Knives from files

K

Kickaha

Joined
May 11, 2004
Messages
195
I've seen it said many times that old files can be good stock for blades. I wonder how hard they are to work? I understand that files are made from pretty hard steel - can they be worked w/o a professional-grade grinder?
 
Only specific files are any good for this, Kickaha. Some nowadays are case-hardened, low carbon steel. Made from old files, they get incredibly sharp and hold a great edge, but are somewhat brittle due to the high hardness.

I made my first few knives from files many years ago. It is a laborious process to grind hardened steel, but if kept cool quite feasible.

I burned out my 3x24 Craftsman woodworking beltsander doing this, which led to my first knifemakers' grinder, a Bader.
 
Good knife steel is cheaper that file steel in the long and short run. Files are at a hardness that eats sanding belts. Knife steel can be purchased annealed. If you have the equipment to anneal it then yes it's good steel when not just a case hardened file, which does exist.
 
My son banged out a blade from and old farrier's rasp. Geez if that thing weren't HUGE! Looked like a Tim Lively knife. Held an edge real good, but the steel was a little too brittle for a knive that big, and he got a crack while chopping with it.
 
kickaha,

I use old files all the time for cutting edges in my forge work. Cold chisles, hatchets/tomahawks, knives, etc. I usually forgeweld a piece of file into a piece of low carbon steel. That way I get the cutting power of the hard stuff with the durability of the soft stuff.

As for stock removal, you are definatly better off going with something that is anealed and does not have all the file teeth to deal with.
 
I agree with everyone else. They are a general pain in the butt.....They can also make darn good knives if you want to punish yourself. I look for files at estate sales. I try to stick with Nicholson.

Anneal them first, heat them and forge some of the teeth flat and go to grinding. The tooth pattern wants to stay but with a lot of stock removal, it will go away.

I have to heat treat by feel (no pun intended) If it isn't right, go back and do it again because they just don't respond to the same heat treat techniques all the time!
 
peter nap said:
I agree with everyone else. They are a general pain in the butt.....They can also make darn good knives if you want to punish yourself. I look for files at estate sales. I try to stick with Nicholson.

Anneal them first, heat them and forge some of the teeth flat and go to grinding. The tooth pattern wants to stay but with a lot of stock removal, it will go away.

I have to heat treat by feel (no pun intended) If it isn't right, go back and do it again because they just don't respond to the same heat treat techniques all the time!
Click to expand...
Damn I am in the same place with Don Gilliagan again. I have a student that is using them to get his technique down. :D
 
Okay, I'm glad I asked. I can get dull files fairly cheaply at an industrial surplus store in the area; I was all set to go down and buy a bunch.

I do have a 6 inch wheel bench grinder... suppose I ground off the teeth with that, and did general shaping that way?
 
Kickaha,

Good advice given above, but there is a lot of satisfaction ( for me, at least, as a hobbyist) in making a knife from an old file. You also have that "Gee, you made that from a file.." thing.

As to using a bench grinder; you might want to give this thread a look.

Regards,
Greg
 
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