making a filing guide- O1 HT question

[phorizt]

I'm doing my first real hidden tang knife with a guard so I'm making a filing guide to get the shoulders even up against the guard(sorry that's surely not correct knifemaking terminology) and may also use it to line up my plunge lines. I'm not quite sure how that will work yet since I do most of my bevel grinding by hand on a filing jig.

I'm using some 01 that I have to make the filing guide and was just curious if I should heat treat it the same as I would an 01 knife blade or do I want to shoot for more hardness and less toughness to resist the file/belt scratching into it? This is my first simple tool making experience and all of my HT knowledge, although limited, relates to blade HT.

 

[J.Babody]

I made a quick set of plunge guides for my screaming fast 2x42 craftsman out of some end cuts of 01 and would superglue them on the blades for the grinding. All I did was heat them up to a bit above non magnetic with a torch and quenched in canola. Used as is once they were cleaned up. Worked well for about 5 blades and didn't tear up, but I stopped using them so I can't speak to the longevity. Harder is better for abrasive strength, but a low temperature temper would probably be best in case they get dropped on the concrete.

 

[A C Richards]

O1 would be used for a file guide. Make it hard, do a stress relief temper like 200f that's all. This will hold up to files but not a belt. I made a set when I first started but did not have the precision equipment to make it right. It helped and I could get passable shoulders. It really got good when I finally was able to use a mill and surface grinder to make a set. I have made about 5 sets now but I use A2 or D2. They will last for years. I can always re-dress them.

If you want to use a belt/disc you need to put carbide faces on them. This requires diamond grinding wheels or silicon carbide to surface the carbide faces. For me it was cheaper/easier to buy one of these.

 

[Pelallito]

I made a carbide faced one and don't bother buying a silicone carbide wheel. My experience was, that I wasted my money buying one. The carbide laughed at it and generated a lot of heat. I finally broke down and bought a diamond wheel, and dressed the file guide in a few minutes. I made it when B. Bump was not making was not taking orders for the file guide.
Fred

 

[MarkJeffrey]

I just made a file guide using 1 x 1/4" O1, I lined up the edges and clamped the pieces together with vice grips then drilled 9/64 holes at each end. I tapped one of the plates holes to 8-32 then drilled the other plate out to 11/64. For HT I brought it up to temp and quenched it and left it at full hardness. It's worked great so far for hand filing

 

[phorizt]

Thanks for the input guys. I cut out the pieces of O1 and clamped them on a knife I was working on and noticed that they flexed a little towards the ends. I used 1/8" stock since that was all I had and I know I'd probably be better off at twice that thickness. So in order to reduce the risk of them snapping in half when I tighten them on a narrower knife I went ahead and tempered at 400F. Now that I think about it I should have just put two sets of bolt holes for different sized blades and done a lower temper but I'll try it out and see how it works. It was only about $3-4 to make and didn't take long so I'm not out much. I've seen some of these sell for around $100(more than my grinder and drill press cost combined). At that price they should do the filing for you too

 

[james terrio]

O1 would be used for a file guide. Make it hard, do a stress relief temper like 200f that's all.

Yup. :thumbup: Definitely use thick stock to prevent flex.

I think I paid $45 for mine, because I'm essentially lazy. It paid for itself quickly. It will need to be dressed eventually if you use it a lot. The nice thing about buying one made by a skilled machinist is that both sides are flat and parallel, so you can use it twice as long before you need to clean it up

Of course, then you have twice as much dressing to do... there's always a trade-off with these things...

Another option for us lazy folks is to use hardened 1-2-3 blocks, commonly used by machinists for layout work. Like these:

...not these...

 

[phorizt]

I have a little 01 left. I may cut 2 more pieces out and stack 2 on each side epoxied together to prevent flex.