I am having a blast!!

[Andrew Taylor]

Nice orange, Andy.

Just a word of advice: don't EVER take a picture of just one side of a knife. "People" will come looking for you...

Yes, I want to know if the scales are mirrored?

Nice work Andy. Best way to contour your scales is with the knife held in a vice and a 12" x 1" strip of old belt or new 220 grit cloth backed abrasive. Hold the two ends below the knife and see-saw left hand down right hand up etc.

Did you reharden and temper the blade? If not you will lose the edge a bit quick. Your proper file should skid off your knife which is no longer a file.

 

[Daniel Koster]

if you want to really test the hardness...bang the edge down on some wood (chopping motion...make darn sure there's no "twisting" in your hand). If it chips...too hard. If it dings...too soft. I should cut and cut and cut....just dulling with time.

the file test only works on "as-quenched" (untempered) blades and even then, better on some steels than others. A file is usually hardened between 61-64. 10xx steels will go up to 64 as-quenched....O-1 is less...62, I think. So, if you think about it...on a properly made camp knife (hardened to 58 or so) - the file will bite it, while my santokus I sometimes temper to around 62...might cause a older or softer file to skate.

 

[Andrew Colglazier]

Yes, I want to know if the scales are mirrored?

Nice work Andy. Best way to contour your scales is with the knife held in a vice and a 12" x 1" strip of old belt or new 220 grit cloth backed abrasive. Hold the two ends below the knife and see-saw left hand down right hand up etc.

Did you reharden and temper the blade? If not you will lose the edge a bit quick. Your proper file should skid off your knife which is no longer a file.

It is mirrored! I just don't have a decent camera to take pics with right now (it is with my wife) so I can't show it properly.

I'll have to contour the scales on a belt sander because of the solid steel pins. I don't know if they would contour well by hand!

I'll try Dan's "chop" test and see what happens. :thumbup:

Andy

 

[Andrew Colglazier]

if you want to really test the hardness...bang the edge down on some wood (chopping motion...make darn sure there's no "twisting" in your hand). If it chips...too hard. If it dings...too soft. I should cut and cut and cut....just dulling with time.

the file test only works on "as-quenched" (untempered) blades and even then, better on some steels than others. A file is usually hardened between 61-64. 10xx steels will go up to 64 as-quenched....O-1 is less...62, I think. So, if you think about it...on a properly made camp knife (hardened to 58 or so) - the file will bite it, while my santokus I sometimes temper to around 62...might cause a older or softer file to skate.

That makes total sense, Dan. I'll try some chopping!

Andy

 

[Andrew Taylor]

It is mirrored! I just don't have a decent camera to take pics with right now (it is with my wife) so I can't show it properly.

I'll have to contour the scales on a belt sander because of the solid steel pins. I don't know if they would contour well by hand!

I'll try Dan's "chop" test and see what happens. :thumbup:

Andy

Contour the top and the bottom of the scales with my method and just flat off your pins with the belt sander. Then smooth the left and right side with 220 grit. Polish on a buff.

 

[Andrew Colglazier]

Thanks! I'll give it a try.

Andy