Lots of Questions from a rookie

[Gwinnydapooh]

I'm just getting started, as I posted on the last thread, so I have a LOT of questions.
First, I'm playing with a piece of cheap steel from the local True-Value right now just to learn how to grind. I've done most of the bevel with a large bastard file. Every once in awhile, the file seems to catch and cut a tiny curl out of the surface of the steel, and this small curl sticks in the file and gouges the steel the next time I make a pass over the steel. This has left several unsightly gouges in the blade and, worse, it seems that every time I try to use the file to clean up the gouges I end up making a new one! The question is, is this a problem of a worn file, a quirk of the crappy hot-rolled steel I'm using, or a natural part of using a file? If it's just the steel, no problem--this is a throwaway and I plan to use 52100 for the real effort. If it's the file, I can get a new one. If it just happens whenever you file steel, what can I do about it?
Also, I have no idea what I want to use for the handle except that I want to pin slabs on a full tang. Can anyone suggest a material that looks good but can be worked by a rookie without being ruined?
And finally, I'm a hot rodder at heart and one of the coolest ways to protect car parts now is powdercoating. Has anyone on the forum ever tried this on a blade? Did it work well? It seems to stand to reason, since the powdercoating is supposed to be so incredibly strong and hard and since there are so many color choices, that it would make an ideal knife finish. That's all for now--thanks!



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[Chuck Gedraitis Knives]

Your first problem is the file, it might be too course. It's like using a rasp file on a piece of wood, it removes a lot of material and tears it off. After you get the inital shape of the blade with a rough file, switch to a finer one, it removes material in finer particles, and "cuts" not tears. Then switch to an even finer one. You need an assortment of files with different #'s of teeth.You can also use some coarse grit sandpaper to get some of the scratches out.The more scratches you get out now, the easier it will be to sand and polish the blade after heat treating.