Hello All, I have began my first knife project. - Question - how much mat. to leave?

C

cmrena0

Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
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I have been researching on this forum for a couple months and wanted to say hello and thank you all for your very helpful posts. I finally decided to just go for it and get started on a project file knife.

I have begun my first knife project as an adult (made a few shanks as a kid using wood stove and large spikes)! I received several old Nichols and Simons files from my Grandpa after he passed away, and have decided to make a few knives for myself, dad, and uncles (may take a while) using his old files and some walnut he had in his garage.

So far I have annealed the file in the fireplace with a hardwood fire and allowed the knife to cool overnight in the coals.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33960347/File%20Knife%20Project/20130220_174810.jpg

I then took an angle grinder to cut out the general shape (pic) and began using grandpa's 1x42" homemade belt sander (looks similar to some old Jet machines, with substantial reconditioning (see pic).
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33960347/File%20Knife%20Project/20130304_203923.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33960347/File%20Knife%20Project/20130304_203910.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33960347/File%20Knife%20Project/20130223_160258.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33960347/File%20Knife%20Project/20130223_160315.jpg

I have been somewhat successful in getting a straight grind line for the primary bevel hear in lies my question:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33960347/File%20Knife%20Project/20130306_173627.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33960347/File%20Knife%20Project/20130306_173610.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33960347/File%20Knife%20Project/20130306_173552.jpg

???---While the flat centerline is getting very thin ~1mm my bevel is not as high as I would prefer. Should I risk losing the flat and continue grinding, or just be happy I got the bevels straight(ish)? The other thought was to hand sand the rest of the way (before or after heat treatment?)???

Please let me know what you all think, any extra tips/tricks are more than appreciated.

Glad to be here, and thanks for having me!

Chris
 
ease the edge back off the belt a hair to raise your bevel without thinning out the tip further, once you get them to the height you want then just barely ease the whole grind back into the cutting edge on both sides, i think your knife looks really good so far. i really like your grandpa's belt grinder too!
 
Thanks scubaSteve, Should i go ahead and heat treat before i go any farther on the grind?
 
You have a lot more grinding, and then sanding to do on that knife before HT. It should be sanded by hand to 400 grit and show no bumps or scratches before HT. Don't forget to drill the tang holes ,too.
 
Thanks, will do in the sanding Bladsmth. Got the tang holes drilled while the grinder was down.. The motor burnt up on the grinder, just got the replacement installed yesterday, got a full set of belts from Truegrit, hoping toget back at it this week.
 
Good that you have a belt grinder to work with. I believe you are coming along well. Loosing that motor well you know, not good at all. I also would recommend going with a higher grind. It will be more like what I concider to be necessary in a knife that will work for you and will also be around for many sharpenings. Frank
 
Thanks Frank, I knew it had to be on its last leg, the darn thing was atleast 40yrs old (what are the chances I get that out of the new motor HAHA, yeah right!)
Everything is up and running today, after work tonight I hope to put my nose/knife to the grindstone (bad pun).
A few updated pics:
w/ tang holes drilled:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33960347/File Knife Project/20130309_135134.jpg

Looking down the edge:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33960347/File Knife Project/20130309_135117.jpg

Thanks guys for the encouragement and tips, I will keep you updated.

Would it be bad mojo if i chose not to HT this particular blade? It is going to be somewhat of a commerative piece, and I do not plan on making it a work knife, and I would hate to break it thru Ht, will I be able to put a sharp edge w/o HT (I understand it may not hold that edge for long). I think I may save my HT practice for some known steel on my next project. What say you?

This is fun stuff!!!
Chris
 
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