Newbie - Whats the prefered method to cut out your blanks poor man style.

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dustbust_1

Joined
Jun 5, 2012
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57
Im ordering some CPM 154 from steel baron. This will be my first knife. I wonder what is the best way to cut out the first initial shape? Hacksaw, grinder...

After the cutout i will be filing to shape and sending it off to prob Texas knife maker to harden.
 
Most with no power tools use a hacksaw and files. Drill helps a lot. You can get a cheap 4.5" angle grinder for $20 will be a big help. Having your first go at it you should have ordered some 1084. Probally get twice for the same price.
 
You done good, order the best steel you can afford for your application.

Waterjet is the least expensive for me, but my time is a factor, and I am not generally doing onsies, and twosies...

I also feel that way for newbies too though.
Cut out 10 of the same blade, and and work on them one at a time, start to finish.
#10 should be much nicer than #1
 
I haven't bought it yet. When I click on 1084 on Aldo's website it comes up as no results found. SO the alternative recommendation is CPM 154.
 
dustbust_1 said:
I haven't bought it yet. When I click on 1084 on Aldo's website it comes up as no results found. SO the alternative recommendation is CPM 154.
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I would call Aldo. It may be that he has some in stock and it's just not showing up on his website.

BTW, I started out using a hacksaw. I tried the 4.5" grinder but just didn't care for it. Seemed to be by the time I got it cleaned up (with files) I had spent more time than if I'd just used a hacksaw in the first place. But I've seen others that were masters at using 'em. Experiment and see which is best for you.
 
i use a hacksaw for mine, then clean it up with a file, works ok, cant speak on an angle grinder, but the hacksaw is decent
 
dustbust_1 said:
I haven't bought it yet. When I click on 1084 on Aldo's website it comes up as no results found. SO the alternative recommendation is CPM 154.
Click to expand...

Aldo had some at the blade show. I know a couple people who bought A LOT of 1084 and 1095.
 
the angle grinder is great, at least for me. Straight lines with it, follow with heavy curved sections removal with stone wheel, define with belt sander.
 
Go with the angle grinder. Use the cutoff wheel first for profile then the thicker grinding wheel to clean it up. A couple years ago I made a knife from a file almost completely with an angle grinder. I even gave it a hollow grind by doing the bevels with it. I called it my "Green Pat" knife. About 98% was done with the grinder. If you have tools don't be afraid to use'm.
 
If you are a NEW maker, do not buy the BEST steel you can afford. Get a good steel and get the MOST (quantity) for your money. Mistakes are a huge part of the learning process and you can and probally will go through a bit of steel. I look at the pile of O1 I destroyed on my KMG learning (still learning). Give Aldo a call. He is a GREAT guy and will help you out. His 1084 is awesome and you can get a lot more of it compared to 154. Plus you can do the heat treat with minimal equip. Not the case with 154.
 
Another vote for an angle grinder. If you don't have a bench grinder for profiling, then get a grinding wheel and clamp the grinder to a bench. Angle grinders are very versatile.
 
I use a hacksaw. And also, good blades are important. I used to use buck blades... said they would last five times as long, and there were five blades in the box... anyways, I made around a quarter inch of cutting before the hacksaw was dull. Not just dull, but the teeth were all ground off dull. Then I got two lenox saws. Cut out... around three blades so far, and I'm still on my first blade. Cheaper too. Seriously, a good hacksaw blade is insanely important. Unless you have the equipment for other methods.
 
jll346 said:
If you are a NEW maker, do not buy the BEST steel you can afford. Get a good steel and get the MOST (quantity) for your money. Mistakes are a huge part of the learning process and you can and probally will go through a bit of steel. I look at the pile of O1 I destroyed on my KMG learning (still learning). Give Aldo a call. He is a GREAT guy and will help you out. His 1084 is awesome and you can get a lot more of it compared to 154. Plus you can do the heat treat with minimal equip. Not the case with 154.
Click to expand...
Nonsense. No hard feelings, but nonsense.
Buy the best steel you can afford for your application.
If a few dollars here or there on steel breaks you, this ain't the hobby for you.
There are commercial heat treaters out there, no need to do it at home.

However, cutting with files and hacksaws and person powered tools, I would design my 1st knife around one of the simpler steels.
 
Fellhoelter said:
You done good, order the best steel you can afford for your application.

Waterjet is the least expensive for me, but my time is a factor, and I am not generally doing onsies, and twosies...

I also feel that way for newbies too though.
Cut out 10 of the same blade, and and work on them one at a time, start to finish.
#10 should be much nicer than #1
Click to expand...
Wow, that sounds like GREAT advise. I think I might try that. Got any suggestions how/where to proceed with the water jetting? (I'm not much of a CAD designer.)
 
Your not new to this Phil.
You've been around here as long as I can remember.

I always recommend David at Great Lakes Waterjet.
Heard a few folks badmouth him, but he's always done right by me.
Waterjet folk seem to be a special breed, but he comes through more often than any of the others I have used.

I don't know how it works if you send a waterjet guy a paper drawing, as I always send a 2D digital drawing, but nobody works for free, so I imagine it would cost you.
I'm pretty sure there is free or inexpensive software for converting scanned drawings to something usable, I do it, but I do it with expensive software.

I pay roughly $3 - $10 per blade, hard to beat that if you value your time.
Especially when you factor in the expendables you would use doing it yourself, and the headache.

I really don't enjoy bandsawing, or hacksawing, or most kinds of sawing for that matter.
 
Fellhoelter said:
Your not new to this Phil.
You've been around here as long as I can remember.

I always recommend David at Great Lakes Waterjet.
Heard a few folks badmouth him, but he's always done right by me.
Waterjet folk seem to be a special breed, but he comes through more often than any of the others I have used.

I don't know how it works if you send a waterjet guy a paper drawing, as I always send a 2D digital drawing, but nobody works for free, so I imagine it would cost you.
I'm pretty sure there is free or inexpensive software for converting scanned drawings to something usable, I do it, but I do it with expensive software.

I pay roughly $3 - $10 per blade, hard to beat that if you value your time.
Especially when you factor in the expendables you would use doing it yourself, and the headache.

I really don't enjoy bandsawing, or hacksawing, or most kinds of sawing for that matter.
Click to expand...

I need to talk to David or one of the other guys soon. I'm getting pretty tired of band sawing too! I have a couple designs that I make enough of to do some good size water jet runs, just need to take the initiative and make some calls.
 
I buy my steel in the widths that are similar to my finished product. I use a cheap harbor freight angle grinder with a cutoff wheel, and a worn blaze belt on my grinder on the edge of my platen to get inside curves etc.

Johnny, you just send that bandsaw my way. There have been many days behind that shitty angle grinder where I've dreamt of one.
 
I do all my profiling on the B3 36 grit Blaze with the speed maxed out. Even when I do .3125 and .375 material it's like melting butter.
I have finally designed a folder I'm happy with so I will definitely be using the local waterjet guy.
 
I started using a cut off saw, then got a jet metal bandsaw shorly after!
I found a local waterjet guy, within driving distance of me, i was shocked at how affordable his quote was. Ive got 2 monster circular saw blades that came out of a mill up here, and ive come up with 3 designs that will use the good majority of them. All the guy requested was that i bring them in on a mon-tues, and that i use black construction paper for my templates.
On a side note about finding local resources, i found a local plastics machining co. that sells micarta, and all kinds of crazy material cut offs by the pound, and he said he could machine idler wheels out of my choice of materials if i wanted. I bought 10 lbs 0f 1/4" canvas micarta for 40 bucks!
Seek and ye shall find!!
Greg
 
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