From Bar to Blade

N

Needle Mouse

Joined
Nov 17, 2012
Messages
81
Hey everybody Im fairly new to knife makeing Im not gunna lie but now I think Im ready to fianally make an orginally work of my own the only thing is I want to make sure I do it absolutly right. So I got me some 1095 154CM steel and also some S30V steel bar but the only think is Im a little aprensive one the first stage of cutting the bar, I want to just get out the plasma cutter but Im afraid that it will burn the steel to much and loose carbon and ruin the ingerity of the steel, I was also thinking of useing a water jet to cut it but Im afraid that might cost too much just to save a few carbon molecules. Anything better than useing the old hack saw PLEASE. So my question is what do you guys do for the first stage of cutting out your blade from just staight bar stock? I want to do the best thing I can so Im asking from the best.
 
I use either a my small 6x4 metal bandsaw or if my yield is good, I hog it with a 36 grit belt. If you use a plasma cutter you are going to have to give yourself some margin (at least 1/8"). Boy, you sure didn't start out with easiest of steels to work with. The 154CM is pretty rough on bandsaw blades but grinds okay.
 
ya Ive been useing 154cm a lot with just a hacksaw and it rapes my blades 1095 has been pretty good to me but I want to do something a little less primative and time consumeing
 
I don't have much in the way of tools myself. It takes a while, and using an angle grinder would go faster, but I use a Dremel tool with the metal cut-off wheels. Works just fine, but slow, and you can't work into tight corners and turns. I cut the general outline, and finish it up with the belt sander.
 
I just use a jig saw. Not the best but it's what I have. Only takes about a minute and a single blade will cut out 3 or 4 segments of 1084. Go medium speed and use oil.

Oh, don't stress too much about getting everything prefect. Learn by doing.
 
I am new myself but I have used an angle grinder and a wheel grinder. They both work but take a while. I am going to order a cheap Harbor Freight part able band saw soon. The other ways take too long, are too messy, and build up a lot of heat. Grind a little and dunk in water.
 
Drill press. Draw your pattern onto the bar stock, drill holes around the outside, then take a cold chisel and play connect-the-holes. File the excess.
 
You can't go wrong with a belt sander or grinder of some sort, just keep the heat down with water and have some fun making your first custom knife.
 
Chop saw/hacksaw off a chunk, grind to profile. There are better ways but I have made a few hundred knives that way. Profile grinding goes fast...
 
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