Not even a Rookie yet

D

David Bach

Joined
Jun 10, 2018
Messages
4
If ask stupid questions please be tolerant. I have never made a knife … yet. I have one I'm working on and three more designed. MY first project is a simple drop point camp knife. I figured the simpler the better.

I purchased 1080 steel, mostly because I couldn't find 1084 which was suggested. I cut my own scales from some nice Red Oak. The project is slow and I find myself not planning far enough ahead. The knife has a 4 1/2" blade and a 4 1/2" handle. When I ordered the steel I picked out 3/16" thick. Maybe that was a bit of overkill? Maybe I should have ordered 1/8" instead? Any way that's water under the bridge. I still don't know if that was a mistake or not, I guess I'll see the answer to that down the road.

I do not have a forge and I have no desire for one. I'm pretty good with a Side grinder, files and sander. I also don't have a grinder and I don't see one in my immediate future. I watch a lot of Walter Sorrells on You-Tube and he seems to be a great teacher. I've also seen many others that make a lot of sense too.

I do have a few questions:
is there a good description for heat treating 1080 steel? Or is it like most others? Meaning heat it up to non magnetic and quench in oil.

I need some metal working hand files. Can someone suggest a brand? source?

I'm using a 4x36 inch belts on a sander and I'm guessing it wont last long. We'll see. The belts are Aluminum Oxide. I ordered some Zirconium belts. Does Zirconium belt media outperform Aluminum Oxide? I bought three 60 grit and three 120 grit belts. I assumed that would get me past the rough in stage and maybe hand sanding from there on.

Excuse the rambling, but isn't this the reason Pre Rookies join interest groups?

David Bach
City of Trinity
Great State of Texas
 
Welcome, David,
The HT for 1080 is the same as 1084. Heat to 1500°F and quench in 130°F canola oil. Temper twice for one hour at 400°F.
The 4X36 will do fine.
Zirconium belts will be much better than the AO belts. Save the AO for doing scales and handles.

You are a few years younger than me, and I think you will enjoy making knives. Take your time and pace yourself.
Fill out your profile so we know a bit about you and folks can see where you live. I saw it in your signature, but it should also be in the profile.
 
3/16" may be a bit hefty for a 4 1/2" camp knife but with the right handle it should turn out to be something you are proud of, it will always be your starting point. The 4x36 can serve you well if you have the patience, I made my first handful of knives with one. I'd try to pick up a couple more belts mostly a 40 and 220 grit in addition to what you already have.

Any pics of the progress so for, or design pics ?
 
I am also very new. This is a great place for questions! I have found my learning curve has lessen because of asking and learning from others on here. Like Stacy said, slate more info, I will add pictures too. Let people see your work and progress. Also before you make the investment on tools, ask around, could save you moneyand frustration.

On sharing pictures, join Instagram too. You will find a lot of people here are also on there. It will help give you ideas on how to improve your own product, and another source of people to ask. If you are curious on how they did something, most people are open on sharing if you ask.

Good luck can't wait to see your work
Dave
 
I finally got around to doing the Heat Treatment today. I had been putting it off because I wasn't very confident in the results I might get. I almost decided to send it off and let someone else do it. Gathered up my wits and set out to geterdone. I wish I could say it was easy and I didn't have any trouble at all but it didn't exactly go that way. I don't have a forge but I do have a propane weed burner and some firebrick. I asked my self … how hard could it be? I tried to heat the blade with nothing but the weed burners flame, no dice. I couldn't get it hot enough. So I stacked my bricks and placed the business end of the torch to where it'd blow into the cavity I had created. The back and the front were open since I really didn't have enough bricks. The front was belching fire about eight inches past the last brick. I stuck the blade in there, dropped it about a dozen times, repositioned it another dozen times and all of a sudden I managed to hit a sweet spot. It wasn't long till the blade was red. I checked it with my magnet and to my surprise the magnet did not stick to the blade. SO into the oil it went ….. I expected a plume of flame and a second degree burn but nothing like that happened. I made the quench and went to the file, and miracle upon miracle the blade was hard. The file skated across the steel. Believe me, no one could have been more surprised than me.

Next time I'll be a bit more confident.

This knife will not be a shelf queen, it's rough and awkward looking, but it's mine and it taught me a lot.

David Bachelder
 
Had a little set back today and I'm not sure if it's a big deal or not. After the heat treat I got a little carried away and decided to attach the scales. I overlooked the fact that I never tempered the blade. Now that the scales are on and a lot of the sanding is done, I'm thinking it never will get tempered.

Oops!

They used to say "The guy that doesn't make mistakes ……. isn't doing anything."

My Dad used to say "The nicest thing about being imperfect is ….. the joy it brings to others."


David Bach
 
Drill out the pins try to save the handle scales and grind off the epoxy....Temper the blade and reattach the handles.
 
You can pop the knife in a 250F oven for five or ten minutes and usually pop the scales off the pins with a knife blade slipped between the scales and the tang. Epoxy breaks down at around 240F. The oven won't hurt the blade and if in for that short a time won't hurt the scales.
 
Yup. I'll try a little heat. I've seen epoxy get soft when a little heat is applied. Worse comes to worse, I'll drill it out. If I loose the scales it's really not that big a deal.

Problem is, my house is being remodeled and the oven is out of commission. I have a good heat gun and I think it'll work.

Guess I got the carriage ahead of the horse.

:(

David Bach
 
David Bach said:
Yup. I'll try a little heat. I've seen epoxy get soft when a little heat is applied. Worse comes to worse, I'll drill it out. If I loose the scales it's really not that big a deal.

Problem is, my house is being remodeled and the oven is out of commission. I have a good heat gun and I think it'll work.

Guess I got the carriage ahead of the horse.

:(

David Bach
Click to expand...
I don t see picture of handle so I don t know size and kind of metal you use for pins ...BUT , start to drill hole in center of pin and stop when you have very little deep hole .Then use same size BUT very , very DULL dril bit and pretend that you are drilling hole.....Pin will heat up enough and fast so you will easy push it out .Then will be much easier to take handle of ....Epoxy don t hold to strong on metal ....
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
The HT for 1080 is the same as 1084. Heat to 1500°F and quench in 130°F canola oil. Temper twice for one hour at 400°F.
Click to expand...

Post temper, do you air cool to room temp. then repeat? Or water cool the first one and air cool the second?

Also, how far apart should the temper sessions be? ASAP or can I leave it for a few hours in between?

Thanks in advance
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top