Milling guards

D

Dan Pfanenstiel

Joined
Feb 14, 1999
Messages
2
Anyone find that the mill they bought for their shop is indespensible? I'm considering a small mill for slotting guards and such because it's one of the aspects of making a knife that I don't look foreward to. If a mill is more trouble than it's worth, then I'll stick with the saw and files.
 
I find my mill indespensible. The other day I needed to put thumb serrations on a Talonite knife, didnt want to freehand with a dremel. So I found a piece of scrap pipe that the dremel would fit in, tapped it in 4 places, ran a 1/4 bolt from in the pipe so it was sticking out the top, slid the dremel in and put set screws in the other 3 holes. I chucked it up in a collett with the bolt, put a cuttoff wheel in the dremel and lined it up with the blade where I wanted the serrations and viola! It cut perfect serrations. I had total control over the dremel with the x, y, and z axes. Thats just one thing I have used it for, so there is a lot you can do with a mill in a knife making shop! Got pictures if anyone wants to see the setup.

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www.simonichknives.com
 
I use mine for milling guards and trueing up bolsters as well as milling slots in handles.
Buy the best that you can afford.
 
I have both a vertical and horizontal mill. I just traded the Prazi Vertical for a new forge. I use the horizontal all the time for slotting guards, truing slabs and bolsters, etc. I didn't use the vertical that much. I also use the horizontal with a dovetail cutter for thumb serrations on the knife spine. If you get a verical, make sure it is very rigid.



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Ron Ruppé
http://www.ruppe.com
 
Dan;
I got one of the small TAIG mills from Uncle Al and have not regretted it one bit. I use it for everything from milling guards to relieving the liners on my folders to milling out handle material for mortise tangs. At present I am working on some scale release autos and it works great for milling down the aircraft aluminum I'm using for the integral bolsters and liners.
 
once you start making knives for money...i mean for part of your actual income...not as a hobby or for extra bucks...you need to have a mill for the time and precision it delivers.....i wholeheartedly agree to buy the best you can afford and would add buy the BIGGEST you can afford...small mills are not rigid although with practice you can work around it....you can get a large old mill for the same that you can buy a little one for...just look around....
 
As a machinist, I agree, the mill is one of the best tools you can have as you advance in knife-making. I also agree with buying the BIGGEST machine you can afford. Small mills do not have the weight and rigidity needed in some procedures. Also, consider that most machines do not come with tooling i.e. a vise, cutting tools, clamps, etc.
Buy the best vise you can afford also, because a cheap vise will not hold up and they don't have the holding power. Price ranges for new vertical mills is anywhere from $4000 to $12000 approx. Again this does not include any tooling.
Lastley, you can buy an attachment to turn a vertical mill into a horizontal mill. I don't know how well they work, but they are not too expensive.
email your mailing address and I will send you some tooling and used machine catalogs that I have.

I hope I helped.
 
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