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

Nice work!

Stop pin- I'd try dropping the pivot bit, it will set the blade out further and give you more room for the stop pin.

CAD - Try Draftsight from Solidworks, it is free and from what I understand the way to go. I still mostly use an archaic program that I won't recomend! lol

The stop will be 180 degrees from the tang and the same distance... it does take forever to get everything right but after a while goes faster. Remember to leave space for the washer too.

Keep up the good work! I hope this helps out a bit...
 
Thanks Daniel! I'll check out Draftsight tomorrow and see if I can figure it out. I'm certain the pivot will need to be further forward - it's just sketched in for perspective right now.
 
Eh, it takes me longer to fire up the computer and start design software than it does for me to grab the nearest piece of paper and the pen in my pocket. I can make working drawings in minutes with a straight edge and technical pencil. Not just drawings for me, but useable working drawings. Then again I was trained in hand drafting originally.

Here's something to try out, forget that the pivot is in the blade for a minute, try subtracting scale dimensions to effectively move the pivot. Your tang is awefully short, can you imagine trying to hold that down when using it? Also, I assume it will be rounded out when made, but sharp cornered tangs will get you when the knife is closed!


-X
 
Draftlight or SketchUp. Or cut them out of shirt cardboard or manila folder and manipulate by hand.
 
Knowing nothing about ff's, I'd agree that it looks hard to hold as drawn. You could always drill another hole to pin it open too.

Looks like it would make a great utility blade, I love a straight cutting edge. :)

Also, I recognize a few bits from HF in your shop set up. Gotta love HF. :D
 
Haha, yep. I only buy tools there if I either don't think I'll use them often or am not sure... But that little buffer is awesome! I've been abusing it for three years now, and all it really needs is patience or a bit more power. If the knife making thing takes I'll upgrade the grinder!

Re the shape and tang - the tang will be rounded and in all likelihood straight. Don't know that I want that triangular thing I drew initially. I don't think the length matters as much. Cutting pressure always pushes the blade back and your thumb is a fail safe, not a lock. Stabbing anything with any FF is asking for a few less fingers... That said, I'll play with tang sizes and see what works.
 
Good looking shop... I want one of those buffers! nice setup

You can always leave the tang long then shorten it to your needs... unless the scales are folded then it needs to sit in.

:cool:
 
Yeah Daniel - I'm aiming for a traditional folded higonokami scale so it will be folded over and I'd like the tang to tuck in.

I checked out Draftsight - I'm sure it's venerable but I will need another 6 months on my time line to make it work properly for me, lol. All in good time. Might be paper and cardboard for this knife!
 
Have a look at the Sugarcreek forge u-tube video,watch it a few times and you will be off and running.It is step by step and easy to follow.
Eddie
 
Excitement! Materials! Fun! Risk of mortal injury!

Got the majority of my materials today - a thick chunk of copper for the scale (1/8"), a strip of 1095 (almost .2") and some titanium M3 screws to use for the stop pin. Not sure what to use for the pivot yet. Also, that chunk of Elmax feels great - maybe I'll use it instead!

794DDF19-554C-4F6B-BF12-DFDD63243FDB-5175-00000D48A3279924_zps35026222.jpg


Check out how thick that copper is - NO IDEA how I'm going to beat it around that 1095 to fold the piece. Any thoughts?
Also that 1095 is on roids - gonna need more hacksaw blades.

9BB079C3-5FA8-4E18-BED0-099B4B588D65-5175-00000D48AA455FA1_zps485ff1b0.jpg


Progress with the model too. Sorted out the pin and pivot locations, although I think the scaled is gonna need to be a bit deeper. It will definitely be short and stubby though!

13670156-F478-49CC-A551-3EF7BFEA1447-5175-00000D48B1E69627_zpsfa7caa86.jpg


6834505B-BB59-4238-A878-7B3332648F5B-5175-00000D48B847990D_zpsd31504ac.jpg


Thoughts/comments/hideous burns?
 
looking good!

Check out some Habaki tutorials for an alternative way to bend the copper, it might work that way. I have some 1/8" copper and imagine it might be tough to bend but will with some sort of press/holder/jig. I'd also consider locating some thinner copper if that is too tough.

I'd save the Ti screws for final assembly, use some cheaper ones during build-up. (I always use brand new screws for my final assembly as I might take a knife apart 30 times during making) I recognize that supplier, I think I get my ceramic detent balls from them. :D

Good stuff!
 
Last edited:
Looks like fun! Gotta love a shipment of supplies. :)

1/8" copper? Sheesh... Um, heat + a hammer to bang it around the back of your blade stock? I dunno. Xander will probably have a good idea. That's some thick blade stock too!

Whatever you end up doing, I'll be watching. I'm sure I'll learn a bit. :D
 
Re the copper - I was going to try to start it with a jig press on my bench vise. Then hopefully I can heat it with a torch and beat it around the piece of metal stock I'll be using.
But yeah, if it's just not possible, I might have to settle for thinner. I just really like the idea of a fat, meaty little knife. That's why everything is so darn thick. :D
 
I'd use a mandrel (form) too, a piece of rounded blade stock or a pin will work. Bend, heat to cherry red, water quench then bend some more... the copper will work harden as you bend it and this annealing step will bring it back to the original state. Once bent lightly tap with a hammer, tumble... I forget all of the techniques but you can work harden the copper and it will be very solid once finished.

Sara used to sell copper jewelry she made... annealing and work hardening are important. You can easily clean copper (like magic!) with a salt and vinegar solution. Just put some salt in vinegar and dip the copper.
 
sbakker said:
Re the copper - I was going to try to start it with a jig press on my bench vise. Then hopefully I can heat it with a torch and beat it around the piece of metal stock I'll be using.
But yeah, if it's just not possible, I might have to settle for thinner. I just really like the idea of a fat, meaty little knife. That's why everything is so darn thick. :D
Click to expand...

I replied at the same time! Sounds like a good plan. :D It will be cool so thick!
 
Hmm, bending copper that thick is gonna be tricky, but not impossible. First things first, you're gonna need leverage and heat. A trick I have done with folding is to just get it roughed in, get the edges over together. Then work on the fold by hammering it down onto your mandrel. Like making a pipe first, then flattening it. Do take sharp corners off your mandrel, and anneal it way more than you think you will need to. Think you can get a few more hammer blows out of it? Nope, anneal. Remember, half the thickness will be in tension and half in compression, avoiding tearing and cracking on the tension side (outside) wll be the biggest task.

I say start by cutting a thin strip off one end and test bending it to get a feel for how far it can go before needing annealing. Shouldn't be more than about 45*.

Good luck!


-Xander
 
Modest start. I cut a chunk off of the bar for a blade. That one cut chewed my cheap hacksaw blade to the point of being completely useless, so off to the store for more blades. The Sugar Creek build along videos suggested 24T blades, so that's what I went with.

74B0398E-5864-40A4-8AB5-4BC5D784208F-6965-0000133ED22B47DF_zpsc976a903.jpg


Started with the copper too. My mandrel is conveniently almost exactly as thick as my stock, and I elected to cut a form out of hardwood to start it off. It's tough going, but it's working so far. I have a metal form, but it's a straight 45 degree angle and I wasn't sure how I'd be able to beat it out after. That said, on the test piece I folded it straight to 45 degrees and the copper didn't come close to cracking. Copper is just so malleable. Here's the basic idea:

DB45374E-ED37-4BCB-AA80-1D6CF1C86092-6965-0000133ECA25E998_zps066c2e2e.jpg


Now I have a bunch of 1095 left over - maybe a dashi? And a whole strip of Elmax - been thinking I might just ship that off to Dan to see what he can do with it! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top