Attention Summer Shop Talk Challenge - File Knife

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith

ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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It has been a while since we had a fun challenge here in Shop talk. So, I propose a simple project that all levels of makers can participate in. Here it is:

Make a Knife from a file ... That's it.

Post the results here in this thread. Give info on how you did your project and post photos.

Size, style, handle materials, production method, etc. It can be a prison shiv with an electrical tape handle or one done with forged guards and a stag handle. - it's all up to you.

Bake the file in the kitchen oven at 400° for an hour and then grind it hard.
Anneal it, file and sand by hand, and HT in a BBQ.
Use it like W2 and go for a hamon.
Anneal, test the hardness on a Rockwell tester and do HT in Larrin's metallurgical ovens.
Mirror polish or Brute-de-forge.
... it's all up to you.

Make as many types as you like. Do a full WIP if you want to. Again, it's all up to you.

Let's get going!

(No need to post, "I'm In", but feel free to if you wish.)
 
This is awesome, I will try to make one.

Guys... try to find a file that is not case hardened. I'm not really sure how to find out besides research. Can you snap one and look at the grain?
 
If I do this I’m going to use a half round file so it can be flat ground on one side and convex on the other.
 
ScarFoot said:
If I do this I’m going to use a half round file so it can be flat ground on one side and convex on the other.
Click to expand...
Scarfoot - do it any way you want - :)

I use needle files to make my miniatures. They are pretty close to W2.

A diamond file would not work.

General Advice and tips:
I find a flat bastard file that is the width of the desired knife works best. Then teeth will show well when finished. You want one thin enough so the knife isn't crazy thick and heavy. 1/8" thick is really good for hunter or utility blade. 3/16" thick is common, and works. It is hard to find thin files much wider than 3/4", so fit the blade size to the file or forge it out. Draw down the edge, but avoid forging the upper bevels too much if you want the teeth pattern to remain. Add any curve to the blade in an early step after annealing. Heat to full red and use a wooden mallet to form the curve.

I'll give you a secret tip on how to make a file knife without making it from an old file. Make the knife from your favorite steel. Shape it to the final shape and leave the upper bevel smooth and flat at 120 grit. Use a 20 to 30 LPI file (Lines Pre Inch, AKA - jimping file) to cut the teeth along the upper bevel in the desired angle. HT and finish as normal. The file-tooth pattern will be perfect.

I use 8-10" old half-round rasps to forge snakes. It is the best use of a coffee etch I have found.
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Both of my posts were attempts at humor. 🙃
I like the idea of this challenge. I’m going to ask around work for a rusty file. That or I’ll buy a new one and cut it down. All of my files are in good shape. I’d prefer to make it out of an actual file instead of mimicking the look but I might use my checkering/jimping files to fill in areas that I grind down a little. I think I’m going to need a 14” just to get the width I want.
Do rasps count too or is this files only?
 
I figured you were joshin'.

Rasps, files, whatever you want to do ... it's all up to you.
 
I have some files laying around, but they're already paper thin. And, they're folders.
511JFvL++rL._AC_SX679_.jpg
 
That’s 9 layers of quality folder damascus.
 
I have an old rusty file my brother in law gave me that he found buried in an old shed. I’m going to attempt to anneal it in my forge. My plan is to get it hot and allow the forge to slowly cool with the file buried in the coals. Hopefully that’ll do the trick.
 
ScarFoot said:
If I do this I’m going to use a half round file so it can be flat ground on one side and convex on the other.
Click to expand...
That was probably the 3rd k I’ve I ever made back in 1998. It’s a fun challenge and makes a cool dagger
 
Alex Topfer Alex Topfer , you could get a long-ish needle file and make a scabbard chisel like the Japanese scabbard makers used (called a "saya nomi") ... heck ... I might try that.
 
I'm not promising anything but I did have some nice thin old files laying around that I got from a thrift store, years ago.
They are just a bit under 1/8" thick and just a bit over 3/4" wide.
I'm letting them soak in vinegar over night to clean the rust off.
I'm not set up to do HT so I'll see how the anneal at 200C and work hardened goes.

A friction folder? A small scandi? Let's see what the vinegar does first.

20250712-105529.jpg


20250712-105608.jpg
 
Those would make nice paring/bird and trout type knives or a Puukko!
 
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