marking the middle?

[hurley0816]

how does one mark the middle of their blade? im talking thickness, where the edge will end up being. thanks

 

[silver_pilate]

Easiest way is to use a flat surface (i.e. glass plate or surface plate) and a drill bit. You can either match the drill bit to the thickness, or grab a slightly smaller/larger bit that will make a mark just off of center line. Lay the steel flat, run the tip of the drill bit down the length of the steel. Flip the steel over and repeat, and you will have two parallel lines (you want them roughly 1/32" apart) to grind to.

Or you could buy an edge scribe from Texas Knife Supply.

--nathan

 

[Robert Mayo]

Here is the simple little tool that i have been using for a lot of years and it still does it's job good all you need is an 1 1/2" square x 1/4" piece of brass and a piece of brass rod 5/16" or bigger, two set scews and a pin thats it.

Bob

 

[nivejuncky]

A cheap pair of calipers works. $20 or less @ harbor freight.

 

[Mike Quesenberry]

I forge my blades, and use a carbide tipped height gage. Flatten both sides of the ricasso then scribe the edge and spine. If my forging is off one side or the other it puts my edge dead center.

 

[Robert_Phelps]

I use a purchased edge scribe.. I think it was maybe $25 or so. It's worth it if you don't have the machining skills to make your own.

 

[silver_pilate]

I should say that I use a height guage to mark my lines. And I did pick up one of JT's edge scribes, but I haven't put it to use yet.

--nathan

 

[NickWheeler]

I do it just like Mike said. :thumbup: It is SOOOO simple. Check your steel thickness and then divide it in half to set your gauge.

I don't like two lines, unless it's for tapering a tang. I like just one line in the very center.

A height gauge is the best way to mark your center-line. If you use any of the widgets, they won't account for warpage like a height gauge will.

And if you're doing stuff that's forged, like an integral.... you can find center of the whole damn thing, even though blade, bolster, and tang are all different thicknesses.

There are other uses for a height gauge as well.

Of course you need a flat surface. I use a large granite surface plate, but even a piece of glass would work.

 

[Jim L.]

Being a cheap bastard (from necessity), I don't necessarily get to play with all those neat toys. I simply put a 120 grit belt on the sander and "score" the edge from side to side.

Then I use a permanent marker to "paint" the freshly scored edge several times to get a good coat. Using a scribe, I scratch the line by hand down the length of the edge from both sides. I seems to work for me.

Jim L.

 

[joesouth]

before I got my height gauge I just used a drill bit, dia.= blade thickness, lay them both flat and use the point of drill to scribe a line, flip the blade over and do the same, there's your center. If you don't have any layout fluid a blue or black sharpie works just as good.