Make a Distal Taper using a file?

[Ampbuilder]

I was wondering if anyone had any tips on using a file to make a distal taper on a hunter type knife? I assume it would involve a draw filing type technique before any sanding but I'm not sure.

I have never finished a knife yet so you could say this is my first. The steel is 3/16 O1.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Paul Murphy

 

[clw3]

Looks good so far!

I think some draw filing will get you the results you want.
I use a board underneath when I'm filing and sanding to support the steel and to get a consistent finish. Don't forget to clean your file often.

keeparockin!!

 

[Robert Mayo]

The only way i know how to do a distal taper with stock removal is to bring your plunge
cut to the top of the blade and if you keep it flat it will taper on it's own from where the blade starts to curve up to the tip.
Here are a couple of pics showing what i mean.

Bob

 

[JTknives]

This is what forging is for

 

[TekSec]

One demo I've seen went like this. Now mind you, this was with a grinder but no reason you can't do it with files.

Starting about 1" from where you plunge will be, make a parallel line across the spine. Now find the center of the steel on the tip end and mark that. Scribe a line from the endpoint of on either side of the parallel line to the center point on the tip. Now the fun part. Draw file down the excess steel to the scribe line on either side of the spine at a fairly sharp angle (maybe 60 degrees?). Once you have it filed down to the scribe on each side, then start your plunge line on the edge side. Bring the flat from the edge all the way up to the spine blending in the distal taper you filed from the spine. It sounds hard (and probably will be with files) but it can be done and it will make the perfect geometry.