Newbie Steel / Philisophical question

J

J. MacDonald

Joined
Jun 8, 2000
Messages
3,140
I bought some ATS-34 from Tru Grit and have been working on a couple of my first blades. At a recent show, a knifemaker said taht I was nuts for trying to learn on such a good steel. He recommended that I could buy 10 feet of 1095 for what I would pay for a foot of ATS-34 and suggested that for learning how to grind, sand, etc. the 1095 would be easier to work and could be hardened at home with a torch. I started with ATS-34 because of it's good rep and the fact than pretty much all my carry knives are stainless.

Am I missing the boat here? Should I buy some 1095 and grind away to get more time on the grinder, or do as I'm already doing and use a premium metal, roughed on the grinder and then hand filed and sanded?

Same guy also recommended that I needn't learn to solder bolsters and guards as a press fit guard and pinned bolsters are just as good at keeping water out from under the scales if glued the scales are glued right.

I must say that his knives were quite good looking. I'm a traditionalist at heart, but bought a Sharpmaker at the same show and have found it quite a useful device, if a bit unconventional. I'm not throwing away my old stones, or the idea of craftsmanship, but am curious about some of the more modern advances made since Loveless & Barney published "How to Make Knives".

Opinions are needed here, anyone got one?

jmx
 
JMX, this was just my second folder. Was I nuts for using 9" of Devin Thomas damascus and a set of gorgeous stag scales to make it? I think it makes you slow down a little and pay more attention when you use better and more expensive materials.
 
though i started with 1095 i moved to ats-34/154cm and 440c with in my first 10 blades. the way that worked for me was if it was a simple design i use the stainless and if i was trying some thing differnt i would use the carbon steel. this helps cut down the cost of the scrapped ones:D i use 1095 by request still. i live about three blocks from the ocean and can watch my bar stock rust before my eyes. i prefere stainless
 
use the Ats. Ive scrapped quite a bit of it but when I finish a knife it is what I wanted. If you want an ats knife then start out with it. Think of how disgusted you'll be when you turn out a great knife but its made out of steel that you didn't want in the first place. I never solder anything on. Just take alot of time and make the best fit you possibly can. I can almost understand soldering guards but it makes no sense to me to solder bolsters. Just my .02
Good Luck
Leonard
 
You're not nuts, just do what you're doing.
I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum. I started with stainless and I am just now working with simple carbon steel. Folks attack this stuff from many different angles, nothing wrong with yours.

C Wilkins

Bladesmithing is kinda like getting religion...Some folks see the light, others feel the heat.
 
I agree with L6's comment. My best knife yet was when I used a piece of Darryl Meier's damascus, and mammoth ivory scales. I don't remember the cost of each, but I know I was very careful not to screw that one up!
 
jmx,

I see it like this, you will take more time to learn grinding, fitting and finishing if you work with the materials you want the finished product to come out of. If you just grab a piece of steel to to practice on you won't dedicate all your attention to what your doing because you'll just want to move back to the stuff your really interested in. Sure it would be cheaper to practice with other steel, but if your not excited about what your doing and what your doing it with, its liable to actually end up costing more. No matter how many blades we all make, I think we learn something new from each one of them, I know I do, thats what makes this knifemaking so interesting.
Knowledge and practice is the key, so grab up a piece of your favorite steel and start learning.
Another thing we all have our own ideas and opinions when it comes to everything, so listen to others and apply the parts of it that pertain to your style, it can be very confusing trying to do things like everyone else, its the finished product that matters.

Thats just my opinion, take it or leave it. :D

Bill
 
...do what you wanna do! :cool:

If it isn't fun or interesting to you you won't stay at it long enough to learn anything. If you wanna use *gold* I say go for it!
I started learning to make make stuff out of A36...that cheapo steel that you get at the hardware stores sold as "weldable steel" ...because I was afraid to screw up on good material. I should have used the good stuff because my initial attempts were certainly good enough to have used better materials.

In the end, the cost of the materials is negligable. It's the cost of the labor and the learning and the tools that gets expensive.

Have fun! Learn things!

Brian
 
Well, here's my take. I don't even have a grinder yet, but that didn't stop me from getting a piece of 154CM and attacking it with a dremel and some files.

Going is good so far. Good and very, very slow. :D.
 
Doesn't matter how, or with what, just do it. It will be cheaper to learn with the 1095, but it rusts quicker than my 66 Dodge. Just to let you know, ATS-34 is probably my favorite steel. I gound my first blade out of it. I ground my second blade out of Titanium. After that experience I ground my 3rd, 4th, and 5th blades from 1095. Mostly cuz that's what I had on hand. "Do what ya like"
 
Being as I already bought the ATS-34 and 440C, I guess my real question should have been, do I save the good steel until I get better. I already have 2 blades almost ready for heat-treat and started another one last night.

Thanks guys.

jmx
 
tmx, as i said, BOTH. one of the things about 1095 was that it gave a lesson in heat treatment, this gave me a good understanding of what go's on in the steel to make a knife. i send all of my stainless steels out to be treated but i really feel it helped to do my own enought to be confident.
 
My first knife was from a File, the guy still owns it and uses it for hunting, small blade but very sharp, next one was from a spring steel scrapper while in the Navy, made into a throwing knife, actually we were missing several scrappers by the end of that voyage!

Then I upgraded to buying REAL steel, Texas Knife makers provided me with some 440C, ATS-34, which I ground out and sent to Paul Bos for heat treat, Kodiak PA has one of them today as a matter of fact, it worked well but costly on single heat treats!

Now I'm resign to working leather and leaving steel to those more in the know, but ATS is worthwhile to give a go for sure!

Send me an email sometime,
G2
 
I guess if I make sharp things, I'll need clothes for em and leather work is not my thing (least not yet) so I might be in touch.

thanks,

jmx
 
I agree with everyone else, make what you want. I like carbon steel. I learned from steel I scrounged and still do a lot. I like recycling. There are a lot of really good knifemakers out there, and here, who will give you the best suggestions they can. These work for them but may not suit your taste. Use the ones you like and file the others under the gained knowledge section.
 
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