Primitive knife build on Alaska the last frontier

I am really tired of reading about knives made from railroad spikes, lawnmower blades, old Chevy truck springs, saw blades, files, and the like. It has been done hundreds of times before and the knives are not the highest quality even when done by an experienced heat treater. There is no reason I can fathom to use these pieces of scrap when high quality carbon and stainless steel is so affordable and available. Why would would anyone waste valuable time working with inferior materials? If I never see another knife made from a horse shoeing rasp I will be happy. For those of you who disagree with me then ask yourself how many professional knife makers use this kind of scrap.
 
LARRYZ10 said:
I am really tired of reading about knives made from railroad spikes, lawnmower blades, old Chevy truck springs, saw blades, files, and the like. It has been done hundreds of times before and the knives are not the highest quality even when done by an experienced heat treater. There is no reason I can fathom to use these pieces of scrap when high quality carbon and stainless steel is so affordable and available. Why would would anyone waste valuable time working with inferior materials? If I never see another knife made from a horse shoeing rasp I will be happy. For those of you who disagree with me then ask yourself how many professional knife makers use this kind of scrap.
Click to expand...

Not many for sure. I think it is alright when you first start out. I went through quite a lot just learning how to grind.
I switched over to just grinding some old files for practice, and just happen to have one turn out.
I think you are right, once you have learned how, quality metal is just to cheap an available not to go with it.
Who wants to spend all that time working on a knife and finish it only to find out it has stress related micro cracks, unless you are learning on it.
 
I'd be willing to go out on a limb and say just about every knife maker has made a quality knife from good files, ball bearings, and leaf springs.
 
Cajun Kamikaze said:
I'd be willing to go out on a limb and say just about every knife maker has made a quality knife from good files, ball bearings, and leaf springs.
Click to expand...

Nope. Maybe 30yrs ago, not now. No need and with abrasives being as expensive as they are these days there's no reason to. Also the term "quality" is subjective at best when using unknown steel.

I did see a pretty cool rail road spike tomahawk making video the other day in which the maker used a 2-3in long(1in wide) piece of 1095 he forge welded into it for the edge. I think I might try to do a couple just for kicks.
 
Not EVERYONE wants to be a professional knife maker, Larry. Some people just want to see if they can do it with what they have laying around. The thread WAS about Ivan's primitive knife build. Now it's about "He should have ordered from Aldo". He "should" have ordered a KMG. Why doesn't he have a digitally controlled Evenheat?

Yeah, Ivan. You suck. Shame on you for trying to make a knife with what you have laying around the house. You should know better. There is just no way your primitive knife is going to stack up against my cryo treated super steel!!!!
 
The "only use 1084 ordered from Aldo" mentality on this forum gets kind of boring. Nothing wrong with using scrap steels if one is willing to learn how and wants to... :cool:
 
Don Hanson III said:
The "only use 1084 ordered from Aldo" mentality on this forum gets kind of boring. Nothing wrong with using scrap steels if one is willing to learn how and wants to... :cool:
Click to expand...

A friend of mine who is a very well respected blade smith in Georgia gave me a 12 inch saw blade made from good steel which he assumed was 15n20. since the steel was thin I decided to make 6 or 7 neck knives out of it.I did several tests on some cut offs with good results and the knives turned out fine. I think the problem people have on this forum about scrap steels is the guys that make knives out of scrap and have a heat treat recipe that goes something like get it "hot" (where hot is between 1200 and 2000) and quench in a nearby random liquid (bonus points if it used motor oil) then get on here and refuse to listen to advice.
 
You are welcome Mike. How have ya been?

Brony, them old saw blades are good stuff! I've made well over 1000 saw blade knives and never a complaint. I'm using 15N20 from a 12" wide band saw blade right now in damascus.:cool:
 
Cajun Kamikaze said:
I'd be willing to go out on a limb and say just about every knife maker has made a quality knife from good files, ball bearings, and leaf springs.
Click to expand...

I still have one of my first knives I forged from a file. After whittling a 2X4 down to kindling to start the forge, if you just touch it as delicately as possible and rub the edge for a couple cm, you are going to bleed. I've shaved with the damn thing once just for lolz, and it did a decent job all things considered. I guess I nailed the heat treat on that one, but yeah,
 
Don Hanson III said:
The "only use 1084 ordered from Aldo" mentality on this forum gets kind of boring. Nothing wrong with using scrap steels if one is willing to learn how and wants to... :cool:
Click to expand...

Thanks and a +1 on your view. Someday, when I get caught up I fully intend to make the biggest ""chopper" I can from an old 20" chainsaw bar that's laying around in the barn and put some fawns hoof grips on it from an old hatchet Handle I have laying around and maybe some plastic grip liners - also from stuff laying around.

I expect it will be fun to do even if it ends up as a mere wall hanger. :D
 
I know a full time maker that makes knives from railroad spikes and wrenchs. He makes 4-5 times more money than most other full time makers...
 
Gendry said:
I still have one of my first knives I forged from a file. After whittling a 2X4 down to kindling to start the forge, if you just touch it as delicately as possible and rub the edge for a couple cm, you are going to bleed. I've shaved with the damn thing once just for lolz, and it did a decent job all things considered. I guess I nailed the heat treat on that one, but yeah,
Click to expand...

PICS! or it didn't happen lol :D
 
JG Custom Metal Works said:
I did see a pretty cool rail road spike tomahawk making video the other day in which the maker used a 2-3in long(1in wide) piece of 1095 he forge welded into it for the edge. I think I might try to do a couple just for kicks.
Click to expand...

I saw that vid or a similar one. I have some old 3/8" x 3" mild steel flatbar stock and 52100 Industrial bearing material I'll do the same with one of these days. That 52100 bearing scrap is SUPER old too. Shiva Ki made his very first Spirit blade from this bearing so it's kind of a relic for me. I really need a power hammer before I can work with it though. The race alone is 1.25" thick and I have 2 giant chunks of it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top