Just getting started, some questions...

[F Niz]

Hey everybody, I am just getting started making knives and have a couple of questions.

A very brief amount of context: I do industrial balancing and related work, so I have a shop to work in, with a lot of tools.

Anyway.

I just got a 2x72 grinder. We got it for the shop, but not so secretly I bought belts for myself. Any recommendations on good belts for grinding knives, even sharpening? Good grits? Is ceramic worth it? I bought various zirconia belts (I have sharpening experience and knowledge of edges, but not of making primary bevels). If I do most of it before heat treating the heat shouldn’t be a big problem right?

I have a small (knife sized) steel housing furnace/forge with rigidized ceramic, and I cut some 2600F rated softbrick to tightly fit into the ends if needed (maybe I could use mortar and sheet steel to close up the back permanently? Or not worth it). It has a regulated propane burner fitted into the top. Is it possible to get decent temperatures from this, namely will it work on simple carbon steels or tool steels (any suggestions)? I know it will get pretty hot, but I’m not sure if it will be a consistent heat. I know it is better to our source this, but Honestly I’d like to learn it. That’s the whole point for me.

Lastly does anyone have any suggestions for reading, possibly books that aren’t textbook level prices?

Thanks in advance,
FN.

 

[Britt_Askew]

I like the 984 ceramic 3m belts and the hermes jflex belts. Get few belts of each type to see which ones you like. I like getting my belts from pop's http://popsupply.bizhosting.com/index.html

As for suggested reading ,to me there is no better place to start than the sticky thread all the info you want in one place https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/sticky-threads-all-the-good-info-you-want-in-one-place.1052730/

 

[F Niz]

Thanks for the reply. I went through the sticky threads and found a lot, but also just google (the threads I found were a little difficult to navigate for particular things, or links were dead in some cases). I finished my first knife. It’s rough and ugly, but the heat treat went ok and the edge seems decent enough (it’s sharp, but I’ll see how long that lasts). It does seem toothy to me, I didn’t normalize it. Once I get a good range pyrometer I will. The handle was from some old (a good fifty years maybe) butcher’s block maple. Ugly as hell with a convex “bevel” but it seems to have worked.

 

[F Niz]

It’s embarassing, but this is it:

I was going to put a bolster on it, but I decided not to. I really just wanted to see if I could get one done, even if it looked like a weird kitchen knife of some kind. Next time I may try a laminated handle, and see if I can’t get a good grind on it. Id really like to try forging one at some point.

Anyway, I am surprised the heat treat went well. It was 1084, my little forge got it up past non-magnetic pretty quickly. I pumped it in and out once or twice, gave it a bit longer, then quenched it. I tempered twice at 400 for an hour.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

You can't block both ends of the forge. Making a removable back plug is OK. The front needs a 2X3" opening at the minimum.

 

[F Niz]

You can't block both ends of the forge. Making a removable back plug is OK. The front needs a 2X3" opening at the minimum.

Ok, thanks for the information. I ended up not even blocking the back end with the block I had cut out. I don’t have real tongs and the flame was a bit more manageable with both ends open it seemed (was a bit hot with the back blocked up). It heated up well without the block on the back, which I was happy about.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Photos are always good to post when asking specific question about a forge build.

 

[F Niz]

Here is the forge:

It was made by a blacksmith in Texas I believe (I got it as a gift so I’m not sure). As far as I know you can reach forging temps with it, I guess with the back blocked up, and maybe just closing up the front a little bit like guys do during a heat? The only thing I don’t like is the short hose length, it’s just the regulator hose length. The softbrick is the one I cut to block one end.

It worked well though, and didn’t get too hot on the outside. I didn’t realize it would get as hot as it does when I first posted. I see now that for heat treating it’s more than enough, even completely open. I’d like to try forging in it, but Im taking my time for now.