what steel to use for a battle-ready and mirror polished katana

another thing to bring up, one of the reasons why i keep asking about different kinds of steel is because im planning on making several production lines of knives and stuff, the post about 80crv2 was for some bowie knifes and heavy duty machetes, the one about D2 vs 80crv2 was for a hunting knife, the one about steel for a tough knife was for a tactical knife. so im not just asking for the hell of it, i just wanted to know the best one to use for that knife, and with the post i've made, i pretty much have general idea for what im gonna be doing for the next 7 or 8 months, but im not gonna count my chickens before they hatch. and as for the katana, im probably use 5160 or 80crv2, so thank you everyone.
 
A lot of guys who learn how to make a sharp bevel on a piece of steel start thinking about production runs and selling knives right away. They start asking which is the most indestructible steel that holds an edge forever and can slice through the barrel of an Abrams tank. Slow down. From the look of your knives (I know they aren't finished yet) you are not ready to sell. The steels you're talking about are great and not in the "unobtainium" realm, that's good. Pick ONE steel. 80CrV2 is a great choice. Work with that for a while. Get to know it. Test it. Work out heat treating recipes that produce great blades for you. Work on tweaking your designs so they are functional and have great ergonomics and are appealing visually to the user. Work on fit and finish and attention to detail so that your product has a professional look and feel to it. Get your blades into the hands of guys who are experienced at working/surviving with knives and get their honest feedback. Listen to them. Make changes if needed. When your product looks and feels good and gets glowing reviews you are ready to think about selling knives. In the mean time, post your progress and the guys here will keep you moving in a positive direction and keep you motivated. You will get some tough love along the way but it's for a reason. Stay determined and realistic and you will be selling knives soon enough.
 
i4Marc said:
A lot of guys who learn how to make a sharp bevel on a piece of steel start thinking about production runs and selling knives right away. They start asking which is the most indestructible steel that holds an edge forever and can slice through the barrel of an Abrams tank. Slow down. From the look of your knives (I know they aren't finished yet) you are not ready to sell. The steels you're talking about are great and not in the "unobtainium" realm, that's good. Pick ONE steel. 80CrV2 is a great choice. Work with that for a while. Get to know it. Test it. Work out heat treating recipes that produce great blades for you. Work on tweaking your designs so they are functional and have great ergonomics and are appealing visually to the user. Work on fit and finish and attention to detail so that your product has a professional look and feel to it. Get your blades into the hands of guys who are experienced at working/surviving with knives and get their honest feedback. Listen to them. Make changes if needed. When your product looks and feels good and gets glowing reviews you are ready to think about selling knives. In the mean time, post your progress and the guys here will keep you moving in a positive direction and keep you motivated. You will get some tough love along the way but it's for a reason. Stay determined and realistic and you will be selling knives soon enough.
Click to expand...

Great advice, Marc!
 
i4Marc said:
A lot of guys who learn how to make a sharp bevel on a piece of steel start thinking about production runs and selling knives right away. They start asking which is the most indestructible steel that holds an edge forever and can slice through the barrel of an Abrams tank. Slow down. From the look of your knives (I know they aren't finished yet) you are not ready to sell. The steels you're talking about are great and not in the "unobtainium" realm, that's good. Pick ONE steel. 80CrV2 is a great choice. Work with that for a while. Get to know it. Test it. Work out heat treating recipes that produce great blades for you. Work on tweaking your designs so they are functional and have great ergonomics and are appealing visually to the user. Work on fit and finish and attention to detail so that your product has a professional look and feel to it. Get your blades into the hands of guys who are experienced at working/surviving with knives and get their honest feedback. Listen to them. Make changes if needed. When your product looks and feels good and gets glowing reviews you are ready to think about selling knives. In the mean time, post your progress and the guys here will keep you moving in a positive direction and keep you motivated. You will get some tough love along the way but it's for a reason. Stay determined and realistic and you will be selling knives soon enough.
Click to expand...

I share that sentiment. I'm notorious for being.... well... blunt. Not really intentionally its just how I'm built... I am glad there are guys like you on here that can word things in such a way they come across with the right message and in a smooth delivery.
Director, read and re-read the Count's post and Marc's advice.

As for 'battle ready.' All swords or hatchets/hawks and fighting knives if made in a sturdy and well designed manner can be used to inflict harm on an opponent. They are by definition a tool. It is the combatant who must be 'battle ready.' Think "Full Metal Jacket" R. Lee's statement: 'You are born again hard...' That's battle ready.

Good luck, keep grinding.

-Eric
 
I'll post my thoughts.

thedirector93 -
Filling out your profile would be the first thing I would recommend. It will tell us a bit about you as well as the area you live in. This might help you connect with other makers in your area.

Try and avoid words and phrases that sound like a kid playing war with his buddies. "Battle ready, Zombie slayer, Ninja sword, Blood groove", etc. all won't endear you to the knife making community or to those who see knifemakers as weird people. Knives are tools. Swords are tools from the past that still have respect for their history. Treated like that, knives and swords are well respected by most people. Treated as toys or make-believe weapons they get bad press and no respect.

Swords are not big knives. But first you have to understand how to make knives before you make swords. Fit and finish are much more important on a sword, as well as many other things that don't as seriously affect knives...like balance. Taking a bar of steel and grinding an SSO (sword shaped object) is a common mistake for new makers. It is a lot more complex than that unless you just want a toy sword to hack saplings in the back lot. Besides not looking or working well, an improperly made sword can seriously injure you, too.

Your current knives have a long way to go before they are ready for a "production line". From what I can see in the two photos, they suffer seriously from SBS (sharpened bar of steel) syndrome. This is very common for new makers. It usually accompanies BHS ( blocky handle syndrome). Most of us made our first knives like that because we didn't have any source of guidance. Places like Bladeforums Shop talk, and the internet in general have greatly shortened the learning curve.

Mask some knife plans. Draw up the sketches. Post them here for critique and suggestions. Seriously consider the feedback. Sometimes it take a thick skin, but please know that any comments are made about your knives and plans are intended to help you.

You ask a lot about steel. Learn some metallurgy. There are dozens ( no, hundreds) of threads on this topic. The stickies has very good basic info. Understanding what happens in steel, and what attributed different alloying has will help you pick steels.

As a beginner, you will easily fall into the ,"What is the BEST steel for XYZ." What beginners don't know is that while there are a few steels that will excel at specific knife tasks, there are a few steels that will work for almost any knife. 80CrV, 1070, 1084 will make any knife that does not absolutely need to be stainless.....and the knife will be a great knife if it is made right. These steels all make a good sword, too. CPM-154, 440C, AEBL, CPM-S35VN will all make a great stainless knife. Stainless steel isn't a good choice for a sword.

Pick one steel in carbon and one in stainless and make your next 20-30 knives from those two steels alone. Make them one at a time, fully finishing one before starting the other. Compare the progress and learn from each knife and try to improve the next. Posting photos of the knives here when done or in progress will get a lot of advice from people who have made knives for years. Listen to these people. You don't always have to do what they say, but you should always listen to them. They know things you haven't learned yet!

Read, read, read....then read some more. The stickies link the Count posted are a start. Read it all. Then search out good tutorials on knifemaking techniques. Look at hundreds of photos of well made knives. Places like The Gallery, and The Exchange are good places to see how a well made knife looks. Don't look at the fancy damascus and burl wood. Instead, study what makes the knife look good as far as curvature, fitting, flow of design, and selection of shape and parts.
Here is the Bladeforums search engine. Put it in your browser bar:
https://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=011197018607028182644:qfobr3dlcra
 
Stop worrying about steel and get some good carbon and go to town. Carbon is great steel, it's cheap and you can make pretty much anything from it. Just because it's a great steel to learn on, is cheap, and isn't a "super steel" by terms, it's still my prefered super steel, because it does everything well. Who want's shine anyway.. I want patina!!
Best of luck man.

Note: If you are in college, I'll assume you are very computer literate (at least more so than most of us). Do a Google or YouTube search for "how to make a japanese sword", I'm sure there are tons of threads already out there.
 
thedirector93 said:
another thing to bring up, one of the reasons why i keep asking about different kinds of steel is because im planning on making several production lines of knives and stuff, the post about 80crv2 was for some bowie knifes and heavy duty machetes, the one about D2 vs 80crv2 was for a hunting knife, the one about steel for a tough knife was for a tactical knife. so im not just asking for the hell of it, i just wanted to know the best one to use for that knife, and with the post i've made, i pretty much have general idea for what im gonna be doing for the next 7 or 8 months, but im not gonna count my chickens before they hatch. and as for the katana, im probably use 5160 or 80crv2, so thank you everyone.
Click to expand...

I think your 7 - 8 month plan has some serious problems. You are grossly underestimating the time it is going to take you to learn the skills needed to make a decent knife. I've been doing it as a hobby for four years and frankly, I still suck at it.

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest you've probably also grossly underestimated the investment you'll need to make in tools and supplies before you can even think about making knives worth selling. Yes, it is possible to make fantastic knives using little more than files, sandpaper, and a controllable heat source... but if that's the route you take you won't be producing them very fast. I have invested thousands of dollars slowly over these four years, and I still don't have half the equipment I would need to do this for money. And having the equipment is useless if you don't have the infrastructure (power, ventilation, etc) and space to use them.

You have entered a community of respected knifemakers and hobbyists. Don't act a fool and talk about your 7 month plan to go into production. Quite frankly, it's nonsense. We all know that, and the sooner you figure it out the sooner you can get on with learning what you need to get to the goal as fast as possible.
 
Salem Straub said:
Lone Fortress, I don't share your optimistic view about the ability to "successfully" make a sword out of 440C. Successful compared to what? For what type of swordplay? What maker are you referring to?

Not trying to be a jerk, but please do clarify...
Click to expand...


You're not being a jerk at all. Successful in that it will not break or chip as easily as people believes depending on the heat treatment and edge geometry-it will have a adequate balance of toughness and hardness. As for swordplay-cutting demonstrations, possibly exhibitions although I'd say that's unlikely, livesteel wouldn't be used for anything else.

EDIT: Just found the makers name, Barry Dawson. Here's the demonstration he showed that I was referring to:

" I couldn't help but remember with a slight smile that day also. Mike had made the mistake of mentioning an article he had just read about sword testing in Japan. I calmly walked over to where his heat treated Katana blade lie on the work bench and proceeded to tighten the end of the blade in the vice. His jaw must have dropped two inches when I began to bend the blade back. I could feel his chest tighten as I grunted against the strength of the blade. About the time he yelled, "What the Hell!!". I slowly released the blade, removed it quickly from the vice and handed it to him with an amused grin on my face. I calmly told him to look carefully down the length of the blade. "I'll be damned"! Mike exclaimed. "It's as straight as an arrow". "
 
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thedirector93 said:
im planning on making several production lines of knives and stuff
Click to expand...

I'm sorry but this made me laugh out loud.

The best advise I think you've been given here is to dig in and start making/finishing knives. It's a humbling experience. Like with anything in life if you start off with grandiose ideas before you cut your teeth you will want to quit when you fail at small things. Set smaller realistic goals and work on being able to just make a knife that isn't screwed up or weird looking. Get some 1095/1084 and start making stuff. Good luck.
 
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My first thought was: he wants to drive a race car befor he even got his drivers licence.
Then you mentioned production lines and making money. Sounds like you want to run a F1 team but still have to get your licence.
Wanting to sell knives isn't the best motivation to get started making knives IMHO. If you want to make money, buy stuff in China and sell it. If you want to be a knifemaker, make knives and improof yourself. Accept that the first X-amount of knives you will make leave a lot of room for improofment. Then the improofment points will get less and smaller. Maybe some people actualy will like your knives so much that they choose to spend there money on your knives in stead of the knives of so many other talented and experienced makers.
Your first investment should be knolledge, I think. Read, read, read then make and learn
 
I saw this thread while I was trying to find the best wood for some "numchucks":). Seriously though, get some books, historical references. Pick a simple clean utilitarian type fixed blade and make one....completely. You will get a flavor for the entire process versus assuming that a crudely ground piece of metal is considered a knife. There are a lot of talented knifemakers on this forum and much can be learned simply by reading their threads.
 
I started with the same delusions of grandeur. Thinking It won't take long and I'll be making Big bucks making knives
Min start up will be 2-4yrs and Min initial investment of $2K for decent equipment After that you can get serious
Heed the advice given so far from those who Doing it, have Been there and Done that
Look up "Spine Whack test" for the 440C
Mirror polish and Battle Ready are mutually exclusive terms, unless you expect to scratch it first time removing it from the sheath...
Battle Ready implies YOU are ready to bet your life on that blade... think long and hard before quitting your day job!
 
Hankins said:
I started with the same delusions of grandeur. Thinking It won't take long and I'll be making Big bucks making knives
Min start up will be 2-4yrs and Min initial investment of $2K for decent equipment After that you can get serious
Heed the advice given so far from those who Doing it, have Been there and Done that
Look up "Spine Whack test" for the 440C
Mirror polish and Battle Ready are mutually exclusive terms, unless you expect to scratch it first time removing it from the sheath...
Battle Ready implies YOU are ready to bet your life on that blade... think long and hard before quitting your day job!
Click to expand...

couldn't find the "spine whack test for 440c" in a quick search.... however. I have made a LOT of knives out of 440c over the years, and have only recently chosen to move on to other steels for my knives depending on their intended use. that being the case, I have done pretty extensive testing of 440c and although its not a super steel by a long shot and looks like junk on the charpy tests (and it likely is pretty brittle when compared to the likes of 3V) but nevertheless my 3/16 utility blade was hammered through a metal bed frame, cut an ammo can in half, cut nails in half and split hardwood by batonning with a prybar... so it can hold it's own given proper geometry and heat treat.

P.S. I don't recommend any of these "tests" but I had a lot of time on my hands and boredom got the best of me.

P.P.S. to "thedirector" I agree with absolutely everybody on their comments however blunt or poetic... don't quit college just yet. the ability to make a decent knife worthy of selling takes time, so take that time and learn the art before you open the next big company. trust everyone on here when they tell you that. someday you will look back on your current creations and realize how far you have come. I only wish I still had my first knives to look at... and to save the poor guy I gave it to from having to look at as well. your knives are like your fasion... someday you will look back on them and wonder what you were thinking at the time. keep at it and have fun for a while before you start a new career in cutlery
 
Thanks Fortress. That's good stuff, while 440C could be HT'ed nice and springy (as it often is in industry) I still think that at that hardness the edge will have some quite undesirable characteristics.

But, that's thread drift for which I apologize.
 
12345678910 said:
The Count's Standard Reply to New Knifemakers V32

The answer to a 13 year old student is different than a 60 year old machinist
We have members worldwide, you may have a local supplier, hammerin or helpful neighbour.
Please join our community and fill out your profile with location (Country, State, City), age, education, employment and hobbies so we get a sense of where and who you are.

Look at the threads stuck to the top of the page.

The basics in the simplest terms
Absolute Cheapskate Way to Start Making Knives-Printable PDF-Right Click and Save http://www.2shared.com/document/hk4wQruA/Absolute_Cheapskate_Way_to_Sta.html
http://www.scribd.com/doc/3622507/Jones-Scott-Jonesy-Absolute-Cheapskate-Way-to-Start-Making-Knives


Web Tutorials
Detailed instructions by Stacy E. Apelt http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=694673

The Things I Advise New Knife Makers Against-Printable PDF http://www.mediafire.com/?8og1ix21j9dcz4n

Handle Tutorial - Nick Wheeler-PDF http://www.mediafire.com/?02ra4do6xyzayeq
http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.htm

Bob Egnath how to http://www.engnath.com/manframe.htm

Books
A list of books and videos http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9435307&postcount=43

BladeForums - E-books or Google books http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=603203

Books I like:
David Boye-Step by Step Knifemaking
Tim McCreight-Custom Knifemaking: 10 Projects from a Master Craftsman
Clear, well organized, widely available and inexpensive.

Knife Design:
Think thin. Forget swords, saw-tooth spines, guthooks, crazy grinds and folders for your first knife.

Look at hundreds of photos

Start with a drawing and show us, we love to comment on photos.
French curves, graph paper and an eraser are vital tools.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bHFtVNs9tWA/TEj5Quiq1ZI/AAAAAAAAAI0/rn2EoHoXpVc/s1600/The+French+Curve.jpg

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1147466-How?p=13120810#post13120810

Then make a cardboard cutout template & draw in handles, pins and such.
Use playdough to shape a comfortable handle, good handles are not flat.

How to post a photo
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...AL-Displaying-your-photographs-on-BladeForums

Google books thread for Lloyd Harding drawings, Loveless book & Bob Engnath Patterns. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=603203

Bob Engnath Patterns in a PDF http://www.mediafire.com/?qgx7yebn77n77qx


Forging Books:
Lorelei Sims-The Backyard Blacksmith - A modern book with colour photos - forging - no knifemaking.

Jim Hrisoulas- Check for the cheaper paperback editions.
The Complete Bladesmith: Forging Your Way to Perfection
The Pattern-Welded Blade: Artistry in Iron
The Master Bladesmith: Advanced Studies in Steel

Machine Shop Basics -Books:
Elementary Machine Shop Practice-Printable PDF Http://www.archive.org/download/elementarymachin00palmrich/elementarymachin00palmrich.pdf

The Complete Practical Machinist-Printable -1885-PDF http://ia700309.us.archive.org/6/items/completepractic00rosegoog/completepractic00rosegoog.pdf
Right Click and save link as.
It’s being reprinted now if you prefer paper books

The $50 knife Shop-not recommended
This book has a great title, but is NOT gospel. It confused me for a long time.
Forging is NOT necessary; you can file and grind to create a knife (stock removal)

Forget the Goop Quench BS, Even back when they used whale oil, it was still liquid oil.
Use a commercial quench oil & match oil speed to the steel type;
Grocery store canola oil works for some steels like 1084.

Junkyard steel requires skill and experience to identify and heat treat it properly.
Forget Lawnmower blades and railroad spike, start with a new known steel.
Good heat treating needs accurate temperature control and full quench.
You can buy proper steel like 1084FG from Aldo very cheaply, and quench in Canola.

Cable damascus is an advanced project has no place in a beginner’s book.

The grinders are the best thing about this book, but 2x72” belt grinders free plans are now on the web.


Videos

Don't be this guy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEOTtslHARQ

Heat Treating Basics Video-downloadable
Right click and save this. Watch it once a day for 10 days. http://www.archive.org/download/gov.ntis.ava08799vnb1/ava08799vnb1_512kb.mp4

Safety-video
Right click and save this. Watch it once a day for 10 days. http://www.howtomakeaknife.net/FreeStuff/SafetyVideo.wmv

Many knifemaking videos are available, some better than others.

The best beginner videos I have seen:
“Steve Johnson-Making a Sub-Hilt Fighter”

"Ed Caffrey - Basic Bladesmithing-Full DVD-ISO"

“Custom Knife Sheaths -Chuck Burrows - Wild Rose”
-(Paul Long has 2 videos, his sheath work & videos are fantastic, but more advanced-with inlays, machine stitching)

Green Pete's Free Video
Making a Mora bushcraft knife, stock removal, hand tools, neo tribal / unplugged heat treat.
Use a piece of known steel, not a file. This as an example of doing it by hand with few tools.
"Green Pete" posted it free using torrent files.
Be sure to look at the other titles I mentioned too - spend some time searching.

Greenpete Knifemaking Basics-on TPB
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/499...femaking_Basics_-_Make_a_Mora_Bushcraft_Knife

How to download that video
http://www.utorrent.com/help/guides/beginners-guide

See a list of videos for rent and read the reviews, Some are good, some bad, expect to wait weeks or months

http://smartflix.com/store/category/9/Knifemaking

Draw Filing Demonstration
YouTube video -Draw Filing-for a flat finish http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dec78RQsokw

Nick Wheeler- Hand sanding 101 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I4x4QLpfnk

Steel
The “welding steel” at Home Depot / Lowes… is useless for knives.
Forget about lawnmower blades ,files and other unknown junkyard steels.
For all the work involved, it is very cheap to buy and use a known good steel.

If you send out for heat treating, you can use
Oil quenched O1, 1095, 1084
Or air quenched A2, CM154, ATS34, CPM154, 440C, plus many others.

For heat treating yourself with minimal equipment, find some Eutectoid steel and quench in Canola oil.
1084FG sold by Aldo Bruno is formulated for Knifemaking, Cheapest & made for DIY heat-treat.
http://njsteelbaron.com/
Phone # 862-203-8160

Suppliers List
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=699736

Heat Treating
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9143684&postcount=7

You can send blades out for heat treating at $10 or $15 per blade for perfect results, and avoid buying the equipment.

Air Hardening Stainless Steel Only
Buck Pau Bos -Be sure to check the Shipping and Price tabs.
http://www.buckknives.com/index.cfm?event=bio.paulBos#
http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/privacy.php#services

Oil Hardening Carbon Steels and Air Hardening Stainless Steel
http://www.petersheattreat.com/cutlery.html
http://www.knifemaker.ca/ (Canadian)

FAQ's
http://www.hypefreeblades.com/faq.html

1095 is a good carbon steel, but a bad choice for a beginner with limited equipment.
1095 is "Hypereutectioid" and needs very precise temperature control and proper fast quench oil Like Parks 50 or Houghton K
Kevin Cashen - 1095 - hypereutectoid steel http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/673173-Working-the-three-steel-types

If you are sending one or 2 knives out for heat treatment, use 154-CM or CPM-154 or CPM-s35vn and ship it out to TKS -Texas Knifemaker Supply
It's the cheapest way to do 1 or 2 because of HT minimum charges.



Quenchants for Oil hardening steel
Forget the Goop Quench and Motor oil.

Use commercial quench oil & match oil speed to the steel type;
The best explanation and classification oil speeds I've seen
http://knifedogs.com/showthread.php?28197-Hardening-II-Quenching

Grocery store canola oil works well enough for your first knife-if you use the right steel like 1084

Brine and water are cheap, and technically correct for "water hardening" steels W1 and 1095 but a fast oil like Parks 50 or Houghton Houghto Quench K are less likely to give you broken blades
If you use water or brine, expect to hear a "tink" and have a cracked or broken blade

Glue – Epoxy
Use a new package of slow setting 30 min to 1 hour, high strength epoxy to attach blades to handles and seal out moisture.
Slow epoxy is stronger and gives you time to work with it.
Surface Prep is vital, drill tang holes/ grind a hollow, roughen the surfaces with abrasive or blasting is best.
Ensure the surface is clean and no oil including fingerprints.
Use Acetone & Alcohol, or Blasting.
Don't over clamp it. Avoid a “glue starved joint” when all the adhesive is squeezed out.
Use:
Brownell's Acraglas
West Systems G Flex
JB Weld


Grinder / Tools

Hand Tools
You can do it all by hand with files and abrasive cloth like the Green Pete video.
Just use 1084 instead of a file.

Stacy - 10 Tools
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1049666-Ten-Tools?p=11983527#post11983527

Photo of a nice bevel filing jig
http://www.flemingknives.com/imagesPrime/FileStation/KPicB007.jpg
Http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8486/8152684286_312b9fc8da_b.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9iNDRwwBQQ#t=330

Grinders
A professional three or four wheel 2x72 is worth it
In my opinion, variable speed and a small wheel attachment are essential on a good grinder.
You can almost always improve tracking with more belt tension. It needs to be way tighter than you first think.

Entry Level Grinders
Sears Craftsman 2x42 belt grinder http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00921513000P?prdNo=3

Low Speed Modification Craftsman 2x42 belt grinder http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qfYT_m2Tw0


Commercial Production 2 x 72” Belt Grinder Reviews
http://www.prometheanknives.com/shop-techniques-3/grinders
http://www.cnccookbook.com/CCKnifeMakingGrinders.htm


DIY 2 x 72” Belt Grinders

KMG Clone Free Plans
http://www.metalwebnews.com/manuals/knife-grinder.pdf

NWG No Weld Grinder
http://usaknifemaker.com/plans-for-the-no-weld-grinder-sander-nearly-50-pages.html

EERF Grinder (EERF =“Free” backwards)
http://www.wilmontgrinders.com/Pages/EERFGrinder.aspx
http://blindhogg.com/blueprints.html

Buy the kit
http://polarbearforge.com/grinder_kit.html

What Belts to buy?
http://www.usaknifemaker.com/abrasive-belt-basics-what-kind-should-i-buy-p-1393.html



VFD Variable Speed made simple

Step pulleys are not as cheap as you may think
Maska cast steel pulleys are good and well balanced $75 EACH here plus shaft, bearings, belt

It all adds up to about 1/2 the price of a KBAC-27D

I like direct drive with no belts using a VFD and 3 phase motor for about $200 over the price of the step pulleys with much finer control.

Yes you can get cheaper NEMA 1 VFD’s and build your own enclosure
You may find them cheaper at other retailers and on Ebay direct from china.

Wayne Coe
http://www.waynecoeartistblacksmith.com/Motors___VFDs.html

VFD-
KBAC-27D

Motor
3 phase 220v 1.5 HP motor, TEFC, frame 56 or 56C,
RPM is up to you many are happy with a 1700 RPM running at double speed.
Make sure it has a footed base for the KMG and NWG, or a C flange face mount for Bader, Bee, Wilton and GIB styles.
I get them on ebay, even with paying $80 for shipping to Canada I save $$$ on a used motor.

The 1.5 HP combination is the most common, as reported by Rob Frink
It allows you to plug into any 110vac, 15 amp outlet.
A 2 HP motor requires a 220vac input.

There are cheaper VFD units like the TECO, but the only VFD I have found that will run a 1.5 HP motor on a 110v 15 amp input is the KBAC27D

It is NEMA4, sealed from metal dust that can burnout the unit.
It has good community and company support, manuals, hook-up diagrams, photos and settings on Rob Frink’s website.

I like the fact that I can buy it from a local distributor in Canada.

Travis W reports running a 2 HP on a 110v circuit, but I haven’t tried it.

Hookup is dead simple
http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com/VS-setup.html


Safety Equipment
Protect your -Eyes, Ears, Fingers, and Lungs – remove jewellery and use safety gear.

Respirators
Chronic lung disease and cancer really suck the joy out of life.
Goggle "Ed Caffrey lung cancer"
Wearing a mask on the top of your head doesn't count.

The minimum I would consider are silicone half masks with a P100 Filter
3M 7500
http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediaw...Ox_Uev7qe17zHvTSevTSeSSSSSS--&fn=CH7500FP.pdf

and North 7700
http://www.amazon.com/North-Safety-770030L-Silicone-Respirator/dp/B002C08YCW
http://www.amazon.com/North-7580P100-P100-Particulate-Cartridge/dp/B000UH6PSE/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_b.

Use a VOC & P100 combo cartridge for protection against acetone and solvents.
Prefilters can snap over the main filter for longer life.
There are 3 sizes, buy one in person at a safety supplier and get it fitted.

For beards, pick one of these
3M PAPR
Resp-O-Rator
3m Breathe Easy
Trend Airshield Pro
Air Cap II


Searching

This Google page searches BF and works well.
http://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=011197018607028182644:qfobr3dlcra

Can I get rich making knives ?
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...knife-making-worth-it?p=11980504#post11980504

V32 Jan 27, 2014 Nick Wheeler hand sanding 101 added

Darrin Sander is no longer HT'ing blades.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1074496-I-m-no-longer-heat-treating-blades

Countavatar.jpg
Click to expand...



G'day all. I'm new here and would like to suggest if I may, that this post is made a sticky under the title "Beginners start here "

What a fantastic forum.

Regards

Glen
 
Welcome to Shop talk.

Filling out your profile will be a good thing to do. Fill in all the info, as knowing your age, location, occupation, life status, and hobbies can get a better answer to questions. It can also get you an invite to a nearby makers shop.

The Counts standard response is from the stickys info. That is where all that stuff (and more) can be found.
 
I faced the same question. heat treating was the main problem. brad at peter's heat treating told me that the 24" was the max length
for the 80crv2 that I was thinking of using. he suggested s7,which I got from aldo's. further research into katanas seemed to indicate
that if you actually want to chop something l6 is a good way to go.paul chen uses it for some of his katanas.
 
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