First knife WIP!!!!!

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roblockwood

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When designing my first knife, I thought to myself-- "What has every other blade maker done wrong?"

I figure every blade shape and design has been done, not much to innovate with there. So maybe materials? There are lots of different scale and handle materials.... but virtually every knife uses a steel blade of some sort.

Then it hit me. ALUMINUM BLADE!

As a machinist, I don't much like hard steels. Aluminum is much easier to cut, so why go through all that hassle? Surely it would be easier to make a knife entirely from aluminum, and after all-- many grades are available pre-heat treat! So I chose 7075-t651. Its harder than some steels!

It turns out I was entirely correct!


DSC_0231_zpseb7fec0e.jpg


quick video as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpaUj7OHPt4

P.S. I'm having some issues with edge retention-- this thing simply wont stay sharp! Any ideas?

P.P.S Please don't burn my house down :(
 
Now-- hopefully its apparent that my post is largely satirical. I cant actually call this a WIP, I should call it more of a learning experience. I based my design largely off of another designers knife, and have no intentions of producing anything further on this design. It was more of a functional test, and of that, I can call it a success. The bearings fit, and functioned properly until they wore a severe groove into the blade. The lock geometry wasnt quite correct, but it gave me an idea of what to do in the future.

Anyhow, I just felt like sharing the first step of my experience. Feel free to lambaste me, or preferably ask questions.
 
Well now that kinda looks pretty well made and I know that you DO know how to correct that problem. As it is I wouldn't call it a collector knife so why not change it? Frank
 
1. I don't think the comment "things every maker has done wrong" will win you many friends here...just saying.

2. There is a reason aluminum is not used for cutting tools

3. If you are serious about learning to make knives read the stickies, and post less. Silence and listening skills are highly valued around here.

4. Welcome to Blade Forums and Shop Talk
 
Marko3 said:
Is this a joke ??
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Yes.

Dave Behrens said:
1. I don't think the comment "things every maker has done wrong" will win you many friends here...just saying.

2. There is a reason aluminum is not used for cutting tools

3. If you are serious about learning to make knives read the stickies, and post less. Silence and listening skills are highly valued around here.

4. Welcome to Blade Forums and Shop Talk
Click to expand...

David Loukides said:
:thumbdn:It is A Bad introduction trying to yank peoples chains after posting only 7 times.:thumbdn:
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Oof :( Tough crowd. I've been using my skills of silence and listening for a while now (some time in 2010)-- hence the low post count.

Frank Niro said:
Well now that kinda looks pretty well made and I know that you DO know how to correct that problem. As it is I wouldn't call it a collector knife so why not change it? Frank
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Its far from perfect, however, and I believe i'm capable of higher quality work.. I'll likely keep it around indefinitely-- after all its my first "knife" (letter opener)
 
roblockwood said:
Now-- hopefully its apparent that my post is largely satirical. I cant actually call this a WIP, I should call it more of a learning experience. I based my design largely off of another designers knife, and have no intentions of producing anything further on this design. It was more of a functional test, and of that, I can call it a success. The bearings fit, and functioned properly until they wore a severe groove into the blade. The lock geometry wasnt quite correct, but it gave me an idea of what to do in the future.

Anyhow, I just felt like sharing the first step of my experience. Feel free to lambaste me, or preferably ask questions.
Click to expand...

I was assuming your post was a little satirical. The timing with all of the current discussion of how to make Bladeforums better was in my opinion poor taste.

Now that that is out of the way, that is a pretty slick looking knife. Sad that it is made out of Aluminum. Lesson learned about it not being a strong enough material for a blade and the edge retention issue. Other than having it readily available, why did you use it? You didn't really think it would hold a good edge?

The fit and finish show your background as a machinist. Now use that to make another one with a proper blade material and you will be in business!

Please post how your next one turns out.
 
Problems with edge retention are directly related to lack of a "high" rockwell hardness, that is to say that typically the harder the steel the higher edge retention. There is trade off though with the "upper limits" of a blades hardness, typically when the hardness goes up the toughness goes down. The same holds true for softer steels such as a 420HC or a "surgical" steel used in some factory knives. these 400 series knives will get super sharp, but there is both lack of egde retention, and toughness in the steel. without any carbon present in the blade, cutting power and edge retention are going to be difficult....unless you are talking about the stellite type blades....all together different.
The knife is a neat design though. Its a neat concept, and alot of things are perfected through trial and error. It might not be perfect or practical for a knife, but thats the way I feel about alot of art knives.....all show and no go.
 
Wloch248 said:
I was assuming your post was a little satirical. The timing with all of the current discussion of how to make Bladeforums better was in my opinion poor taste.

Now that that is out of the way, that is a pretty slick looking knife. Sad that it is made out of Aluminum. Lesson learned about it not being a strong enough material for a blade and the edge retention issue. Other than having it readily available, why did you use it? You didn't really think it would hold a good edge?

The fit and finish show your background as a machinist. Now use that to make another one with a proper blade material and you will be in business!

Please post how your next one turns out.
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Thanks.

I never had any intentions of aluminum being a suitable blade material in any way-- Its simply easier to work with, and could at any time be replaced with a suitable steel-- Even the liner side of the frame is aluminum, and is also in no way suitable for that job, either. In fact, the first few iterations were 3d printed plastic.
 
Guys, He is just poking fun at his "aluminum" knife. The post was a gag, and should not really have been in Shop Talk....so I am locking it.

I agree that he meant no disrespect, but the timing is bad ,considering the recent problems.
If the OP had enabled PM or email I would have told him privately, but I have to do it here.
 
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