounted a bushing with cable ties to the pipe. I then fastened my file to the end of a 36 inch long piece of 1/4 inch piano wire.
I ran the free end of the piano wire through the bushing and through experimentation, I raised the bushing to 6 inches higher than the blade.
I then went to work on a third blade and finished the filing in about two hours, then I attached sand paper directly to the file with spray glue. When I was done, less than 3 hours total, the edge line of the blade is as sharp as cut glass, its unbelievable how neat it is.
Im going to replace the bushing with a 1/4 inch threaded tie-rod (it has a 1/4 hole in the ball joint and will let me pivot the rod any which way. I will replace the piano wire with drill rod. And I will replace the pipe with a threaded rod so I can control the angle height more precisely.
I just dont have any ideas on how to mount my file more securely. On my test model, I merely used duct tape. The tape worked great but I would rather use something more secure. And I need a better idea for the sand paper
Does anyone remember who is using this method to file their blades and know their web page address???
Does anyone have any suggestions that might solve the problems I brought up so far???
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Bruce
I took an order to make six matching knives. The only difference will be the file work and handle material.
It took me about 4 hours to file the first blade and six hours to file the second blade. The extra time was required to carefully match the previous blade's cut.
After that, I did some thinking that there must be a better way (but still maintaining the "handmade" ethic--hold the blade to the tool, or hold the tool to the blade...). It was then that I remember reading a bladesmith's home page about 6-9 months ago.
This bladesmith (I do not remember his name and I did not save his homepage...) created a jig for holding the file while his blade is clamped in a holding device.
I quickly put together my own version. I mounted the blade in a pair of "machinist's parallel blocks" and clamped that into my bench vice. This holds my blade rock solid and securely in the vice in a perfect horizontal position. I then mounted a vertical pipe 24 inches in front of my vice. I then mounted a bushing with cable ties to the pipe. I then fastened my file to the end of a 36 inch long piece of 1/4 inch piano wire.
I ran the free end of the piano wire through the bushing and through experimentation, I raised the bushing to 6 inches higher than the blade.
I then went to work on a third blade and finished the filing in about two hours, then I attached sand paper directly to the file with spray glue. When I was done, less than 3 hours total, the edge line of the blade is as sharp as cut glass, its unbelievable how neat it is.
Im going to replace the bushing with a 1/4 inch threaded tie-rod (it has a 1/4 hole in the ball joint and will let me pivot the rod any which way. I will replace the piano wire with drill rod. And I will replace the pipe with a threaded rod so I can control the angle height more precisely.
I just dont have any ideas on how to mount my file more securely. On my test model, I merely used duct tape. The tape worked great but I would rather use something more secure. And I need a better idea for the sand paper
Does anyone remember who is using this method to file their blades and know their web page address???
Does anyone have any suggestions that might solve the problems I brought up so far???
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Bruce