?'s for beknives

[Sammy Mickel]

Hey Bruce, I've aquired some industrial band saw blade material that I would like to make filet knives & such out of. I can snap it to length but the only way I have to cut a pattern out is with a torch. If I cut a little wide of my lines do you think I'll loose the heat treat that's already in it? If you need any let me know.

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[Bruce Evans]

Sammy,If it is the thin kind like I used for the boot clips it will work great for fillet knives.I always just snap it off in a vice to the length that I need,actually I over length a little so that i can trim off the ends that will bend a little when you break it.
I just grind in the blade shape myself.I keep a bucket of water handy and don't over heat them so I don't have to do any re-heat treatment of the blade.I use cobalt bits turning fairly slow to drill the holes for the handle.
I have used this material for allot of kitchen knives and some small skinners even.They will hold a really good edgeIf you torch the shapes I would really suggest that you re-heat treat them and I am not sure what you would temper them at after the quench,as I don't know the actual make up of the steel....
I have also found that this stuff works great in Damascus,expecially if you are having trouble with a fold not wanting to stick back together,just stick a piece of this inbetween the fold and then weld it.
Bruce

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Bruce Evans Handcrafted Knives
The soul of the Knife begins in the Fire!!!!!
Member of,AKTI#A000223 and The American Bladesmith Society

 

[Bruce Evans]

You can cut it with a skillsaw with a metal cutting blade in it that you can buy at wal-mart
Bruce

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Bruce Evans Handcrafted Knives
The soul of the Knife begins in the Fire!!!!!
Member of,AKTI#A000223 and The American Bladesmith Society

 

[Sammy Mickel]

Thanks for the info I'll give it a try. I was lucky to be able to go to the Blue Ridge Neo tribal hammer in, full moon party, and watch up close the art of forging and gave it a try. It gave me a deeper respect for you guys that do it so well.

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