Thin stainless steel for miniature knives

Weitzel

Weitzel

Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Messages
10
Hi All,
I've enjoyed making knives for many years, usually from junkyard materials but occasionally from good stuff. I've made some neat miniatures usually from industrial size bandsaw blades and sawzall blades but I have been looking for a source of thin hardenable stainless to work with and haven't been able to find any. I'd like some around .040" thick, maybe 440c.
Thanks in advance for any help.
 
AKS has some .040 AEB-L stainless. They probably have other stainless grades that thin also.

Hoss
 
You could ash JT to surface grind some 15N20 or AEB-L down to as thin as you like it.
Remember to keep the blade thickness at scale when making miniatures. If a full size blade has 1.4" thick blade, the 1/4 scale is .06", 1/10 scale is .025".
I make miniature blades down to below .01 thickness.

Another fast way of reducing the tock is to epoxy or CA glue the miniature cut-out to a piece of wood clamped in the vise and file it down to proper thickness.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
You could ash JT to surface grind some 15N20 or AEB-L down to as thin as you like it.
Remember to keep the blade thickness at scale when making miniatures. If a full size blade has 1.4" thick blade, the 1/4 scale is .06", 1/10 scale is .025".
I make miniature blades down to below .01 thickness.

Another fast way of reducing the tock is to epoxy or CA glue the miniature cut-out to a piece of wood clamped in the vise and file it down to proper thickness.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that is a reasonable option.
I do enjoy making miniatures, they go so much faster and use such little material.

I do love my CA glue just haven't used it for dopping, it's worth a try.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20190305_164940_443.jpg
    IMG_20190305_164940_443.jpg
    42.2 KB · Views: 19
when making a miniature, make a full size drawing or tracing. Mark every dimension - blade thickness/height/length, handle thickness/height/length, guard measurements, etc.
Decide on the scale , lets say ir is 4:1. Divide all those measurements and put them on the darwing page. Use them to get the mini to be an exact scale model.

Most people have the thickness WAY to thick, and the handles are usually out of proportion. With care and patience it isn't hard to make them down to 10:1 scale. I have gone as far as 50:1.

It is fun to make a scale set of a knife you made. If you make a simple 8" OAL drop point hunter with black Micarta handle, make one 4", 2", 1" (and even 1/2"). Case them together in a glass top box. The hunter may only bring around $100, but the knife set may bring $400.

This thread is a tutorial I did a while back on making minis. It has photos thorough it of the process and final products:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/mini-knife-tutorial-and-wip.766261/

Here are some shots of minis in the works and finished. The last is a 1" pendant and 3/4" earrings of a Buck 119 … made in gold and ebony.

mini sword 004.JPG mini sword 004.JPG mini baskethilt 010.jpg Mini Kith 068.jpg mini knife.jpg mini ear rings.jpg
 
Thanks for your input Mr. Apelt, you have an impressive collection of work
 

Attachments

  • 20190729_122040.jpg
    20190729_122040.jpg
    170.5 KB · Views: 5
20180813_095953.jpg I currently use blue temper 1095, it's great stuff but my post is asking for sources of thin stainless blade steel. It would be great if I could find stainless sheet/plate around .040" thick that is already hardened and tempered. I'm only interested in making working miniature knives so the hardness is requisite and corrosion resistance would be nice. A small dagger I made with L6 is worn as a pendant and took on a dark patina.20180813_095953.jpg 20180813_095953.jpg 20180813_095953.jpg 20180813_095953.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top