Newbie getting started-BF has created another monster

[reiko1078]

I'm working on my 3rd knife right now so I'm a super noob. I have the exact same tools as you do. In fact I made my first one with nothing but a drill and files. The 1x30 is a huge advantage I love mine

Use the 1084 for sure and let me recomend 1/8 inch. I bought one piece of 3/16 and its pretty thick. It takes A LOT of filing to get your bevels thin enough to put a good edge.

Good luck, welcome, and I hope you have an understanding girlfriend/wife

 

[Shamrockninja]

Thanks for all the replies, and please keep them coming.
You good people here at BF have made me feel a bit more comfortable with diving in the deep end.. hehe

Shamrockninja

The entire Heat treating/metallurgy thing is in my opinion the MOST difficult thing to come to terms with. At the same time I find it fascinating. I think if you were to start out reading the sticky titled Rosetta Stone of Metallurgy it would be a good start, but only a start. Read more generalized introductory types of materials too, by different people. The forum is blessed to have some real smart people who seem to think like crystal structured steel.

I look forward to seeing your crappy phone photos and knife shaped objects. I like your humor too.

- Paul Meske

I somewhat get the extreme basics of the heat treat/temper/annealing processes.
In a former life, Ive looked very closely at the borosilicate glassworking/manufacturing industry (labware).
Steel is totally different, but the terminology isnt extremely foreign and I basically understand why Im doing alot of the things Im supposed to do when HTing a blade.

I do see there is an art to a quality heat treat and Im starting to understand when the different hardening techs (TH or DH)are best suited
It's alot to soak in, and will soon be quite the challenge.

 

[Shamrockninja]

Okay so I may have gotten a little carried away with the wooden knife thing.

Sorry for the horrible pics, they are crappy cell phone pics, but I warned ya in advance.
I learned ALOT filing this blade. The edge was a real challenge to keep straight and even, and I still need more practice.

So how bad did I do?

Little over 8.5 inches overall

Shot of the blade

shot of the wooden blade among a few knives I assembled from blanks

Shots of a leather sheath I made for a Damascus tracker clone I picked up.