My First Knife Project...

A

AndyH

Joined
Mar 6, 2012
Messages
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In bladsmth's instructions it says to get:
Mill bastard (or a magicut) file
second cut file
finishing file

Based upon the recommendations I've read I've been looking at Nicholson files on Amazon. They have:
16" Nicholson Rectangle Mill Bastard Single Cut

14" Nicholson Half Round Second Cut Double Cut

14" Nicholson Rectangular Medium Double Cut

14" Nicholson Rectangular Fine Single Cut

Couple questions...

1) I've been trying to find the longest files that I can thinking that the longer the file is the easier it will be to work with. The only Bastard Cut Double Cut they have is 10" which seems rather short. Is the Mill Bastard I've listed the correct version or should I be going for the smaller double cut version?

I also found a 14" Nicholson Magicut but am concerned that going from the Magicut which is supposed to leave a smooth finish to a Second Cut Double Cut would be going backwards in finish level?

2) I can't seem to find the second cut single cut. There are 12" Nicholson Medium Single Cut but I'm not sure where Medium lies in comparison to a second cut.

3) Is the Fine Single Cut what would be used as a finishing file? Or is finishing a different term like a the Bastard or Magicut?

4) I'm wanting to make a hunter style for when I go backpacking with a 4.5in blade and no Choil cut out. Probably out of 1095 since the 1084 isn't listed on Aldo's website right now. I'll be having it professionally heat treated. Is 1/8th going to be thick enough for batoning wood or should I be looking at 3/16th?

5)What size chainsaw file should I be using to cut my initial plunge by the ricasso to get the nice transition from flat to taper?

Any other suggestions would be appreciated

Thanks,
Andy Henderson
 
OK, I don't have any experience building it that way, but I have done knives with files. I use a 14 inch magicut and love them with a passion. they are amazing. they shred metal and leave a relatively good finish. The way I do it now, which is getting better every time, is to use a magicut for all the rough stuff and then to drawfile my little heart out. it keeps everything flat and leaves a nice finish. I then go straight to 120 grit sandpaper and then up the scale. As far as buying them, knifemaking.com has everything and great deals on magicuts. the shipping is a bit steep, but it will pay for itself with the first file.

As far as steel goes, I would call Aldo. He has tons of stuff that he does not have on the website.
 
First off, your overthinking it a bit. Head down to your local ACE or whatever and get the biggest Nicholson file you can, 10 or 14 doesn't make a huge difference. I often times will use a half round to rough in the bevels in an edge to spine direction. This will leave a wavy surface, then drawfile the tops of the waves down. Check youtube for videos on how to drawfile correctly. For the plunge I generally like a chainsaw file the same thickness as the stock I'm working on, 1/8" 3/16" or whatever. Also don't take the plunge to the finished height right from the start, it will climb as you go.

Another thought is the Sears Craftsman brand files, they are halfway decent and covered under their replacement guarantee. When they become dull, just go get a new one for free. Also pick up a file card (stiff wire brush) for cleaning the swarf out of the file to keep it cutting good.

For the size you are looking for, I think 1/8" would be fine, but I don't like heavy or chunky knives. Although I doubt that .062" more is going to beef it up that much.

Enjoy this new found money pit, er-I mean addiction, uh-hobby! Remeber, pics or it didn't happen!


-Xander
 
Watch out for Nicholson files -- they were bought-out by the Danaher corporation, which shut down all their American factories and moved them to Brazil and Mexico. I bought some of the Nicholson bastard files that were Made in Mexico, and they're soft and twisted :(

I'd recommend Pferd files which are made in Germany in the US (at least, the ones I bought were).
 
My Nicholson was made in the USA, and it was just a few months ago. Maybe it was a very recent change?

+100 on the file card. If you don't have one, your file will quickly become useless. File a couple strokes, brush it with the card. File a couple, brush it. Also chalk rubbed on the file helps keep it clean. Only draw file or push the file lengthwise in the direction away from the handle, never pull it backwards. It dulls them quickly. Only push.
 
medicevans said:
My Nicholson was made in the USA, and it was just a few months ago. Maybe it was a very recent change?
Click to expand...

Danaher shut down the last Nicholson factory March, 2011. There's a bunch of NOS American-made files in the sales channel, but of a dozen Nicholson files I bought from MSC in January, 3 were made in Mexico and Brazil.

Nicholson File closing next year » Top News » CullmanTimes.com - Cullman, Alabama
October 29, 2010

The Nicholson File plant in Cullman will close next year, after more than 35 years in operation.
The Cullman facility is being shut down as part of a long-term strategic plan to keep Apex Tool Group profitable going forward

Operations from the Cullman facility will be consolidated into factories in Cali, Colombia; Tlalnepantla, Mexico; and Sorocaba, Brazil. The move is expected to be completed in April 2011, according to the memo.

In addition to the Cullman plant, locations in Monroe, North Carolina and Hicksville, Ohio are also being shuttered as part of the restructuring.

“This consolidation plan follows extensive and thoughtful analysis of our work processes, operating costs, technological capabilities, and resource capacity and we are confident these changes will simplify operations and enable better service to our customers.”
 
@Geek - I'll look for the magicut and call Aldo tomorrow. I would much rather start out with the 1084 since that seems to be what everyone recommends. I had some of it in my shopping cart a couple days ago and then today it was still in may cart but not listed on the website as an active item. Hopefully he still has some of it left.

@fast14riot - I probably have been over thinking it a little. After all it's not rocket science...:D That's a good thought on the craftsman. Being in a small town like I am we don't have a lot of options on where to get tools, but we do have a sears. For the most part I'd rather get something from Casftsman than the HD or Lowes stuff. Good to know about the chainsaw file too. I'm looking forward to having a new money pit that takes it in smaller increments. My other hobbies(pottery & lampworking) I'm at the point where I need to invest 3K at once to go the in the new direction I'm interested in and that's just not gonna happen right now. :grumpy:

@medicevans - I hear ya on the chalk and card file. Will definitely be getting those along with handles.

@lazlo - Thanks for letting me know about the Nicholson files. It's a shame that there are so may posts out there that recommend them now that their quality isn't what it once was. I'm going to go with the Craftsman files initially since they are easy to source and I can replace them when I inevitably skrew them up. I'll plan to get some Pferd files in the future once I have a couple of blades under my belt and some experience filing so I can make a comparison.
 
Order Magicut files from knife suppliers. Below is the Jantz page:
http://www.knifemaking.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=magicut

Any mill bastard file will work for the rough in ( or use a Magicut). Then you switch to a finer file like a second cut ( a second cut is finer than a bastard cut). After that, you can go to a finishing file ( fine single cut ), or just switch to 120 grit paper.
 
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I recommend rusty old files from swap meets and flea markets. :D

Yeah, I know... there had to be someone in the crowd shelling out bad advice. This time it's me.
 
@bladsmth - I had held off on the Magicuts from Jantzs since I couldn't tell who the manufacturer was. I hate buying generic stuff... I had a call in to a company who has the 14" Nicholson Magicut online to find out where it was made, but hadn't heard back yet. Being in a small town I guess our Sears isn't that big because the file selection was sub par. I guess I'll be taking a look at the files from Jantz.

@tryppyr - No problem. I've read enough posts on here to expect it from you...
 
The files from jantz are genuine. I have used 2 of them, and have a third one sitting in my room. They work forever and tear steel. Jantz also has everything else you need, so they are a lot simpler than going around everywhere.
 
Here is the intended design for the knife. It's going to be made out of 1/8th inch 1095 from Aldo.

Drop%2520Point%25201-375%2520Drawing.jpg
 
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