Grinding 1/4" steel

H

Hesparus

Joined
Oct 31, 2004
Messages
1,442
I've decided that I want to do a couple of knives in 1/4" 5160. I'm not set up for forging right now, so I'll be grinding them. Am I crazy?

- Chris
 
If you think your crazy, I must be insane! :D Check this 1/4"x 1 3/4" 5160 knife. I had it posted in the gallery. This is a stock removal knife.

5160SCK.JPG


Scott
 
Nothing crazy about that. The knife I sent to Iraq was 1/4" and I ground it on my bench grinder. 1/4"X1 1/2"X6" blade, hollow ground on an 8" wheel. Took about 45 minutes to get it ready to heat treat (after profiling, that probably took half an hour with a hacksaw and the grinder) :D
 
I like me some 1/4 steel. Anything less would be uncivilized. :D
 
Grinding is the easy part - cutting that thing out will make you crazy if you didn't start out that way...

BF65.jpg


After that I swore I'd never cut 1/4" steel again!

Like that lasted over a month... :rolleyes: :D
 
Sorry to bust in, BUT:
Dave, that was sure nice to see again! I made sure and copied the foto this time. That piece is so very cool and the detailing is great!
 
Hesparus said:
I've decided that I want to do a couple of knives in 1/4" 5160. I'm not set up for forging right now, so I'll be grinding them. Am I crazy?

- Chris
Click to expand...


I made a couple of blades from .260 D2. On a delta 1"x 30" belt grinder. The blades were about 1" wide and flat ground all the way to the spine. If you look up info on D2 it lists grindability as poor.(I have since switched to A2) I'll bet 5160 grinds pretty nice.


Drew
 
Heres a l-6 9 3/8 by 2 by 1/4 inch stock removal camp knife.
16 inches long weighed about 2 #
0.jpg

Took a long time to grind.
TJ
 
I'm hacking out 7 big ones now and have at least three or four more right after them. All 1/4 inch thick. Like Daves said, grinding is the easier part (unless maybe if its D2).

RL
 
My best bud is doing his first knife out of 1/4" D2...2" wide and 18" long :eek: :rolleyes: He's got a 10" harbor freight grinder, and nothing else, so it's gonna take a while! He wanted a bowie real bad, but I think he bit off more'n he can chew!
I like quarter inch though. Cutting it out, I'd use cut-off wheels, but for the bevel, go right ahead.
~Brian
 
That's a dandy TJ.

I just finished hacking out a big WSK in 1075, 1/4 inch thick. I checked the clock and it took 2 hours on the band saw. This particular profile has a lot of curves and several are tight curves. I try to cut as much as I can with the band saw and that takes longer but is less wear on the grinding belts.

(I am really looking forward to the 5/16 inch Bowie in D2.)

On my next order to Enco I am getting some 10-14 blades. I have been using 18 teeth per inch since they are locally bought. I think 18 a bit fine.

Here are five of the one I referenced above. All are 1/4 inch thick; two of O1 and three of 1075. The O1 seems to take longer but I average about 2 hours per at the bandsaw and another 1 hour per at the edge grinder. These are 12 1/2 inches long by 2 1/2 inches maximum width.

bunch-o-wsk.jpg


RL
 
Dave Larsen

In regards to your skinning axe, all i can say is Holy Crap!!
That thing is amazing, the handle work, the pins, I quit!
Come to my house , pick up all my stuff, take it away. Its yours, I give up!!
I guess what im trying to say is, Holy Crap!!!!


Your newest fan

Michael
 
Boy Roger, now I can see way it would take two hours per blade. :eek: I was tossing the idea around about making a similar piece only with changes to kinda make my own style. The blade will be the same shape only I going to use the 1 3/4" width 5160 and change the handle shape.
Dave once again, outstanding piece you've got there. ;)
Scott
 
Thanks for the kind words guys, yer making my head fat. Danny really enjoys his axe, has processed several deer with it and swears by it. It's all good when something comes together; that one just took over. ;)

Roger, seeing your batch of Trackers makes me feel small. I said I'd turned right around and cut out another 1/4" project and it was a Tracker from the pattern you sent me. :eek: It's still just a blank but I've been walking around here thinking I was hot spit for braving that stuff again, and here you've knocked out a whole projection run! :D You just blow me away...

Cutting 1/4" steel is no picnic. This is a perfect example of what I've always said, there are some things you just wouldn't do without a metal cutting bandsaw; 1/4" steel is one of em.
 
I did a set of cleavers this past fall out of 1/4 x 3" 440c that had 6", 9", and 12" blades all full hight flat ground. All I can say it I realy like 36 grit ceramic belts.
 
rlinger said:
I just finished hacking out a big WSK in 1075, 1/4 inch thick. I checked the clock and it took 2 hours on the band saw. This particular profile has a lot of curves and several are tight curves. I try to cut as much as I can with the band saw and that takes longer but is less wear on the grinding belts.

Rodger,those blades are very cool! but with all that time invested at the bandsaw! :eek: walk away slowly...and pick up the angle grinder! :) i too make a few blades with extreme curves and crazy profiles that would make me cringe at the thought of useing the band saw....give it a shot...saves tons of time
Click to expand...
 
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