Link to a Fillet Knife Build.

Well, for starters youused a Bimetal saw blade
So when you filed off the teeth you took off the only part of the saw blade that was decent steel.
You will be able to get the "blade" sharp, but it won't hold it's edge well at all.
However, your quench methods wouldn't have hardened the blade even if it were made of a proper steel. Without experience you can't judge steel temp accurately enough from color to get a decent heat treat.

I seems like a joke because it was posted in the Customs forum which is mostly populated with posts from experienced makers.
 
I'm not sure how WD40 tastes but that may not have been my choice of coating for a blade and handle on a food prep knife.
 
Before we get too deep into this discussion, it would help if you filled out your profile so we can know who we're talking to. Right now it's hard to know if you are a school age kid or a retired dock worker. It makes a difference as to the type of feedback and advice you will receive. Because frankly, it's hard to provide feedback on your build without coming off as a smartass. At least it is for me.
 
tryppyr said:
Before we get too deep into this discussion, it would help if you filled out your profile so we can know who we're talking to. Right now it's hard to know if you are a school age kid or a retired dock worker. It makes a difference as to the type of feedback and advice you will receive. Because frankly, it's hard to provide feedback on your build without coming off as a smartass. At least it is for me.
Click to expand...

What Greg said.

And the only thing eating at me... the comment that 'A lot of people believe you need a magnet to judge the metal's readiness to conform' statement. A magnet is used because steel goes non-magnetic at a specific temp. 1414°f. That doesn't change with steel so it is a constant marker for us to measure.

And yes, Torque is correct that you likely ground off the only hardenable part of the steel... And to echo phorizt, I use mineral oil on anything that will be near meat. Most oils are petroleum based and not suitable for human consumption.

Good for you for giving it a go. There is much for you to learn but luckily you have found the #1 source of info on the web. If a question can't be answered here... it is going to be very difficult to find an answer for.

Welcome! I'm sure the count will be by shortly fo provide you with some light reading for you.... That, along with the stickies will get you a long way...

-Eric
 
LucyCustomKnives said:
And to echo phorizt, I use mineral oil on anything that will be near meat. Most oils are petroleum based and not suitable for human consumption.


-Eric
Click to expand...

It tripped me out at first to find that mineral oil is petroleum based as well. However it has been processed in such a way that it is safe for consumption.
 
FullyTorque said:
Well, for starters youused a Bimetal saw blade
So when you filed off the teeth you took off the only part of the saw blade that was decent steel.
You will be able to get the "blade" sharp, but it won't hold it's edge well at all.
However, your quench methods wouldn't have hardened the blade even if it were made of a proper steel. Without experience you can't judge steel temp accurately enough from color to get a decent heat treat.

I seems like a joke because it was posted in the Customs forum which is mostly populated with posts from experienced makers.
Click to expand...


First post......didn't know where to put it......now, I will.
 
LucyCustomKnives said:
What Greg said.

And the only thing eating at me... the comment that 'A lot of people believe you need a magnet to judge the metal's readiness to conform' statement. A magnet is used because steel goes non-magnetic at a specific temp. 1414°f. That doesn't change with steel so it is a constant marker for us to measure.

And yes, Torque is correct that you likely ground off the only hardenable part of the steel... And to echo phorizt, I use mineral oil on anything that will be near meat. Most oils are petroleum based and not suitable for human consumption.

Good for you for giving it a go. There is much for you to learn but luckily you have found the #1 source of info on the web. If a question can't be answered here... it is going to be very difficult to find an answer for.

Welcome! I'm sure the count will be by shortly fo provide you with some light reading for you.... That, along with the stickies will get you a long way...

-Eric
Click to expand...

Here's the quote.....

BlueLightRhyno said:
I didn't take any pics, in the process, but I did use an Oxy/Acet torch and RoseBud to get the blade "Cherry Red."

A lot of people believe that a magnet is necessary to evaluate the Molecules "readiness to conform." I didn't use a magnet.....The blade was almost a "floppy noodle," though.

I put an old OliveOil bottle, that was filled with Vegetable Oil, in my saw dust can. Just in case I made a mess when I was trying to "Quench."

..
Click to expand...

I didn't measure, but I am sure that it was well beyond 1414 degrees.

All steels will harden,.....it depends on how much Oxygen and carbon is introduced. Without measuring Hardness.....I don't know what I have accomplished.

Thanks for the "welcome"....
 
BlueLightRhyno said:
Here's the quote.....



I didn't measure, but I am sure that it was well beyond 1414 degrees.

All steels will harden,.....it depends on how much Oxygen and carbon is introduced. Without measuring Hardness.....I don't know what I have accomplished.

Thanks for the "welcome"....
Click to expand...

Not all steels will harden, it needs to have sufficient carbon.

You can't add carbon to it, short of remelting it.
 
BlueLightRhyno said:
All steels will harden,.....it depends on how much Oxygen and carbon is introduced. Without measuring Hardness.....I don't know what I have accomplished.
Click to expand...

See, this is what I'm talking about when I say it's hard to give you feedback without coming off as a smartass.

When you say "how much oxygen and carbon is introduced" it clearly indicates you've been reading erroneous sources.

There's a LOT of information in the stickies. Study up. That way we won't need to tell you how wrong you are. You'll already know.
 
Dude... no offense meant here... but know enough to know that you don't know what you are doing or what you are talking about. We are all trying to point you in the right direction as I see some issues. I admire ambition and juevos, but a lot of times it needs direction and some restraint.

The statement you made was 'some believe!... My retort was that it wasn't a belief like 'some people believe in Jesus and some people don't;' it was that the non-magnetic point of steel is a 'set in stone scientific fact that it occurs at 1414°f.' And frankly, without some form of measurement... like a magnet... I doubt you can sincerely give me an estimate of the temp. Color and temperature do have a relationship, but unlike using a magnet it is something developed over time while working different types of steel and iron.

Take the advice here to heart. We were all once new too, and thought because we put a semi-shrp edge on a knife like object we knew it all. Remember that you have sort of changed the shape of a sawzall blade and attached some wood to it at this point. Several of us here have taken raw ore, formed a bloom, and worked the steel from said bloom into a useable and appropriately hard knife or tool.

And no, not all steel can be hardened. Not to knife standards. And some not to any real degree other than possibly case hardening which doesn't work for a knife. I would be just about any knife I make can cut through your filet blade and keep going.... It's not a out down, it's just that I have learned to properly HT and you haven't.

Read, keep making knives, (preferably from known steel in a more raw form like bar stock), learn the process and grow. This is a terrific hobby, profession, skill... and learning to properly work steel will put you in high demand if the SHTF.

Good luck. Keep grinding and reading... Cheers.

-Eric
 
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I would say the fact you filed your "bevels" after your "heat treat" shows that the knife didn't harden much, if at all. A bi-metal blade is a blade made of two metals. This means the teeth are hardened steel for cutting and the rest of the blade is likely non hardenable steel. If these blades were useful in making knives guys would be buying them by the case for fillet knives. The fact that nobody does shows roughly how useful they are for that purpose.
 
Ah, good on ya- now you can see what I meant over in Customs. I didn't want to criticize too much over there.
This is indeed a good place to learn and you have expressed a wish to do so. My only advice would be to forget whatever you think you already know about knives, and start here with a blank slate. Then fill it by reading and asking questions. Or, by posting work and accepting helpful feedback.
Welcome to shoptalk!
 
The good news is, you started with thin stock. That's good because a filet knife should be flexible.

The bad news is... pretty much everything else you did was a waste of time. You now have a moderately knife-shaped object that won't hold an edge. Sorry.
 
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