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New Guy here Interested in making a Leaf Spring Knife
- Thread starter ralmeida
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2006
- Messages
- 3,816
Ralmeida,
Welcome to Bladeforums. Please tell us a little about yourself. This will give us a little better idea of how to answer your question. If you fill in your profile and give a location you may even get a shop invite. What you are trying is a very common first timer attempt. I would suggest you read the stickies at the top of the shop talk general knifemaking discussion forum. Then do a search for leaf springs or 5160.
Benchgrinders can be a pain to use for knifemaking. Though it can be done it takes a lot of time and patience. ALso be very careful as it is possible to get the blade caught and cause a minor explosion of grinding stone.
Welcome to Bladeforums. Please tell us a little about yourself. This will give us a little better idea of how to answer your question. If you fill in your profile and give a location you may even get a shop invite. What you are trying is a very common first timer attempt. I would suggest you read the stickies at the top of the shop talk general knifemaking discussion forum. Then do a search for leaf springs or 5160.
Benchgrinders can be a pain to use for knifemaking. Though it can be done it takes a lot of time and patience. ALso be very careful as it is possible to get the blade caught and cause a minor explosion of grinding stone.
Ralmeida, I would second what Chuck Richards just said. You will likely get more information in the Maker's section. I think you will find as much help as you need. Most of us started out doing just what you are doing right now. It is easy to learn from our mistakes and most all makers are willing to give someone just getting started a hand.
If you let people know who you are and where you are there are local groups of knife makers that can really be fun to get involved with as well as provide a lot of help with learning the ropes.
We have the Georgia Custom Knifemakers Guild that meets once a quarter and has about 40 to 50 makers and collectors in attendance. We have members from 5 states. Your state might have a similar organization if you are not from around here. If you are from around here, we can get you hooked up and feed this addiction called knifemaking just let me know.
If you let people know who you are and where you are there are local groups of knife makers that can really be fun to get involved with as well as provide a lot of help with learning the ropes.
We have the Georgia Custom Knifemakers Guild that meets once a quarter and has about 40 to 50 makers and collectors in attendance. We have members from 5 states. Your state might have a similar organization if you are not from around here. If you are from around here, we can get you hooked up and feed this addiction called knifemaking just let me know.
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2005
- Messages
- 1,239
Ralmeida,
Welcome and I third what Chuck and Harry have offered, sage advise.
The only thing I will add is do yourself a favor and use new known steel, 5160 is very inexpensive and a leaf spring can cause you a lot of headache like micro fractures from the abuse it had in it's prior life, plus they use different steels for springs and you really don't know what you have and lastly I made a blade from a leaf spring forged it out and when it was time to heat treat it warped back to the arc of the spring so I annealed and tried again after the third time I got the picture
.
Welcome and I third what Chuck and Harry have offered, sage advise.
The only thing I will add is do yourself a favor and use new known steel, 5160 is very inexpensive and a leaf spring can cause you a lot of headache like micro fractures from the abuse it had in it's prior life, plus they use different steels for springs and you really don't know what you have and lastly I made a blade from a leaf spring forged it out and when it was time to heat treat it warped back to the arc of the spring so I annealed and tried again after the third time I got the picture
.
Thanks for all the replies guys!
For a little of my background - I'm 20 Years old. I'm going to school to be a diesel mechanic. I worked at a machine shop for a couple years. I've been interested in knives my whole life (mostly bowies). I have a pretty good collection of knives. A few that I'm very proud to own and that I paid a lot for, a few that mean something to me despite not being worth too much, and then a LOT that were just cheapo stainless knives from ebay and flea markets etc.
I would really like to make a little forge and try my hand at that and after doing quite a bit of reading I think I might be ready for my first try.
I didnt actually cut the shape out myself, I bought it on ebay already cut by a band saw.
If I was to use that as my first knife im trying to forge how would I go about it? make the forge get it to where its suppose to be and put the steel in there, get it to non magnetic and start hammering away??? any prep work to the steel before hand?
Also, What type of charcoal is good to use to fuel it? I know you can't use the regular bbq charcoal because it's too dirty but cant find much info and what you CAN use. Thanks guys
For a little of my background - I'm 20 Years old. I'm going to school to be a diesel mechanic. I worked at a machine shop for a couple years. I've been interested in knives my whole life (mostly bowies). I have a pretty good collection of knives. A few that I'm very proud to own and that I paid a lot for, a few that mean something to me despite not being worth too much, and then a LOT that were just cheapo stainless knives from ebay and flea markets etc.
I would really like to make a little forge and try my hand at that and after doing quite a bit of reading I think I might be ready for my first try.
I didnt actually cut the shape out myself, I bought it on ebay already cut by a band saw.
If I was to use that as my first knife im trying to forge how would I go about it? make the forge get it to where its suppose to be and put the steel in there, get it to non magnetic and start hammering away??? any prep work to the steel before hand?
Also, What type of charcoal is good to use to fuel it? I know you can't use the regular bbq charcoal because it's too dirty but cant find much info and what you CAN use. Thanks guys
Esav Benyamin
MidniteSuperMod
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2000
- Messages
- 90,915
Welcome to Bladeforums!
I moved this to Shop Talk for more knifemaker input. The Customs and Handmade forum is more for the finished product.
I moved this to Shop Talk for more knifemaker input. The Customs and Handmade forum is more for the finished product.
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2007
- Messages
- 4
Welcome! First off there are guys on here with waaaay more experience than I so I'm by no means an expert....I'll just share what I have done so far (which isn't much) most leaf springs are 5160 steel which is good to start out with, I actually started with an old Nicholson file. I'm working on a homemade forge out of a 5 gal propane tank, but my first attempt was in a BBQ pit, it worked out OK.
I annealed the file in the pit to take temper out so I could shape it. Not sure if this required with leaf springs as much, but i don't know for sure. I started with a hand held grinder to get rough shape then took it to my bench grinder for final shaping. Once i did that put it back in the pit heated it up enough the blade was orange/red color, quenched in some oil. I don't know the hardness level but it holds an edge pretty good, and sharpens easy. Not bad for a first attempt. I use it as my camp knife, it skins a deer well enough, thats all that matters to me.....once I get my propane forge done I can control temp better.
I don't konw much about prep work before each stage, I'm sure there are many others who can help out, just thought I'd share my first atempt with you. It may not be the best or the most fancy but I was fun I didn't lose any limbs or eyebrows!!!
I annealed the file in the pit to take temper out so I could shape it. Not sure if this required with leaf springs as much, but i don't know for sure. I started with a hand held grinder to get rough shape then took it to my bench grinder for final shaping. Once i did that put it back in the pit heated it up enough the blade was orange/red color, quenched in some oil. I don't know the hardness level but it holds an edge pretty good, and sharpens easy. Not bad for a first attempt. I use it as my camp knife, it skins a deer well enough, thats all that matters to me.....once I get my propane forge done I can control temp better.
I don't konw much about prep work before each stage, I'm sure there are many others who can help out, just thought I'd share my first atempt with you. It may not be the best or the most fancy but I was fun I didn't lose any limbs or eyebrows!!!