Help me Please

T

tiffanykenneth

Joined
Nov 4, 2006
Messages
4
Hello everyone.
I would like some information on how to build a file guide. When I say file guide I am referring to the "clamp" that you put the blade in to file the bevels.
I have made a few knives in the past using pre made blades and now want to start making my own blades from scratch via the stock removal method.
Thanks to all
Kenneth
 
Probably the wrong forum to ask but I'm sure it will be moved here shortly.

I assume you have some kind of a belt grinder. Something that can flat or hollow grind like a 2x42 Coote or Grizzly would work, or a simple 1x30. I like ceramic belts personally. A&H abrasives sells them and they work well for steel.

I grind two ways. On fixed blade knives I have done it with a push stick to hold the part I'm grinding in tight on the wheel or platten. For folders I use an angle iron to hold the blade for me by drilling the pivot hole and simply mounting it to the iron. Then use another separate pin hole made at the spine on top away from the area of the steel you will be grinding by leaving a wing on the blade so you have two pins holding it on it steady. I leave the L of the angle grinder out so I can grind it and hold it using that piece. The iron acts as somewhat of a heat sink to absorb some of the heat also.

Some guys grind cutting edge up, some down. I have done both and prefer the edge down method personally. Either way works though.

In a pinch you can grind using aluminum oxide belts from lowes using a 4x36 bench sander. I did it that way for years. I also made them hollow grind with a drum sander mounted to a bench lathe drill set up from Sears.

You might check these links for some info on heat treating and tempering the file when done. http://www.westyorkssteel.com/Heat_Treatment/tmpchart.htm

http://gbrannon.bizhat.com/






STR
 
Welcome to Bladeforums!

moving-van.jpg
 
Thanks for the reply. Maybe I didnt make myself clear. I dont want to grind my blades, I want to file the bevels by hand. I have seen some of the "clamps" I am referring to but dont remember where.
 
File guides are sold by Texas knife supply,Kovals,Riverside Machine,and several other knife supply shops.
 
welcome! i am new here also. been grinding my own folder blades for couple of months now. I put a piece of 1/4 in. piece of glass on the platen of my 4x36 belt sander. i just practiced alot till i could make flat grinds that matched on each side. you'll be surprise how quick you get the hang of it. If your are wanting to hand file them then I would take a c-clamp and clamp the to the edge of a table or get a vice that you bolt to a table top and it clamps the barstock to the table.
 
Ken,
First get two small pieces of machined barstock. I used 1x5x3/16. Line them up together in a drill press (one on top of the other). Mark a line @ the center, leave 3/4" top and bottom of your line for your blade. Drill 2 holes top of center, 2 holes bottom of center, and thread your holes. I used 1/4" bolts so drill accordingly. Slide your blade in tighten and go. Make a "safe" side on your file to keep from screwing up your jig. Hope this helps.
Matt Doyle
 
I made mine with two files and a spacer of the blade thickness. Cut the tangs off, anneal the first couple of inches, bolt or rivet together with the spacer in between. The spacer would be two or two and half inches longThen use a flat table sander and grind the teeth from one side of the jig at the same time grind it square checking with a machinists square. I have one for each thickness I work with, and they will still work even if the steel is a bit smaller than the spacer.
 
I got the concept from a much simpler setup I saw on the forums. I would really like to credit the forum member but I do not remember his name. Someone else on one of the British knifemaking forums has something similar but the knife size is restricted to 6" or less and it's locks into a vise. That would place it too high to be practical.

I wanted to be able to use it for sharpening also. That patent process starts at $2400 and just goes up from there. I doubt I could ever recoup the patent cost's let alone make money with it. They are a PITA to build with all the threads to cut.

It will allow a newbie to make a knife on thier first try. That always helps with the confidence factor.
 
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