Total Greenhorn here with a few questions

G

GATroutBum

Joined
Feb 15, 2016
Messages
17
Hey Everyone,

Ron Wilson here from Acworth, GA. I've been lurking here, reading and watching videos for the last month or so and have finally dipped my "toe in the water". I've always thought it would be cool to make a knife from a piece of steel and finally have decided to try my hand at it. I recently purchased some hand files, a piece of 1/8" 01 steel and a few other things (pins, scales etc). I made a filing jig as shown by Aaron Gough from Gough Customs. My intentions were to make this knife soley by hand, with hand tools, to really become "one with the knife". I did cheat a little bit in cutting the rough shape as I ended up using a 4" angle grinder with a cutoff wheel. Once it was cut out, I've done everything else by hand with files.

I currently have about 5 hours in to get to where I'm at....I have the full bevel done on one side. I went slow, trying to keep everything even. I wasn't quite sure how much and how often to lower the eye bolt guide. I drew lines with a sharpie and trird to work to those lines. Once I hit them, I'd lower the bolt 4 turn each time and so on.

my questions (for now) are:

1. should I draw file the entire blade on the side I just beveled now or do I wait until I file the bevel on the other side befor draw filing?
2. When I do draw file, should I change files to a mill file? (I'm currently using a 12" double cut bastard file to do the bevels)
3. Once I'm done filing the bevels on both sides, do I need to draw file the spine and or borrom of blade????
4. Sandpaper??? What should I buy for hand sanding and what grit should I start with?
5. What grit progresson should I use and where should I stop (grit wise) before heat treating? (I'm sendind it out for HT and Temper)

I've attached som pictures of my progress so far so please critique me in whatever you see! I look forward to learning from all of you as much as I can!!!!

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Welcome to the forums! I have a few thoughts:
1. I've never hand filed a blade, so more power to you on that one. Nothing but props!
2. Regarding hand sanding, here a few tips. Rynowet is widely considered the best paper for hand sanding. Keep it lubricated with WD40 or soapy water. Try to go up by the standard numbers: 80, 120, 200, 400, 600, etc. They'll be easier to buy and trying to take too big of a jump will take forever!!
3. Another tip on sanding a blade. For your last pass at a certain grit, do a wavey line or lines in the opposite direction. This will make it easier to tell when you're done with the next grit. If you do all the lines in the same direction, you'll miss scratches and won't notice them until you're 2-3 grits down the line. Very aggravating.

Good luck, and keep posting.
 
That's how I started out. I did use a drill press at work to drill holes for pins.

keep us posted.

Ric
 
Hey Ron welcome aboard and you are going down a rabbit hole to which there is no return..lol

I think either way on the draw filling is fine if you do it now or later. I made my first 3 knives like you are so I know where your coming from. I used a triangle file with finer teeth to draw file the bevels. I also draw filled the spine too.
For sanding there is no better source than Nick Wheelers hand sanding videos on YouTube, check them out they will make a Huge difference in your finish!!
Good luck
JP
 
Phydeaux said:
That's how I started out. I did use a drill press at work to drill holes for pins.

keep us posted.

Ric
Click to expand...
I did use a drill press as well which leads me to the question...

I've read where people say that a 1/8" pin will not fit a 1/8" hole??? I took a piece of 1/8" nickel rod I bought from Texas KMS and it slid in. There was some slight friction which could be removed with sanding paper. Am I missing something here?
 
Justin Presson said:
Hey Ron welcome aboard and you are going down a rabbit hole to which there is no return..lol

I think either way on the draw filling is fine if you do it now or later. I made my first 3 knives like you are so I know where your coming from. I used a triangle file with finer teeth to draw file the bevels. I also draw filled the spine too.
For sanding there is no better source than Nick Wheelers hand sanding videos on YouTube, check them out they will make a Huge difference in your finish!!
Good luck
JP
Click to expand...
Thanks for the skinny on Nick!!! I just watched his hand sanding 101 as well as another hour + in some of his other videos...that was exactly what I was looking for! I'm not sure how I didn't stable across his videos!
 
I did have another question regarding balance...

I want this to feel good in the hand when it comes to weight and balance.

Should I remove any material from the tang? If so, how many holes should I drill? And how do you figure out how many to drill and where?

My 1st thought would be to drill a few and see how it feels and then go from there...but I was thinking there has got to be a formula???
 
drawfile with a single cut file. I prefer triangle.
Keep the handle left.
File the other side first. 'Paint' the blade with a magic marker that way you see where you are removing material.
Start with gritt 120 and work your way up to 600 (120, 240, 400, 600)

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GATroutBum said:
I did have another question regarding balance...

I want this to feel good in the hand when it comes to weight and balance.

Should I remove any material from the tang? If so, how many holes should I drill? And how do you figure out how many to drill and where?

My 1st thought would be to drill a few and see how it feels and then go from there...but I was thinking there has got to be a formula???
Click to expand...
Make it feel good and then drill out as much metal as the scales will weigh.
Also I'd drill not to close to the blade as to not make it to weak where the most force would be applied to the tang. If you do the same and drill more toward the bottom you got to drill less because the more you go that direction the more the overall balance would be affected.

If you drilled out too much could one fill a few holes with lead or would that destroy the heat treatment of the surrounding steel?
 
I just get the handle to balance around my index finger area on knives of that type and then drill a few more holes based on the handle material. Not too scientific, but it works for me.
 
GATroutBum said:
I did use a drill press as well which leads me to the question...

I've read where people say that a 1/8" pin will not fit a 1/8" hole??? I took a piece of 1/8" nickel rod I bought from Texas KMS and it slid in. There was some slight friction which could be removed with sanding paper. Am I missing something here?
Click to expand...


Either the rod was smaller than eighth, or the hole was larger.

Like I said in the other thread, search it. I must have typed that explanation out 10 times already
 
12345678910 said:
Either the rod was smaller than eighth, or the hole was larger.

Like I said in the other thread, search it. I must have typed that explanation out 10 times already
Click to expand...
I hear you but I still don't get it! I bought an 1/8" rod from a Knife making supply shop and used a 1/8" cobalt drill bit!!!

Seems like a little friction is exactly what I want..no?
 
Friction is not good. Can cause your handle to split if you have to force the pins in. Also, epoxy can not surround the pin if it's press fit.
 
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