What have you learned lately?

[Forrest Taylor]

I've learned I need to make my edges thinner after heat treatment when I'm making smaller knives. Bowies or camp knives work fine with a thicker edge but the smaller ones need to be thinner.

 

[navman]

I learned that diamond lapping film is the heat for finishing high carbide steels post HT.

 

[Way-Barney]

I have learned not to answer the phone and talk bollocks when you have a knife in Ferric

 

[Crag the Brewer]

I remind myself to finish the riccaso to handle transition Before doing my primary grinds..... That's a struggle for me because I just wanna get in there and start grinding.

*I still don't know the proper order of procedure?


Somehow a knife gets made......
*that Should be my new tagline

 

[DanF]

You never stop “needing” another piece of equipment or tool.

 

[Way-Barney]

I remind myself to finish the riccaso to handle transition Before doing my primary grinds..... That's a struggle for me because I just wanna get in there and start grinding.

*I still don't know the proper order of procedure?


Somehow a knife gets made......
*that Should be my new tagline

I feel your pain Bro,

I have just gone through the same thought process regarding tapering the tang, I have had a frustrating day, gone three steps backward with this knife.

I think I will write a process for each card like a recipe to follow, but like you things will probably be in the wrong order!

 

[navman]

I actually modified how I taper my tangs after watching Nick Wheelers video. I use a 10 inch wheel to hollow out much of the material then grind it on the flat platen, finishing at 120 grit and lapping on a surface plate with sand paper...I need to get a disc sander.

 

[Lorien]

I learned today that if I just keep working, things seem to get done

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I have learned to write things down on my legal pad and use post-it notes to remind me of things. If I don't, I'll forget what I wanted to order or do. The biggest thing I have learned is ....
Oh Snap! I didn't write it down

 

[ScarFoot]

Today I learned that 0.002” hardened shim stock is wonderful stuff. Got a 6”x100” roll for like $8. I used it to protect the bevel while I was cleaning up and straightening a plunge line. I put the blade in the file guide, put a strip of shim stock against the plunge line and straightened it with edm stones (120-600 grit). No scratching or grooving on the bevel other than a shiny spot from the shim rubbing that took roughly 20 seconds to sand out on a P320 grit finish.
Setup:

Without the shim. Notice the shiny spot:

About 20 seconds of hand sanding later:

 

[Lorien]

I learned that I need to sit down when I'm hand sanding. I also learned that die maker's stones don't work for shit, but it looks like them ones up there^ work pretty good

 

[Way-Barney]

I learned that steels with a high tempering temperature could be a very good option, depending on type and use etc, where you can put up with a few pounds less than optimal Lb sq ft. All grinding can be done after HT with little/no chance of ruining temper. you could happily grind away without fear, and wear gloves to save fingerprints.

 

[Hengelo_77]

I'm learning to work with this his old lady and I've learned that different bits leave a different finish when milling.

 

[TheEdge01]

I’ve learned that it’s best not to work on knives while I’m tired or stressed because bad things can happen.

 

[Crag the Brewer]

I need an inspection light slightly away from my grinder....

My grinder has the best light in the shop. *Also use spotlights.
Best thing I did switching bulbs. Almost too bright.

Anyhow, I accidentally bump the edge of the belt occasionally when I bring the knife up to look under this light. I've done it three times.

 

[Lorien]

I learned that, when working from home, it's important to take a day off at least once a month. Just hoping I don't have to relearn how to ride a bike...

 

[ScarFoot]

I learned that I need to sit down when I'm hand sanding. I also learned that die maker's stones don't work for shit, but it looks like them ones up there^ work pretty good

You might already know this but, in case others don’t, stones come in different compounds that will affect how they cut. I’ve included a picture of the reference chart that came with my set of small touch up stones below. Edm stones are hard and the ones I have cut really well. They laugh at you when you try to dress them on a piece of good sandpaper. Another option I’ve used to accomplish similar results is to wrap sandpaper around a carbide tool blank shown in the bottom picture. Only problem is with courser grits the paper doesn’t wrap as tightly around the corners which can cause some fuzz/haze around plunge lines. Below are the stones I have:


Carbide tooling blank is in this picture:

 

[Lorien]

die maker stones, in my experience, are too hard and leave a terrible finish. I thought I was being smart, but buying them was a waste of money

 

[ScarFoot]

They do leave a bad finish. I only use mine for touch up in tight areas. That’s why I used the shim stock to protect the bevel when I straightened up the plunge lines. I didn’t want to have to sand out all of the junk lines the stones left. I don’t use mine much anymore since I’m starting to get better on the 2x72. I used to struggle mightily within about 1/4” of my plunge lines.

 

[Evan Wilson]

I learned today that if I just keep working, things seem to get done

I 2nd this statement above.
and that puting a tri-bar blade together and to have it look good is rather difficult.