Introduction and a couple beginner questions

T

THExKRAKEN

Joined
Jan 15, 2013
Messages
39
Hello, my name is Brian. I've always loved knives ever since I got my first one when I was about six years old. I don't know exactly what it is about them, something primitive or primal that just makes me love them. They are one of mans earliest tools. The first knife I had was a Mr. Peanut slip joint. After that I had a few SAK's and some Buck knives. I have had some cheap knives that weren't worth anything. As my love and passion for knives increased, so has my standards for a good blade. Now I have a few Cold Steel knives, a Micheal Morris friction folder, and a few others. I just recently got a Bark River Mini Canadian with aged Bamboo scales. I have always wanted to make knives, but I just never had the all the time I needed, the money to get the tools and materials or something else just gets in the way. Now I am at a point in my life where I have the time and enough money to at least get the basics that I need.

I just but a a couple of bars of steel. 1084 and CPM154. My question is now that i have the steel, do I have to soften it, or is it ready to start putting a file to it. Also one thing I am concerned about is getting the right angle when I am filling. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Oh, I should probably mention that for my first couple of knives I intend on primarily using files. Partly because it's the cheapest way for my to start, and I would also like to start with the basics. From some of the things I've read that's all I need. Again, any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advanced, and I hope to be making my own custom knives very soon.

Brian
 
I suggest you read ALL the stickies at the top of this page and use the search to find answers. The Count has a wonderful program he presents to most new inexperienced people here. I hope he drops by. If you have the steel then you will need a means of cutting it out, cutting bevels into it and drilling holes. These things will be the next items to approach. My best to you ! This can be to you, and is to me a super activity ! Frank
 
THExKRAKEN said:
I just but a a couple of bars of steel. 1084 and CPM154. My question is now that i have the steel, do I have to soften it, or is it ready to start putting a file to it. Also one thing I am concerned about is getting the right angle when I am filling. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Oh, I should probably mention that for my first couple of knives I intend on primarily using files. Partly because it's the cheapest way for my to start, and I would also like to start with the basics. From some of the things I've read that's all I need. Again, any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advanced, and I hope to be making my own custom knives very soon.

Brian
Click to expand...


Have a look at this, Many of your questions will be answered

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...rn-how-to-make-knives?p=11612725#post11612725
 
Welcome to Bladeforums and Shop Talk.


The steel is ready to go as is if it came from any normal source.

This sticky is what you need to walk you through making a first knife using files and sandpaper:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/694673-How-to-instructions-for-making-a-knife

If you mark the center of the bar of steel with a scribed line, you can use that as the guide to file the bevels even. There are all sorts of tools for doing this, but with a fresh bar of steel, the simplest is to lay it flat on a countertop and set a drill bit ( pick one that is about the same size as the thickness of the steel) flat on the counter with the tip against the side of the bar. Hold the bit down tight and draw the bar along the tip to scribe a line. Flip the bar over ( don't move the drill bit) and re-scribe from the other side. You should have two lines close together ( maybe only one) that should be pretty much right down the center of the bar. Use this as your target for filing the edge.

Some folks use a filing jig, but I feel you are better off to clamp the blade to a work arm and file by hand. Flip the blade often, taking a little off each side at a time until you sneak up on the desired bevels. Learning to draw-file is a good technique to keep the bevels flat and avoid wavy surfaces.
Use a hard block of wood or piece of metal to back the sandpaper in order to sand flat,too. When you start sanding, you will clearly see any dips and ridges formed in the filing. They will all sand out with some time and effort, but the goal is to have as flat a blade as you can when the filing is finished.

Tip #1:
You can always take more steel off....you can't put any back on.
 
Don't worry too much about the exact angle for the bevels. That will largely be determined from the stock thickness and profile of your blade. Like Stacy suggested, scribe lines for your center and use those as guides.
 
Thank you for the replies. Ive been browsing the stickies when I'm not working on my knife. Some of the links are dead, but not all of them. Still plenty of info here to get me through this first knife. Thanks again, I will be posting the finished product once its done.
 
Anytime you, or any other member, find a dead link, PM or email me with the link and its location in the stickies so I can delete it from the stickies.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top