How to square up a spine?

Diomedes Industries

Diomedes Industries

Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
7,443
I have a few knives that I would like to make the spine more square on for the ease of sparking a firesteel.

What is the easiest way, without specialized tools, to square the spine on a knife?

TF
 
You might be able, depending on the knife, to use a file but I think that will still be time consuming and a PAIN. Maybe sandpaper and a flat block would be better.

Best way that I know is with a belt grinder. Run the spine parallel with the belt on a contact wheel.
 
A fire steel doesn't have to be flat. In fact you would likely get more sparks from a curved surface as it would present a more concentrated area for the flint to bite. Many trade type steels from the 18th c. and 19th c. were very thin, some less than 1/8" in thickness, and threw more sparks than thicker ones.
 
LRB said:
A fire steel doesn't have to be flat. In fact you would likely get more sparks from a curved surface as it would present a more concentrated area for the flint to bite. Many trade type steels from the 18th c. and 19th c. were very thin, some less than 1/8" in thickness, and threw more sparks than thicker ones.
Click to expand...

I think TF is thinking more of using it as a striker on a ferrocium rod, where the corner of the spine is drug down the rod to create a shower of sparks-like the rod being mounted on the mag block here- http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=701160

That's pretty interesting about the fire steels, though:thumbup: I've only seen the one that was recently gifted to me, but I had always assumed they'd be thicker.
 
A very popular trade type firesteel of the 18th c. and 19th c. was an oval, like a stretched out washer, with some being as thin as 1/16.
 
you can get packs of diamond needle files very cheap, if you're only doing a small portion that should be fine, otherwise sandpaper and a flat block would be the best way. Or find someone with a grinder and ten minutes spare
 
Guess it depends on how hard/soft the spine is and what resources and capacities you have.
 
I draw file the spine with a coarse file and then wrap sandpaper in a variety of grits over the file and continue the motion.

It takes a little time but I have yet to meet a knife spine that could resist my efforts.

Be careful at the tip though if you're going that far forward. One slip and you either take the file into the point or you put the point into a finger.

B
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top