Grinder use on O-1 steel

[knife newbie]

So I was inspired by an old fox fire book to make my own knife. I bought a lenght of 3/4" x 1/16" O-1 steel, and I was planning on grinding out a shape using a fine and rough grit power grinder. But since buying it I've heard that you shouldn't use grinders/buffers/etc. on stainless that have been used on other metal types, and my grinders definately have. So I was going to try and buy new metal cutting blades for my jig saw and angle grinder and rough a knife out that way. But since then I found this chart

http://www.agrussell.com/knife_information/steel_guide/

which doesn't list o-1 with stainless which makes me think I COULD use my bench top grinders to shape my knife.

I'm just not sure now, any advice out there about whether I can use a tainted grinder, and if not would a jig saw + angle grinder combo work with new blades?

 

[John R. Fraps]

O-1 definitely is not stainless. It is a real good non-stainless steel that makes a fine knife blade once heat treated and tempered properly.

Starting with a piece as thin as 1/16" could make a fine fillet knife or smaller kitchen knife or a small working knife.....small skinner, etc.

You don't have your information completed in the profile or I might be able to recommend you talk with a maker near you....just don't know where you are.
If you called and then visited with a maker near you, you might jsut save months of trial and error toward being able to make one you would at least like and be able to use...... and most knifemakers are willing to share experiences.......and information......

 

[flatgrinder]

O1 is not a stainless steel, even if it was you can grind on Stainless. Bob Loveless, the father of modern knifemaking, introduced ATS-34 (a stainless tool steel) to the knife making community as well as stock removal (basically hogging out a knife from a piece of flat stock).

Basically, grind away and have fun.

P.S. My first few knives were made from O1, using a bench grinder and a couple of files.