first try at knife making input wanted

R

rhosk

Joined
Aug 28, 2012
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150
This is my first go at this so far I've cut the shape out of 1/8" 1095 with a hacksaw shaped it a little with a bench grinder and I'm refining it with a hand file and a dremel tool. I have not really worked out how to grind the blade. I have no access to proper tools. I think I know a guy who will heat treat it for me but like I said this is my first go at this so it will probably take a while. I guess the best way to learn is to do right

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Personally I would stay away from the bench grinder as far as grinding the bevels go. It's very likely you would not be happy with the results. Filing in the bevels takes a bit longer but you will end up with a better finished product in the end. Also the stickies at the top of this forum section have a huge volume of valuable info that can be a great help. I would suggest reading through those, since most of the info there comes from very knowledgable and experienced makers.
 
Grayzer86 said:
Personally I would stay away from the bench grinder as far as grinding the bevels go. It's very likely you would not be happy with the results. Filing in the bevels takes a bit longer but you will end up with a better finished product in the end. Also the stickies at the top of this forum section have a huge volume of valuable info that can be a great help. I would suggest reading through those, since most of the info there comes from very knowledgable and experienced makers.
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+1
Stick with the files... Bench grinders have their place and putting a fine edge on a knife isn't one of them.
 
That looks great for a first knife. If you don't already have good files then go to Home Depot and buy a nickleson double cut bastard for around 8 bucks. if you have a little extra money after that buy a 10 pack variety set of files by husky for around $10. They aren't the same quality as the nickleson but you will have a great selection for detailed work and etc. for a great price. Also look up some tutorials on draw filing.
 
Don't forget the tiny detail files, which may be included in the husky multi-pack mentioned above, can't recall... I have several sets of these as well as a set of dental type picks. I know its a little off topic from the OP's question, but I use these little things more than I ever dreamed I would when I got the first set... But, that may be just me. I tend to do a few things "weird."
 
Thanks 12345678910 that filing jig is a great and very feasible idea I think I can probably pull that off. sweet!! I'm off work tomorrow I'm gonna try to work something like that out. I will post results if I get that far.
 
Upon reading a lot on free hand filing vs jigs I decided to free hand here are my results I'm pretty happy with them just need too do some sanding then decide if I want to remove any material from inside the handle (skeletonize) anyway I'm not sure what you all can glean from these pictures but any input good bad or indifferent is welcome ( I have read many of the stickies and I am continuing to do so, but if there is one you know of that is particularly pertinent please let me know)
Thanks guys
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My suggestion would be to take the grind higher up the blade. It is common for first time blades to have a very steep axe like grind, simply due to the amount of work involved I think and eagerness to be done... One of the stickies does state somewhere "think thin, thin wins...." It looks like you are going for a convex grind... I love convex grinds, and do a lot of them on slack belt free hand... Not that my way is the only way, but I am finishing a 7" blade fighter with a 1/4" thick recurve blade 1.5" wide at it'd widest. I am at .180" nearly 3/4" into the blade. It is a nice gentle taper all the way down the blade... Keep in mind that the body of that blade has to follow the edge through whatever you are cutting. If you want a chopper only, shallow and fat is great. All around I like slick and trim... (Its also hard to tell from the pics, but if it is aldeady slim, ignore me...)
Looks nice and even so far. Keep in mind where to stop thinness wise before heat treat. Little points adlnd thin edges get really hot really quick. Looks like its turning out well.
Cheers!
 
Here are some new pics with some input from the forums taken into account and more grinding work done with a 1x30 belt sander so its thinned out and generally refined also I've begun to skeletonize the handle but I got this opening made and realized the tools that I have (dremel bits and round files) don't fit in the hole. I'll fix that next time I have a chance to get into the garage.I'm pretty happy with my progress so far as always I really want comments and criticism it has helped so much up to this point.
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As for the plunge hopefully next time I can get a clean one but I botched this one so no plunge. If anyone outside this post inquires about it. I'll call it a creative design decision.

Thanks again to everyone for all the help
 
Here it is after a little more work with a metal jig saw and a drill the profile and weight are very promising so I can't wait to get some more time to work on it. Hopefully tomorrow

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