newbie looking for info

G

gaspassah

Joined
Feb 13, 2009
Messages
20
hello all and thanks for looking at my post.. i am new to knife making and have searched these pages through and through... i have limited room (i.e. a garage and not a shop so i don't have a lot of space nor do i want to invest in a ton of machinery...(just yet)

my question is,,, what is the best kind of files to start with to do stock removal from a blade blank... I'm buying blanks ats34 1/8" steel, from us knife makers com..
btw

i have a dremel tool and a bench grinder already ( the two disk bench top type, not a belt)...
i thought my first real purchase would be a drill press...
thanks for any suggestions
david g
 
Any files made in Canada or U.S.A. are usualy the best you can buy and a file card to keep them clean. Good luck with your first knife and welcome to the forum.

Bob
 
so I'm getting the idea now that it doesn't have to be jewelers files etc... just regular ole metal files...
thanks guys.
david g
 
I like Nicholsen brand files. The biggest half-round you can find for heavy stock removal. A flat mill bastard for truing up everything. Remember that file teeth get more aggressive with increasing size, so a 6" mill bastard will not cut as aggressively as a 12" mill bastard, and so on. A good table top drill press is a great choice for a first purchase, IMHO.

Todd
 
You need 3 basic files to make a knife. A flat bastard, a half round and a chainsaw file. Now you may want some heavy and fine tooth variances to get to a finer finish before hand sanding, but those will do it. Use the chainsaw file first to set your plunge lines at the ricasso where the blade starts. Once those are cut in on both sides, nice and even, use the flat bastard to draw file your blade bevels. Switch over to a fine tooth flat to clean up the deep gouges. Using sidewalk chalk rubbed into the file teeth to keep them from loading up and use the file card every 3 to 5 draws to clean out the chips to prevent deep gouging in the flats. The half round is for finger choils / curvy places where the flat just won't do. Hope this helps....
 
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