The "I'm going to try making a knife..." thread!

sbakker

sbakker

Joined
Apr 21, 2013
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323
A while ago, some of you DFK faithful may recall that I mentioned I was going to try my hand at making a friction folder, with no prior experience with either a) knife making or b) steel working. I can weld, I like making things, and my basic tool skills are solid, but that's about it.

So I've been toying around with ideas, and decided that the simplest approach to an all metal folder would probably be a traditional Japanese higo nokami style (a style I love - I own 5 from varying makers, with a 6th en route).

Yesterday, I decided to pull the trigger. I asked Daniel if he minded much if I post a thread for help/progress/frustration here in his subforum and received his dubious blessing, so I'm committed now!

I bought a 6x6" sheet of copper (1/8") and a bar of 1095 (3/16") (also a 10" bar of Elmax, for no other reason than I really, really like the way it looked and felt once stone tumbled on my ZT 0561 :p). I'm going to use my Takeda Bichu-no-kami as a basic very simple pattern.

The idea is going to be a stout, probably shortish higo nokami with a tumbled, acid etched blade and a patterned copper handle.

So now comes the important stuff. Most of this will be hand filed and worked. My "grinder" is an 4-1/4" angle grinder held in a vise (don't laugh, it gets worse). I don't own a really decent set of files, so if you have a favorite brand, I'm all ears. I'm thinking a tanto type grind, single sided, but don't really have a clue how to achieve that...

Below is the knife this is will all be (very roughly, as Takeda is a master and I'm a 100% complete floundering hack) based on. Should be good times! I'm going to invite you all to share in the comedy/tragedy that is sure to follow... :D



 
I will stick to paying for knives because mine will never come out looking like a MicroTech. Lol
 
It's going to be cool! :cool:

For files try Nicholson, the Magi-cut is my favorite. Grobet is another good brand along with Black Diamond which I think Nicholson also makes. Most files cut one way and dull on the other. I have done a sword with one! Draw filing is a great technique to master.

That's a Takeda, very cool! I'm a big fan, a Takeda Nakiri is one of the few knives I want from another maker.

Good luck and I'm really looking forward to the progression!
 
Thanks Dan!

There are a few Takedas for sale at Fort H right now - worth the price of admission, I think.
 
Sounds like a super fun project ! Dude,sandwich that elmax between the 1095 and make some san mai! just kidding , I don't even know if that is possible with those two steels.
 
I hope you do not intend on using an angle grinder held in a vise...

Such a small blade can be filed quite easily and rather quickly if clamped to a board. I have a piece of 2" angle iron i put in my bench vise and clamp the knife to that.

Nicholson files are no longer made in the USA, and quality has seemed to go south along with the production facility. Older american made files can be had at garage sales, flea markets and such. If you go shopping for them in person check the straightness of them. 8" or bigger half-round bastard, 8" or bigger flat bastard or Magi-cut, 6" second cut or smooth cut flat file, 1/8" chainsaw file for plunges, and a set of various needle files. Also, a file card for keeping them clean and cutting good. Oil them when not in use or everytime you're done using them.

Buy quality sandpaper! Use it like it doesn't cost anything. If it stops cutting, throw it away because you're wasting effort.

Make a pattern from paper, see how it works, then get started!


-Xander
 
Yeah, second the thought of an angle grinder in a vice. That sets off all sorta bells and whistles. If you want a small HF grinder, one of those 1x30's, I think I got one collecting dust >_>
 
fast14riot said:
I hope you do not intend on using an angle grinder held in a vise...

Such a small blade can be filed quite easily and rather quickly if clamped to a board. I have a piece of 2" angle iron i put in my bench vise and clamp the knife to that.

Nicholson files are no longer made in the USA, and quality has seemed to go south along with the production facility. Older american made files can be had at garage sales, flea markets and such. If you go shopping for them in person check the straightness of them. 8" or bigger half-round bastard, 8" or bigger flat bastard or Magi-cut, 6" second cut or smooth cut flat file, 1/8" chainsaw file for plunges, and a set of various needle files. Also, a file card for keeping them clean and cutting good. Oil them when not in use or everytime you're done using them.

Buy quality sandpaper! Use it like it doesn't cost anything. If it stops cutting, throw it away because you're wasting effort.

Make a pattern from paper, see how it works, then get started!


-Xander
Click to expand...

^ Good advice...

You will be surprised how how fast a file can remove metal, they are almost as fast as a grinder.

as mentioned ...Use the paper like it was free! I go through piles of the stuff

I still use the file and sanding block a lot even though I have a KMG, especially with tricky grinds. If the grind isn't dead flat... draw file to perfection.

You're making the Tamahagane and San Mai right? I can send you a bucket of black sand for that... :D

Drill undersized by a hair and ream your pivot hole...

More help later when I think of it! :D
 
Farchyld said:
Yeah, second the thought of an angle grinder in a vice. That sets off all sorta bells and whistles. If you want a small HF grinder, one of those 1x30's, I think I got one collecting dust >_>
Click to expand...

Good call, I think hogging metal with the 1x30 then using the file is the way to go at first.
 
Hah, ok, I wasn't really planning to use the angle grinder in the vice for this. Those HF 1x30 are like $40 - I have one in the mail already, lol.

Thanks for the advice re grinding roughly then filing though. That I will take to heart.
 
Daniel Fairly Knives said:
Drill undersized by a hair and ream your pivot hole...
Click to expand...

Jobber bits, yo! That chart you linked me to is slick! You can get bits fairly cheap. I just picked up two holders, one for fractional sized bits, one for letter sized bits.
Here's the chart to show you what you'd need to get that "hair" difference:
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e225/Farchyld/Edgeworx/drillsizes_zpsc62f8890.jpg

(It's large, trying to avoid posting the humongous pic here!)

They're right about files. The very first work I did was to restore an antique axe for a friends Christmas gift. I used a single bastard file and a vice for 99% of the work. Whoa!

 
sbakker said:
Hah, ok, I wasn't really planning to use the angle grinder in the vice for this. Those HF 1x30 are like $40 - I have one in the mail already, lol.

Thanks for the advice re grinding roughly then filing though. That I will take to heart.
Click to expand...

Sounds good!

When I first started the plunge and the flatness of the grind were the toughest parts to get right... once I learned decent file technique I started finishing them up.

First knife sold! I probably have 30 hours into that one... I obsessed over making the grind flat, checking the reflection vs a grid, http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/825567-Daniel-Fairly-Knives-3-first-knife-for-sale!


Farchyld said:
Jobber bits, yo! That chart you linked me to is slick! You can get bits fairly cheap. I just picked up two holders, one for fractional sized bits, one for letter sized bits.
Here's the chart to show you what you'd need to get that "hair" difference:
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e225/Farchyld/Edgeworx/drillsizes_zpsc62f8890.jpg

(It's large, trying to avoid posting the humongous pic here!)

They're right about files. The very first work I did was to restore an antique axe for a friends Christmas gift. I used a single bastard file and a vice for 99% of the work. Whoa!
Click to expand...

You called it dude! I like the Norseman bits from USAKM.

Thanks for posting the drill bit chart, everyone that makes knives should have a copy. I have three on the shop wall along with alternative ones and tapping charts for Titanium.

As a reminder some steel will not easily file once hardened, just depends on the steel and file. I imagine one of my 62 RC kitchen knives not even taking to a file...

Nice work on the axe! :cool:
 
I ended up wood burning the Krampus into it. My buddy is the kinda guy that's got plenty of $$$ so buying him something is very hard. The gift was a home run, he loved it!
 
Progress!

Well, not actually. Still doodling while I wait for my materials. But at least the work space has improved, with an albeit VERY cheap grinder.

 
Heh dude, lookin's good! Remember, everyone starts somewhere. You gotta make the best of it and add when you can!
 
Haha, yep. I'll drop cash on something nicer if this one takes. ;)

Here's my favorite sketch so far. For scale, it's 1" wide and the scale is 2.5" long. I'm having a devil of a time figuring out pivot and stop pin positions though. Guessing so far... Any tips?

BE05DC94-B307-4574-BE20-48329146806E-2181-0000050DCA3AEA45_zpsc2d31b95.jpg
 
I'm a nerd by trade , so my approac would be to import it into cad and make each piece seperate , then rotate for pin placement. Guess you could cut pieces of paper out and pin/ repin till it works?
 
I has no CAD, although I was wondering if there was some easily available free software that would work in similar fashion, or at least let me rotate the pieces around a pivot...
 
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