New the knife making

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Andrew Ovalles

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Jan 12, 2005
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I've been having a difficult time. I finally got 3x15 5160 steel. Its 1/8 thick and my bandsaw is having a hard time sawing its way through it. Its like i can't push any farther and if i do my bandsaw collapses. Im about to drill each hole into my outline and use a regular handsaw.

Anyway i have a 1/3hp delta bandsaw with a metal cutting blade on it and i just can't cut metal with it. I've tried to cut 3/16 thick but i can only get through if i drill holes in it. This being a thinner metal im still getting the same outcome. Anyone know what could be wrong ?
 
If it's a wood cutting saw then it's running way too fast. Also a biemetal blade is much better than a regular metal cutting blade. Really need to know what type of saw your using to help.

Don Hanson
 
yeah, that one runs too fast. Drilling and hacksaw may be your only choice.

is the 5160 annealed?
 
Do you have or have access to an electric .25 valve grinder?? if so, just put a good 3-4 inch metal cutting disc in the head and go to cutting.

Ken Beatty
 
ysforge said:
yeah, that one runs too fast. Drilling and hacksaw may be your only choice.

is the 5160 annealed?
Click to expand...
i guess thats my only choice. I don't know what you mean by annealed. All i know is that the metal is raw i believe.
 
DarkLegend, at the risk of repeating what the others have said, I shudder to think of what a saw made for sawing wood will sound like when trying to cut steel. :eek:
It will just burn the teeth of the blade right off.
Only thing you could do is, if possible, reduce the size of the driving wheel radically which will reduce the surface speed of the blade. Tough steel needs slow cutting.
Annealed means "soft", well, if you can call steel soft. Some processes like hot rolling can toughen steel even more, making it even more difficult to cut.
I am not sure what "raw" would mean in this case, probably annealed.
Hope you can work something out.
regards,
Mike :thumbup:
 
ysforge said:
When you push a file against the corner of the 5160, how much does it cut?
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hardly anything. All it makes are little slices on the ends of the steel. Man it feels like a let down :-(. Luckily i bought a saw just incase but its gonna be alot more work. after i sell my first knives or 2 il be all set on getting a better saw.
 
miden said:
DarkLegend, at the risk of repeating what the others have said, I shudder to think of what a saw made for sawing wood will sound like when trying to cut steel. :eek:
It will just burn the teeth of the blade right off.
Only thing you could do is, if possible, reduce the size of the driving wheel radically which will reduce the surface speed of the blade. Tough steel needs slow cutting.
Annealed means "soft", well, if you can call steel soft. Some processes like hot rolling can toughen steel even more, making it even more difficult to cut.
I am not sure what "raw" would mean in this case, probably annealed.
Hope you can work something out.
regards,
Mike :thumbup:
Click to expand...
The drill is worst then the bandsaw. I have to put ear plugs when im drilling through 3/16 of steel.
 
Sounds like you have limited resources. You might try to soften the steel by finding a neighbor who is burning brush. Throw it in the fire and then get it the next day or when the ashes have cooled. It will have to be a hot fire. The idea is to get it good and hot and then let it cool slowly. I haven't worked too much with 5160 but this may help and probably won't hurt.
 
Search for friction cutting. It worked for me but I could not cut straight and yes it did make a noise like metal beeing cut on a wood saw but hey it did cut and the wood blade would cut many feet of steel. You do have to push the steel very hard on to the blade.
I gave it up and built a two brick forge and have gone back to cutting wood on my band saw. :D
Cheers Ron.
 
Are you using a drill press or a hand held drilling machine?
If you have a drill press, use low revolutions. If you have a hand held machine, sheesh!
You still need low revolutions!!
If you are using a hand held machine, put the steel down on a bench and drill from the top, apply a fair amount of pressure onto the machine and press the trigger softly so that it does not spin at a high speed, even drill in short bursts if that is what it takes. DO NOT go full speed. Use a bit of oil to aid the cutting process, any oil is okay in this case.
If this does not work then your drill bits are blunt or the steel is too tough/hard. If you have drilled too fast then your bits will be blunt. Damn, I wish you lived close to me, I have access to the right equipment and I have been where you are now, just DON'T give up, even use an angle grinder if you have to. Be careful though and keep the guard ON. Keep in touch.
Mike
 
1. Use an angle grinder.

2. Use a dremel with the reinforced cut off wheels.

3. Heat it in a homemade forge and beat it into the correct shape.

4. Get a piece of O1 -much easier to make a knife your first time out, plus it comes annealed and is much easier to work.
 
Dark Legend - I'm not picking on you,I'm helping you.You need to get several books on knife making and read them.Not knowing that a wood saw won't cut steel,and not understanding the term "annealed" is a sign of not being ready to work on the knives yet.There are many things in knife making that can make your work harder, remove a finger,ruin a knife,kill you,and other annoying things.If you know what they are and how to avoid them you will be miles ahead on the learning curve.If you do a search on this forum you will find several threads on good starter books.A few are "Step-by-step Knife making",by David Boye,"The Complete Bladesmith",by Jim Hrisoulas,and "The $50 Knife shop",by Wayne Goddard.There are dozens more.This forum is a good place to learn,get advice,and find out how others do things.BUT, in things like Brain surgery,using Dynamite,and (to a lesser degree) Knife Making - study and learning are best done before the actual task is started.
Stacy
 
bladsmth said:
Dark Legend - I'm not picking on you,I'm helping you.You need to get several books on knife making and read them.Not knowing that a wood saw won't cut steel,and not understanding the term "annealed" is a sign of not being ready to work on the knives yet.There are many things in knife making that can make your work harder, remove a finger,ruin a knife,kill you,and other annoying things.If you know what they are and how to avoid them you will be miles ahead on the learning curve.If you do a search on this forum you will find several threads on good starter books.A few are "Step-by-step Knife making",by David Boye,"The Complete Bladesmith",by Jim Hrisoulas,and "The $50 Knife shop",by Wayne Goddard.There are dozens more.This forum is a good place to learn,get advice,and find out how others do things.BUT, in things like Brain surgery,using Dynamite,and (to a lesser degree) Knife Making - study and learning are best done before the actual task is started.
Stacy
Click to expand...

Just recieved it today from amazon.com. I've been studying the book all this morning and afternoon. There are some things im missing here in there in knowledge. great book to learn alot.

I have lowered the revolutions to the drill press and im eating 3/16 like its butter :thumbup:
 
DarkLegend, don't lose faith. Many of us have been where you are. There are many trials and troubled times while learning the basics of knifemaking, but when you hold and cut with that knife that you made yourself, it makes it all worthwhile. These guys on this forum can be invaluable in reducing your trials and troubled times. We are all lucky to have this wealth of knowledge!
 
As I recall the Barney and Loveless book assumes you have a lot of equipment. There is a book on knifemaking: "Custom Knifemaking: 10 Projects from a Master Craftsman" by Tim McCreight That has more basic knives with basic tools.
 
"I have lowered the revolutions to the drill press and im eating 3/16 like its butter :thumbup: "

Sounds like you are getting somewhere now. :D
The books are a good idea though.
Check out this link too. Plenty of good info.
http://www.engnath.com/public/manframe.htm

Are you going to forge or just try stock removal for starters?
Got a grinder, or just some files and a lot of heart? :)

Good luck.

Mike
 
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