first try

S

shaft

Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Messages
121
i am going to try my hand at making a knife but want to ues steel i atready have,so what would be better, old files,crosscut saw blade,leaf spring??? the style will be like the cs o tanto but with a different guard, about a 6 in blade...if using these steels will i have to heat treat?? or do I just grind to the shape??...its my first time so gimme a hand guys...thanx:D

SEMPER FI:grumpy:
 
Heat treating is definantely a good thing. If you can determine the exact type of steel you're using, that would be better. Who made the file and how old? Might be W-2.
 
I'd go with the leaf spring (most likely 5160), though old Nicholson (sp?) files make nice knives as well. Many of my first kives were made from files and saw blades. You'll need to heat treat the steels you mentioned unless you have something in the relative shape you want (minimal cutting) and you can keep it very cool while grinding. This will keep you from burning the temper out of the steel. I wouldn't trust it though. I'd heat treat it myself to be certain it will perform. You can do these steels easily at home.
 
It depends how you are going to do it. Old files are generally very hard and brittle when thin. I know a maker in the North of western australia who makes a lot of knives from old saw blades. I use a lot myself in damascus.

If you are going to make a knife from the old blades they will be hard
. If you get them too hot while grinding they will loose the hardness.

If you aneal them then you will need to re harden and temper them.

I am being way to simplistic. However I would be inclined to see what else you have rather than the files. That is only because of the britleness. I would go with saw blade. It will be a lot harder than using a piece of new annealed steel. If you are just in it for the sake of saying I made one the hard way anything will do. Once you get the bug you can start going into the science like some of the fine makers on this forum.

Good luck what ever you turn out it will all be practice for your hand skills. We all need hand skills.
 
the files are nicholson some are very large, I want to mank a traditional type tanto like a cs O tanto ( crkt is comming out with one too but cant find the pic, I seen it on here somewhere??) so i wouldent have to remove much from the file to get it to the profile.
now I know this is a dumb question but how do i heat treat it after i get it profiled?? heat it to a certin temp for so long then quench it?? i was told to quench it in rock salt or old oil, is this a good way?? and what temp, and for how long??....see told you it was my first time doing this...:eek:

SEMPER FI:grumpy:
 
Shaft,
Use the search here on Shop Talk for each specific question you have you will find a wealth of information.
 
Shaft, If you want, send me an e-mail and I'll tell you how I did my first file knives. We can figure out what you've got and what will work best for you.
 
thanks guys its nice to see people who actuall give a crap stll exist, I will e mail you later tonight about what I have in this head of mine and see if it works...thanx again

SEMPER FI:grumpy:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top