- Joined
- Oct 10, 2003
- Messages
- 395
Knife making is tool making. We all have an assortment of scrap steel. This material is a source of wonderful tools. Using a cordless drill and a belt grinder we all have tool post grinding ability. Using .25" dia drill rod you can make a set of pin punches and chisels. This material is small enough that you can heat it with a propane torch.
I recommend a pizoelctric start, with the venturi at the trigger not the tip, there is about 200 plus degrees difference between this model and the rotaty valve with venturi at the tip. The best torch is under $40 and doesn't leak. I use the torch frequently and a quart bottle lasts almost a year. This is a totally different animal than the short venturi rotary value model.
I counted the other day and I have some 35 different tools that I use, that I made, on my knife bench alone. Some of thes tools I have had to reheat treat to get them to work right. I don't think I have spent more than about 10 minutes making any of these tools that I use regularly.
I also got into making prybars and larger punches and chisels.
All these tools are a pleasure to use, and they were cheap in time and materials for the value I get out of them on a daily basis. All these tools are heat treated and give us immeadiate feedback from use. This will give you knowledge of heat treating other than knife geometries.
The heat treating loop is so quick making these tools that you can experiment quickly and learn faster than a blade at a time. Most all your failures can be recycled and turned to successes.
There is as much satisfaction in a well made high performance tool as there is from a knife. This something you do for your understanding and use...Take Care...Ed
I recommend a pizoelctric start, with the venturi at the trigger not the tip, there is about 200 plus degrees difference between this model and the rotaty valve with venturi at the tip. The best torch is under $40 and doesn't leak. I use the torch frequently and a quart bottle lasts almost a year. This is a totally different animal than the short venturi rotary value model.
I counted the other day and I have some 35 different tools that I use, that I made, on my knife bench alone. Some of thes tools I have had to reheat treat to get them to work right. I don't think I have spent more than about 10 minutes making any of these tools that I use regularly.
I also got into making prybars and larger punches and chisels.
All these tools are a pleasure to use, and they were cheap in time and materials for the value I get out of them on a daily basis. All these tools are heat treated and give us immeadiate feedback from use. This will give you knowledge of heat treating other than knife geometries.
The heat treating loop is so quick making these tools that you can experiment quickly and learn faster than a blade at a time. Most all your failures can be recycled and turned to successes.
There is as much satisfaction in a well made high performance tool as there is from a knife. This something you do for your understanding and use...Take Care...Ed
