Help with shaping my first blade

R

rckendall

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Oct 26, 2006
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I started last weekend to shape my first blade, after cutting the profile the previous weekend. It is 3/16" thick, O-1 steel, and I'm following the book "How to Make Knives. I used Dykem and scribed the shape, and proceeded to file away with BIG files. I progressed to draw filing with smoother files, and then to 220 grit backed with a small wood block. I did the second side just about the same way, but found it was not symetrical.

So, I went back to the big files and draw filing. I learned that I had not gone far enough with the draw filing and the block/220 grit was rounding everything a bit. Now that everything is symmetrical, I need to fine tune the shape. Since I’ve not had good luck with the block/220 grit, should I use the EDM stones that I have (220 & 320)? I’m sure they would help keep things flat, but what media do I use with them, oil or water or ???

I have a decent belt sander that I will use in the future, but this process of fine tuning everything is something I’ll probably do for some time. So please, any help in this area will be appreciated.

Thanks
Richard
 
I'm not familiar with EDM stones, so I can't answer that. I have used flat diasmond stones to neaten-up flats, they work fast and don't need a cutting oil.
Those little 4" square power palm-sanders work good for flats, but they will sort of round things off with the regular backing pad thing that comes with them, it's kind of soft. Someone here posted a thread a while back about making a micarta (or other hard material) plate on theirs, wrapping the sandpaper around that, so it doesn't "give" and cause that rounded-over effect. I haven't tried that yet but it makes a lot of sense.
 
GibsonFan,
Thanks for the reply. I don't know exactly what EDM stands for either, but it got me to these small USA made stones from MSC. I've seen threads using that reference so hopefully someone will steer me.

Since I know they are not Japanese, maybe that means oil, not water.

Richard
 
I do all my pre-heat-treat shaping with just the files. With my first blades, I had trouble keeping them symmetrical, but the more knives I make, the more my lines stay straight and even. Practice may be all you need. :thumbup:
 
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