how would I soften up an old file so stock removal would be easier?

Will Batayte

Will Batayte

Joined
Jan 8, 2007
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640
Ok so I want to make a small pikal fixed blade. I will be using an old file from my basement for stock. I don't have a grinder yet so my main shaping will be done with a bastard file. So I want to make it as soft as possible so I can remove metal decently fast. So basically how do I remove a heat treat to the softest possible outcome. I have very minimal tools right now.
 
What tools do you have?
Your gonna need a torch of some sort, propane, mapp, oxy-acetylene, etc.
If you want it soft then heat it up to red and let it either air cool or throw it in something with an insulating property so that it'll cool slowly.
If you want it to still be hard, just not as hard, then just put it in an oven at 400-500 or so.
These are both over simplified answers but they'll do in a pinch.

If the count comes by he can give you a link to everything you need to know.
 
You want to anneal it, which will soften it making it easy to drill, cut, grind etc. Heat it up until a mangnet won't stick to it anymore, but don't overheat it, then let it cool in still air (not windy etc.) Some people heat it up then bury it in vermiculite which helps it cool alot slower, but I have read that for files, this is the best way to go.

-Paul
 
Ok easy enough. Thanks guys. Once I learned the word anneal my searching became a lot more productive. I'm gonna try the heat then vermiculite method. This will be my first knife. So wish me luck. I've actually got the money to put together a decent shop but I want to start now:)
 
buy some 1084 from njsteelbaron.com, save yourself a lot of nuisance,

-Page

P.S my first knives were made from files
 
Leaving a file in the fire place for the night works well but it might be strange to light up the fire in the summer
 
coldblooded357 said:
Ok easy enough. Thanks guys. Once I learned the word anneal my searching became a lot more productive. I'm gonna try the heat then vermiculite method. This will be my first knife. So wish me luck. I've actually got the money to put together a decent shop but I want to start now:)
Click to expand...

With hypereutectic steels, a slow cool down is not productive. I tried vermiculite for a short time, and found no advantage over air cooling the file. A slow cool down causes the carbon to group into layers, and it can be harder to drill than just air cooling.
 
I definitely agree that it's worth just buying some steel from NJ Steel Baron. The stuff is cheaper than files anyways unless you have a ready source of files (and know what type of steel they're made from), and you'll save yourself a lot of time and effort. If you were mainly looking to learn about steel and heat treating and so forth, that would be one thing, but since you have minimal equipment, it seems that's less useful anyways. Take the time to do it right, as my dad always said. If you think you'll learn how to do it with a forge later on, fine. If you just want to make a small fixed blade, get annealed steel, have it heat treated professionally (Texas Knife and Tru Grit are your best bets costwise for a single blade, now that Darrin's not doing it any more), and enjoy. My 2 cents.
 
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