File knife,newbie questions.

H

hobbiest

Joined
Jul 26, 2014
Messages
55
Would like to make first knife. Go easy on me with the stupid questions. Ive seen some file knives and would like to do that for fun. Read several threads and get a little confused cause they usually say more than one method.
Can I buy a nicholson file (made in mexico) Put in the oven at 450 deg for 2 hrs and then file/grind away if I keep the temps under 400 deg and be alright?

I know this is over simplified but as I said get a little confused reading some of the threads.
 
Not over simplified but wrong. You need to anneal the steel to bring the hardness all the way down so you can work with it. What you described is tempering which is what's done after heat treat to bring back the hardness just enough to make a good blade.

Something tells me somebody didn't read the stickies:)
 
Portman30-06 - in my unimportant opinion that's uncalled for and unfunny.

For the OP - as jobasha11 suggested there is a wealth of info in those stickies. I suspect you'll also have some really experienced knife makers and all-round great guys giving their opinions before too long. One of the more common suggestions for new makers is to get a bar of steel of a known type, rather than trying to shape a file - that way you know what you're dealing with and can get reliable information on heat treating etc.

Cheers
C
 
Last edited:
Ill try to read the stickies. I had done a web search and read different threads. I was thinking nicholson cause people were mentioned the usa version but they are now made out of country. I saw someone say they still use the mexico version and was looking at thoughts on that. My thinking was if enough people have made out of them it was a known steel to someone.

As far as annealing I thought I read in a thread that it softened it aloft then you worked on it and re-hardened it and tempered it but if you wanted to you could put it in the oven once or twice at 450 and it would soften it some and you could grind it if you kept it under 450* even though it might be harder to work. Maybe I read that wrong.
It seamed like the easier way to me than building a forge for one knife.
 
hobbiest said:
Ill try to read the stickies. I had done a web search and read different threads. I was thinking nicholson cause people were mentioned the usa version but they are now made out of country. I saw someone say they still use the mexico version and was looking at thoughts on that. My thinking was if enough people have made out of them it was a known steel to someone.

As far as annealing I thought I read in a thread that it softened it aloft then you worked on it and re-hardened it and tempered it but if you wanted to you could put it in the oven once or twice at 450 and it would soften it some and you could grind it if you kept it under 450* even though it might be harder to work. Maybe I read that wrong.
It seamed like the easier way to me than building a forge for one knife.
Click to expand...

MUCH harder if you want to do it the way you want to. Your better of making a small propane forge or using a torch so you can anneal and heat treat.
If your going to pay $10 for a file why not buy 2 feet of 1084 for the same price. Steel is the cheapest thing that goes into a knife but its also the most important so why would you avoid this?
 
Can see doing this down the road (bought steel)just thought a file one looked cool. Wasn't even going to put handles on it. Was going to try to make it as nice as possible though. Have seen pics of ones that look professional and have seen the one that looked hacked into with a angle grinder.
 
Well if has nothing to do with performance then why try to keep the heat treat? It's not going to be very usable anyways without a handle...

If you want to make a knife then there is a wealth of info in this forum to help you do so. Not so much for KSO's.
 
I suggest you look for some old files at swap meet, yard sales and the like. Cheap, like .50 cents or a buck or two depending on condition.

That was how I started and made two file knives. Then moved to a new, known steel for my knives. 440C.
If you want to hand file your file knife? You will need to anneal it as stated. If you are using a belt grinder. You can grind the file as is, just dunk it in water every pass to keep it cool.
 
Lots of knives without handles. Buck makes a whole line of them,kabar and more. Have to tell those people they arnt usable. Not trying to argue just saying usable is up to the person.
As far as tools I have a nicholson bastard file,4x36 bench sander,6" bench grinder,4 1/2" angle grinder with the sanding flap disk,access to a portable milwaukee band saw and a 7x12 jet band saw,large drill press. Looking to get a drum sander soon. None of this is knife related to me so not sure what is best.

I generally like this style http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5450/7422768622_f4f98a3869_b.jpg and or would like a kiridashi style

Maybe I should have said no scales not handle. Not up on all the lingo yet :)
 
As noted above, your belt sander will probably work the best for doing the bevels. Your bench grinder will work well for grinding the shape for the blade. Temper the file back and have at it. You might want to get some carbide tipped masonary bits if you are going to drill holes through the file. Keep us posted on how things turn out.
 
Any recommendations or threads on good files to get for material removal/shaping ect. Like size,style,ect.
 
Wondering cause Im going to order a usa made nicholson tonight and I thought Id get some other files needed for future since it save shipping.
 
Found some old files at a yardsale. Any solution or cleaner that would be good to clean them up? Not real rusty just want to brighten them up.
 
Last edited:
Got the files for 1.00 apeace. All american, 3 nicholsons. Starting with the smallest just to get my feet wet. Its reminds of an exacto knife so doing kiridashi style.. I know its going to be hard if Im not annealing it but how do I have a clue if Ive got it close to the hardness I want? Figure this is a good thing to know in general. I did 400 deg for an hr then 450deg for an hr and it still seams to hard to me. I can file it though however slowly so is that good? I was tempering it a little at a time as read on a different thread cause you can't take it back if I do to much.

Also how do you PM? Cant find the option when I click on someones name. Figure it would be better to ask some of these questions to people in past threads that have done it similar.

Down the road if I make some out of known metal and I get to a place they are turning out well I will probably send it of to be professionally HT for awile.
 
The blade feels hard because it IS hard. It is probably around Rc 59-60.

You should not be filing on it if the file is a good carbon steel type tempered at 450F. You can sand it slowly with good grade sandpaper, and grind it slowly on metal grinding belts, but a file will go dull in a minutes or less if you try filing. You will be doing yourself and the final knife a big favor if you go ahead and fully anneal the file first....or use annealed knife blade steel like 1084.
If you filled out your profile, people near to you might be able to offer real knife steel and other assistance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top