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How To How hard is 1095 before heat treat. Is this posible?

K

kaphil

Joined
Nov 15, 2016
Messages
5
Hi all.

I make a lot of knife sheaths, pouches etc.

I really want to try making a knife but i dont have a "proper" belt grinder.

But i have one of these:
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-370w-belt-and-disc-sander_p6210416

I have messed around grinding old kitchen knifes on it to make smaller knives.

Question:
How hard is something like 1095 (dosnt need to be 1095, just seems easier to heat treat from what i have read) before heat treat?

Is it soft enough to grind down on the grinder i have if i use a thinner stock?
With a bit of elbow grease, files and such.

Or is there another steel that would be better?

Thanks.
 
I had a similar grinder, it was usable, needed more power with 4” wide contact surface.
The real issue with mine, the motor was not totally enclosed and didn’t last long. Magnets copper windings and steel dust don’t mix.
I grind a handful of knives with it using 1084, CPM 154 and S35Vn.
 
i've hand filed annealed 1075, o1 and 1095, that's quite doable. I don't know how your grinder will go, my 2x48 one has a 750w motor and it could do with more power.
you may as well give it a go, but i would buy a good mill file/course file to do the rough stock removal (the bunnings ones are shit, don't buy them)

1084 might work better than 1095, depending on your heat treatment setup
 
I have the same ryobi grinder and I can grind 1095 without problems. It's not ideal of course but it's possible
 
Before I built my 2x72 I had a harbor freight 4 x36 basically identical to what you have. I built a couple of knives with it, including 1095.

However I wouldn't recommend 1095 unless you have your heat treating processes down pat. Your best bet would be 1084. In general it will give you good results with simple heat treat equipment.

I started with 1095 myself and it was a real struggle to get my heat treating correct. Out of four knives I only had one that I would call a success heat treating wise. 1095 is a great steel, but it's heat treating regimen doesn't allow a lot of leeway.
 
seanj said:
However I wouldn't recommend 1095 unless you have your heat treating processes down pat. Your best bet would be 1084. In general it will give you good results with simple heat treat equipment.
Click to expand...
I haven't had any problems heat treating 1095 as a beginner. I wouldn't not recommend 1095 but this is only my own experience.
 
Read the stickies and it will explain why 1084 is better suited to beginners
I had a grinder similar to yours but it burnt out the motor from the metal filings.
It did work at removing metal to that tho
 
I agree the issue is whether the motor is enclosed well or not. I have a Grizzly 1"x30" combo with 5" disc and the motor seems to be sealed well, three years use and still going strong, although there are other issues like the tension system being simple and not great and the tiny platen which doesn't dissipate heat.

As mentioned if you're doing a simple heat treat yourself, 1084/1080 are eutecoid so easiest (just heat a little past non-magnetic and hold a second or two to make sure) or 80CrV2 or 15N20 are other choices that can work well with simple backyard heat treat.
 
Check the stickies for lots of good info they will help you at least understand what questions should be asked.
If I were to start all over I would have got a head start with a file jig. If that was just to slow you could use a right angle grinder with a flap disk for bulk removal and then used the file for the last bit. If you have time to go this way it might help force you into a good design. It's not how I did it but maybe wish I did. Some guys do the research and come out with great patterns and their obstacle is building the knife. I came from a metal working background and ended up with my obstacle being building a good looking and functional knife. Steel and belts cost a fair bit so you have to decide whether time or money is your problem.

If you want to try to harden the knife yourself there is a fairly small group of steels to choose from. As was mentioned 1084 and as far as I know 15n20. 80crv2 is often mentioned but only if you buy the stock from AKS. NJSB's stock is not ready to harden without further heat treatment. 1075 can have problems with a oil quench and may not be as straight forward as 1084 and 15n20.

Good luck.
 
8670 and 15n20 are relatively forgiving in heat treat. They do better with optimized settings/equipment, but you will have a very serviceable blade getting close.

Simple to heat treat with a forge and canola oil is 1084, 1080, 15n20, 80crv2, 8670, and 5160. Each does better with optimized settings, but you can get a good knife with backyard heat treat.
 
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