Getting knives from your computer to the steel.

D

daspope

Joined
Aug 3, 2014
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Ok, so in my woodworking adventures, I will generally print out my cut lines then adhere them to the work piece with 3M super 77 spray adhesive, then go to town, once I make my cuts some acetone takes the paper off like a champ.

I tried to apply this same method to steel for a knife and found that the paper starts to shift and come off from being heated then quenched repeatedly. so what I did was cut out my design, then held it to the steel and spray painted over it with some neon green paint I had. This worked great for getting the general outline but I lose all of my details I had on the design like the bevel height, pin holes, ricosso(spelling?) position etc.

I was just wondering if someone had a way to get their exact design transferred from the computer to the steel in a manner that would be permanent until it got ground off. I couldn't draw free hand to save my life so its best I stick to the printed up designs lol.
 
daspope said:
Ok, so in my woodworking adventures, I will generally print out my cut lines then adhere them to the work piece with 3M super 77 spray adhesive, then go to town, once I make my cuts some acetone takes the paper off like a champ.

I tried to apply this same method to steel for a knife and found that the paper starts to shift and come off from being heated then quenched repeatedly. so what I did was cut out my design, then held it to the steel and spray painted over it with some neon green paint I had. This worked great for getting the general outline but I lose all of my details I had on the design like the bevel height, pin holes, ricosso(spelling?) position etc.

I was just wondering if someone had a way to get their exact design transferred from the computer to the steel in a manner that would be permanent until it got ground off. I couldn't draw free hand to save my life so its best I stick to the printed up designs lol.
Click to expand...

They sell what I think is called machinist paint that I see others use on here. Then you can scratch out details on it. You spray it on once you've cut out your blank.
 
Better usually to make a "hard copy" Formica can be great for this. Glue the pattern on this and cut it out. Frank
 
I print my designs from Adobe Illustrator and attach the print to a piece of 16ga sheet metal with Super 77. I profile the pattern with the bandsaw, belt grinder and files. I don't let it get too hot and I don't dip it. When my pattern is complete, I use a heat gun to remove the paper and then clean it up with acetone. I then scribe the pattern onto a Dykem painted blank. I gave up on having layouts on my patterns because I often change things up from knife to knife. It's just easier to lay it out on the profiled blade.

Bob
 
I have been pretty much doing what you are doing- printing it, super 77 to steel. Only thing I have done is I mark my center points with punch before cutting- helps to see them before paper gets dirty- then cut profile with bandsaw, then grind profile with coarse grit belts so heat is not much of an issue. As grits get finer- and blade gets hotter- then I dip in water but profile is not an issue at this point. Also, before I grind profile I scribe a line through the paper for the bevel location so I know where it is once I have removed the paper template.
 
Cool awesome info, i will probably make a sheet metal template blank as i have some scrap
 
I print mine off and super glue it to the steel. I make sure it's well flooded and it holds up to profiling and dunking just fine
 
Not only do I prefer the sheet metal template, I make a total of 3 sheet metal templates: one for the blade which has the outline and pin holes. One for the handle, which is the outline of the handle plus pin holes. And the last one is the handle outline and pin holes, PLUS the spine and desired grind line or lines if I'm doing a false edge.

On the handle, I usually trace the pattern with a sharpie,and cut just inside the outside edge of the line - this leaves a tad less than 1/16" to remove in the sanding stage.
 
I sketch it out, scan it in, clean it up in Illustrator, print it to size, spray glue it to Masonite hardboard, profile that template, Apply Dykem to the steel blank, scribe the profile, mark the edge centers, fit up the file guide then grind. Templates go on the shelf for possible later use. I don't worry about scribing exact grind lines or hole placement. That all gets measured out or adjusted later.


 
Just my $.02.....
I like to hand draw my designs and when I'm satisfied I copy them to the computer and save it and then I print a copy and then I get the scissors out and cut to exact profile then I spray adhesive it to the

metal then I just get a can of bright spray paint and spray over it then I can just peel the paper pattern off and I have a perfect outline.

this would not work to well if your doing production but if you designing allot of knives and don't need to have a metal pattern around this works great.

Daniel
 
i4Marc said:
I sketch it out, scan it in, clean it up in Illustrator, print it to size, spray glue it to Masonite hardboard, profile that template, Apply Dykem to the steel blank, scribe the profile, mark the edge centers, fit up the file guide then grind. Templates go on the shelf for possible later use. I don't worry about scribing exact grind lines or hole placement. That all gets measured out or adjusted later.


Click to expand...
those are some sweet patterns how did you get those nice lines on your paper? what did you design them in?
 
DR,

After scanning my sketches into the computer I use Adobe Illustrator to clean it up and size it. I'm sure there are free vector art programs that will do the same thing.
 
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