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Oldtools

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Aug 3, 2006
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Well this weekend I went out and bought some massive new files, a mini hacksaw and a box to keep things in. I wanted a small knife making kit. I also bought Step by Step Knifemaking by David Boye as was suggested.

I have ordered three knife kits and the book The $50.00 Knife Shop, and I hope they'll be here by the end of the week. That will be my Anniversary present from my Kids to me, to them, as my oldest daughter and son will be building their own knife while I build mine. I ordered three different styles as we have our own personalities.

I've asked my wife to get me The Complete Bladesmith for our Anniversary to complete the set of suggested reading. Our Anniversary is next Sunday, so I hope there are no delays.

I'd also like to try a making my own blade from some of the scrap I have around. We have a pile of wood that needs to be burned and I figure why not heat treat the blade then? What is the easiest metal to use for a first blade?

I hope I can also get to the scrap yard this week to pick up something for a future project to help with knife making. Oh, I also need some oxy and acetylene too.

Oh well, a busy week ahead.

Keep em sharp.
 
cool! I just started myself, and it's a blast. I couldn't sleep the other day until I finished it. I was up past 3am sharpening my new knife for the first time. :D
 
If you want to use the wood for heat treating, I think the best route is turn the wood to charcoal and build a forge suitable for charcoal. (side blast works better for charcoal than bottom blast.) For starting if you want to heat treat yourself go for a plain carbon alloy (10XX, W-1, W-2 or the like). You'll have a better idea of what questions to ask after going through "The Complete Bladesmith".
 
welcome aboard there is alot of knowledge from very nice folks here. I recently just started myself and have learned so much in the last 2 months. i am just about to finish my second complete knife from scratch. One thing u mention is scrap steel , alot here will tell u to go with steel u know what it is , the reason for this is for the heat treatment otherwise u are just guessing temps and times needed. i started with 01 steel my self some say it cost more but it is super easy to file down and work. i do think many start 5160 and 1095 as mentioned above.
 
If your wanting to forge a good source of cheap steel is coil springs, for stock removal it's best to go ahead and buy some 1084, O-1. I'd stay away from 1095 untill you've got a little practice on the heat treat, it makes a good blade but got to be fast on the quench where as 1084 and O-1 are pretty easy to heat treat. If your forging the coil springs are most times 5160 and is forgiving to heat treat and makes an awsome blade. Also a little experimentation will teach you a lot. I don't use salvaged steel much because I like repeatable results, but I learned a lot by playing with junkyard steels and figureing out the heat treat on my own.

Anouther good book to have is Wayne Goddard's "Wonder of Knifemaking", lots of good info there.

Welcome to the addiction!:eek:
 
The best thing you can find in the scrap yard is an old anvil (not likely,though) the next best is a big block or round of steel to use as an anvil,Scrap steel can cost from .30 to $1.00 a pound,depending on what it is. For making blades,buy a known steel from a good supplier. I would recommend 5160,1084,O-1 and W-1 as good starter steels. 1.25X 1/4" is a good starter size for forging,1.50X 3/16" for grinding.The 5160 can often be purchased from a local spring making shop.None of these steels will cost much.You can order them in short pieces from any knife supplier.
Son of Blue Grass is right about needing to make a charcoal retort if you are going to make your own fuel.Most smiths either buy blacksmith coal or lump charcoal for their burning forges,or use a gas forge.You can build a cheap charcoal forge from a truck brake drum.Lots of plans out there.Building a gas forge is cheap and fun,too.Check out Darren Ellis at, http://refractory.elliscustomknifeworks.com/
 
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I'm sure once I have all the books and have read till my eyes bleed I will have a clue about metals for blades. :)

What I am thinking of picking up at the salvage yard is on old Oxygen tank to make into a propane forge similar to the Donn Fogg design. I know I've seen the tanks at the yard, so I hope they're cheap. I also have some interesting barrels that I could make a furnace/smelter from the Lionel Oliver II style plans.

Are the coil springs you refer to from Automobiles, which I am pretty sure I've read make good tools. I imagine it would take quite a bit of shaping to make a blade from those. Well I'll know soon enough if I have the books I need at the end of this week or the middle of next week.

Now it looks as though I have another book to add to my reading list.

Oh, and one last thing. What about the mill size bandsaw blades that Boye recommends? I think I might be able to find some of that material locally.

Thanks for the advice.
 
Try Kovalknives.com for some of their annealed 1095. This is fairly easy to heat treat on your own. Heat to non-magnetic and quench in oil (transmission oil will work).

Have fun!
 
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