round knife?

Barry Clodfelter

Barry Clodfelter

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
May 29, 2007
Messages
579
I recently bought and watched Mr. Long's sheath making videos and almost every cut he made was done with a round knife. The way it went around the turns made me want one until I started pricing them. Then I realized I was a knifemaker and could make my own. Well it isn't quite as easy as that. All I had was 3/32" x 3" 1095 so I tried to make a small one. It was a bear to grind and harder to sharpen. Its ugly but it does cut. Sorry I don't have pics...they turned out blury on the iphone.

Has anyone ever made a round knife that looked good and cut well? Can you share some tips on how to grind and sharpen it?
 
As with any leather cutting blade, it needs to be fairly thin, hard, and have a low angle blade and a very smooth surface. Regular stropping is required for keeping the edge sharp.
 
I have made round knives and ulus. I think it might be easier for those who forge because you are not limited by stock size. As Stacy mentioned, get them as thin as you can. I prefer a convex cutting edge. If you use one, keep a strop nearby.
 
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Thanks guys! I understand about getting them thin. I'm just wondering how to grind the next one right. I tried the flat platten and got a couple burnt knuckles so I switched to a 10" wheel and that helped but with the round it was hard to get a smooth grind. It may just take practice cause the grind was very ugly and uneven. All the grinding was done post heat treat. Maybe I'll forge the next one and hammer in the taper to the edge and see if that makes grinding easier. BTW it does cut pretty good but could use a little thinner edge and maybe a little heavier would help also.
 
Just takes a lot of practus. Low speeds and a slack belt help.
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I made several as uloos. I used a flat platen to grind. I moved the blade vertically in a wide arc. Perhaps try some soft metal first and attatch some sort of thing like a clamp to use as a handle while doing the grinding. Frank
 
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Well, this is handy advice, I am making one for my father right now (well, not right now). Im using Aldos 15n20 about .07ish thick (I cant remember off the top of my head). It is a small one using 2" wide stock but I put the curve on the length of the steel instead of the width. The handle is a purple heart pen blank and Im using a copper pipe end for the ferrule. It is already ht and I was thinking of grinding the edge on the wheel from the side. I have lots of time to think about it since it is at home and I am at sea again.
 
tattooedfreak said:
I was thinking of grinding the edge on the wheel from the side.
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This is how I did it and it didn't work very well. It was hard to get a grind line started and stay in it. After doing this my little round knife looked more like a flint knapping than a ground knife.
 
Frank Niro said:
I made several as uloos. I used a flat platen to grind. I moved the blade vertically in a wide arc. Perhaps try some soft metal first and attatch some sort of thing like a clamp to use as a handle while doing the grinding. Frank
Click to expand...

Good idea Frank! thanks I will give this a try on the next one. Maybe have to weld on a longer handle the blade kept slipping around in the vise grip.
 
You could also clamp the blade in a vise, and use sanding attachments to grind your edge. A lot of the home supply stores are now stocking flap style attachments for angle grinders in various grits. I've used them, and they are as smooth as honey. They cut well, and I see no reason they wouldn't work well for your intended purpose.
 
hmm that might be the way to go.. A dremel tool in a variable speed. I have a sharpener attatchment but I think that might be too thick of an angle. Use either the grinder bits or sanding bits and keep it cool. I wonder if using a smaller wheel on the grinder would have been better. Maybe a 6"?
 
Have not made one yet but have about 5 of them that I use. From understanding how the ones are made that I use alot it looks like they are more flat ground over most of the blade with convex toward the edge and a convex edge with as stacy pointed out smooth as can be. I strop mine regularly.

If I was going to do one I would use my magnet to hold the blade due to the angles and odd shape of the traditional style. Would keep your fingers away. I would probably flat grind to almost finished then put the convex finish on it with however you see fit.
 
If there is a cardboard box manufacturer in your area then you might be in luck. They probably use slitter blades there that are about 10 or 12 in dia and about .05 in thick. Once they are worn out or sharpened down to far they might be willing to just give them to you. These blades are usualy 52100 or a2 and don't take much grinding. I've made an ulu and some other scrapers and tools out of them, real handy.
I know there are a lot of mights and maybes in this post but slitter blades are great if you can scrap some.
 
I just made one... yesterday.

I made mine a full tang (simple) out of 1/16" O1 that I hardened and tempered to 61.5 Rc.

Flat ground it to almost sharp, then feathered it all down with a slack belt. I did more tweaking with sharpening stones.

I didn't try to make it pretty because I had never actually handled one, and I wasn't totally sure about what I was doing. I have always wondered about them... but like you, it was watching Paul zip around curves that pushed me to go ahead and make one. I thought about buying one until I saw they were $70 for 440A :rolleyes:

Mine is ugly, but it zips through leather SOOO much easier than pulling a utility knife. Another huge improvement to my leather work thanks to Mr. Paul Long!!! :)
 
Here's the one I just made. It won't win any beauty contests, but so far I really like how it works... :)

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That looks great Nick! Next time I will have to start with the right size stock. All I had was 3/32" 1095 3" wide so mine is kinda small and I had to do a hidden tang.
 
Nice job on the round knife. I've thought about making one for some time as well, just never got around to it. If I thought it would turn out as well as Nick's, I'd get right on it! :)
 
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