Hello to all

W

Warrant

Joined
Nov 11, 2004
Messages
44
Just joined the forum and wanted to say Hi! I made my first knife 30 years ago, but haven't made one since:) :D

Anyway, looks like a great bunch of guys here!

I just got my new Coote grinder with 10" wheel. Bought a HF Ag motor but haven't set it up yet. Anybody steer me on how large to make my stand, belt length, base type, etc, so I don't make many mistakes?

I've got 2 step pulleys, and can go from 4400 SFM down to 1495, but I have no idea if this is right for which grit belts. Also, for my first attempt, can anyone recommend type of steel to use? Maybe an easy handle material?


(I've got a weldor, drill press, bench grinder). I haven't decided if I want to forge or not..........My first HT will be with homemade charcoal in a BBQ, using transmission fluid ( I think:).

I've read most of the archives, and have Boye's book, and The Complete Bladesmith on hand. Any quick tips will be appreciated. I'm retired and have the time, but with my age, I can only work about 2 hours a day.

Thanks!
 
Welcome Warrant,

Best I can tell you is to hang out here and read every post. You cant help but learn from these guys. I just have a 1 speed grinder so I cant give any practical advise on that. Fill out your profile in your user control panel so we'll knmow where you are. There could be someone close by to get some hand -on experience.
 
Welcome to the forum Warrant. I expect you will like it here.

Any quick tips will be appreciated

Burn socks during blade profiling.

Bring the blade to critical and hold point to Magnetic North.

Quench during a Thunder Clap.

and

Always use scrounged 5160 steel! :footinmou ;)

Again, Welcome!
 
Don!!! Don't be telling him all that witchcraft crap. Next thing you know he'll be quenching blades while in his under wear (like me).

Welcome Warrant. You found the correct place to hang around. Don't listen to all that moon dancing stuff.

RL
 
I forge in furry brown slippers. Then again I go to 7-11 to get milk in my furry brown slippers. :) I'd wear 'em to work but OSHA says I need steel toes boots.

Were all full of ourselves around here but there's a heck of a lot of knowledge also, just pick out the good stuff. Oh and what is your real name by the way.
 
Mark Williams said:
read every post. You cant help but learn from these guys.
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Amen. I'm new, and have already learned a ton in my first week! :D Thanks guys!

Good luck on your knife Warrant. What are you planning to make? Folder, fixed? what's the blade style??
 
Mark Williams said:
knowledge also, just pick out the good stuff. Oh and what is your real name by the way.
Click to expand...

My real name is Mike Vaughn, CWO retired. I'm going to make a fixed blade for camping and carrying as I do a lot of carpenter work.

Anyone help me setting up the Coote grinder? Have no idea how high, or how big to make the stand.

I'd also like comments about "why" people forge, since stock steel is so close to blade specs. My guess is that it's an art form, and no amount of stock removal satisfies as well........hope someone here will e-mail me and explain why and what not. I may forge, since I still have the music in me from all this living on the planet. I was told once to "let the music out" before you die. Thanks for the welcome mat, guys!~
 
Welcome, This is a great place for info -and entertainment.Only hard part is telling one from the other.
 
Grinder height: Place it where it is comfortable for you to grind. I grind free hand so I need to be comfy when i grind. With elbows in and held tight against my waist, rock back and forth to move the blade against the grinder. With that said my gringer height is about 36 inches from the floor.

Grinder speed: I run at 2000 SFPM when rough grinding up to 180 grit. 240 grit at about 1250 SFPM and 320 grit at about 950 to 1000 SFPM. I hand sand after 320 grit upto 600 grit.

Why I forge: I have to to make Damascus. Others for various reasons. Even with making Damascus, I don't always forge to shape and I never bevel the edges. Just depends on what pattern I am doing, most of mine look better the more you grind away.

What Stel to use: I would suggest C1095, C1084, or C1074/75. Just because they are very forgiving and will tolerate over heating. Plus they are economical and readily available.

Heat treat: I use a 50/50 mix of ATF and 10W30. I would suggest heating your oil to about 120 to 130 °F. It will give a faster quench because it is less viscous ate the elevated temperature. Temper at around 350 °F and go up in 25 °F increments after that to get the desired hardness.

Handle material: Wood for starters. There is alot of nice stuff out ther for decent prices and some really expensive stuff too. I once bought a 20 pound chunk of Beng Burl for $400... :eek: Sould be enough to last the rest of my life.


Anyway, hope that helps and good luck, have fun, and welcome to the Forums.
 
Laredo7mm said:
Grinder height: Anyway, hope that helps and good luck, have fun, and welcome to the Forums.
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Thanks, Laredo. Everything I asked for, and then some....

I really appreciate it.

Mike
 
Welcome Mike! You've found a good place. The folks here are loaded with knowledge and share in a way you'll never find anywhere else. Our community is truly a fine one.

Grinder height: I placed my main grinder so that the contact is at about sternum height. That way when I lock my elbows in I can lean my work against my wonderful organic tool rest. :D

Belts: Buy the best, you'll save money and do better work. I use 3M 967 or 977 for the heavy grits, Norax for finishing. The Trizact CF "Gator" belts are great too. You'll cast around for a while finding what works for you, and then swear by it. :D You'll find that you use many more of the finer grit belts than the heavier ones. There have been a number of good threads about belt recommendations, and I'm sure you've read them. Bottom line is, you'll figure it out. Experiment! I've been doing this for about four years and still don't quite have it down but I'm getting there...

Steel: The old standbuys are 10XX and O1. They're pretty forgiving (though I'm still working to get the most out of O1) and will yield a good blade. You can HT simple carbon steel at home, which is a good thing overall. Stainless will require either a controllable oven or sending them out. There are a number of folks here who are good heat treaters, Roger Linger among them. I'd trust Roger with anything I made; he's done his homework and really cares about your steel.

Tools: You didn't ask but I recommend a simple metal cutting bandsaw right off. You'll find you do things having that that you'd never even consider otherwise. Harbor Freight has one that most of us use for about $160 and they'll ship it for free. Plenty of help around here for tuning it up. Use bimetal blades. Period.

Links to other stuff: Mike Hull is our resident librarian. He's a wizard.

We've had a number of folks join recently, and it makes me feel great! I can remember posting my first few knives and looking back on them I can see how valuable this community is. :rolleyes: You'll never find a better, more skilled and sharing, group of people than you'll find right here.

Welcome and enjoy!
 
Welcome, your in the right place to learn about knifemaking. Everyone's been very helpful. These guys know their stuff. Read and enjoy. ;)
Scott
 
Thanks to all who have replied, and especially to those that gave me some good tips. I've written them all down..........Helluva welcome to someone who hasn't made a blade in 30 years:) ;)

Question about the forum, though..........I log in, click new posts, and have about 150 to go through........this in about 3 hours after logging off. No can do. I only want to go to the maker's forum, and then only want to see the posts I didn't see earlier. Am I doing something wrong?? I'm not sure if there is THAT many new posts, or I'm not doing something right........

Again, thanks to all.........

Mike
 
Go to www.bladeforums.com and click on "Makers" at the top of the screen. From there you can click on "Shop Talk" to get in here. If you're logged in, all the new and updated threads will appear in bold text and will be the first ones in the list.

Hope that helps.

-Allin
 
Warrant said:
My real name is Mike Vaughn, CWO retired.
QUOTE]

I'm gonna call you Gunner :)

When you get to shoptalk. The posts that you havent read will be in bold type.

On my home puter , I have it set up with an Icon on my desktop that is a shortcut straight to shoptalk. Just click on it and the computer dials up straight into here.
Click to expand...
 
Whats up Gunner....

These guys may not know hygiene but they know knives ;)
 
blgoode said:
Whats up Gunner....

These guys may not know hygiene but they know knives ;)
Click to expand...

A little problem here here, guys. Gunner is a real dude that lives in Taft, about 30 miles from me and hangs out at the metal ng's. I'm NOT him, don't know him, never met him. He' knows his stuff, though, and I hope you don't think I'm him.............He's a real machinist, and craftsman, right wing, and I love to read his stuff, but it AIN'T ME!!

You can call me Mike, though......

Now will SOMEONE confirm what I read here about the proper SFM about my grinder?? I wrote down that you need 2000 to 320 for grits 180 to 320. According to my calculations, my SFM will be 4485 to 1495.

10" wheel. 2 pulleys, 234, and 456. Motor is 1750 rpm. I've done the math, but it's been awhile??:). AND, where the heck is your sternum? Below the ribcage. I'm building my stand and need this stuff pronto:)

Mike, fromer ARmy aviator.
 
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