re-shaping stockman blades

M

mongrelmutt

Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Messages
6
Hello,

I don't know if I'm posting in the right place but here goes. I am a woodcarver and I have a few stockman pattern knives that I want to modify their blade shapes into Wharncliffes and other shapes. Can I use a bench grinder as long as I quench the blade as not to lose its temper? Also, the modified knives I've seen on the web look so good it's like they come from the manufacturer that way. How do you smooth an polish them specifically? Any procedures and material hints would be greatly appreciated . I already messed up one knife, still usable but its UGLY! Thanks and sorry if I am posting int the wrong forum since this is technically not knife making but modification.

Sean
 
If you grind holding the blade with your bare hand and make sure it doesn't get hot or start changing color (esp. at the edge) the temper should be fine.
The general idea of a nice finish is to start with a course grit (a grinder is probably 20-80 grit?) and gradually work down to a finer grit (400 will look decent, but you can go to 800 or even 1 or 2000 or more).
Personally, I grind pretty rough, then use a clamp to hold the blade and sand away with wet/dry sand paper (wet it first) using my fingers or a wood block to back the paper. I start at 100 grit in one direction till you can't see the grinder marks, then go to 200 in another direction till you can't see the 100 marks, then 400 in another direction till you can't see the 200 marks.
I stop there usually, but for a real good finish you would keep going. And if you keep alternating the direction you sand in, you can be sure to get out all of the deeper grooves/scratches.
Just an idea- you could practice finishing on the blade you already messed up before you start a new one. A little experiance makes a huge difference- the finish on the 2nd knife I made was twice as good as the first, and the finish on the third was twice as good as that. Hope this helps.

-Will
 
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