First off, hopefully this is the right spot to post this. If not, my bad 
.
So after lurking around here for a week or so and after reading, reading, and some more reading of tutorials and posts all around the web, I decided I was ready to give this a try.
Decided for my first blade I was going to go as low budget as I could. So that meant using a drill and hacksaw to get the basic shape cut out, and then going all hand files from there.
First intention was to use an old circular saw blade I had sitting around but after the reading, reading and more reading I figured that was probably not a great way to go and took some advice in someones elses thread and got in contact with Kelly Cupples for some steel. Turns out he lives and works right near by, so no need to pay shipping. Picked up a peice of 1080 (3/16 x 1 1/2).
Day 1:
Template I decided to go with, done in MSPaint.
The very very rough beginnings of the cut out...
And after about 3 hours of on and off filing in front of the tv, got a little shaping coming in.
I don't have any images of something fantastic like a ton of the beautiful work I am seeing on this site, but I definitly enjoyed the file work. I am in no rush and it gives me something to do in doors while the cold is setting in.
Will be sure to update each step of the way.
Night number 2:
Went mad with the fileing tonight. Think I have the shape where I want it though. This is after a quick rough sand because I wanted it to shine a little bit.
Now what I have learned is that 3/16 steel is heavy... I decided to go with a pinless handle so instead of just drilling holes to lighten it up I am going to be cutting out pockets. Again with my rudimentary tools this first one took about an hour to file out to where it is
Going out tonight, which is good because my fingers were sore from gripping the files for 4 hours on and off last night.
Will be sure to update the weekends progress on Monday though.
Another quick edit:
This is where I decided to go with the handle line, and also an outline of the other cut out section for lightening the weight.
.So after lurking around here for a week or so and after reading, reading, and some more reading of tutorials and posts all around the web, I decided I was ready to give this a try.
Decided for my first blade I was going to go as low budget as I could. So that meant using a drill and hacksaw to get the basic shape cut out, and then going all hand files from there.
First intention was to use an old circular saw blade I had sitting around but after the reading, reading and more reading I figured that was probably not a great way to go and took some advice in someones elses thread and got in contact with Kelly Cupples for some steel. Turns out he lives and works right near by, so no need to pay shipping. Picked up a peice of 1080 (3/16 x 1 1/2).
Day 1:
Template I decided to go with, done in MSPaint.
The very very rough beginnings of the cut out...
And after about 3 hours of on and off filing in front of the tv, got a little shaping coming in.
I don't have any images of something fantastic like a ton of the beautiful work I am seeing on this site, but I definitly enjoyed the file work. I am in no rush and it gives me something to do in doors while the cold is setting in.
Will be sure to update each step of the way.
Night number 2:
Went mad with the fileing tonight. Think I have the shape where I want it though. This is after a quick rough sand because I wanted it to shine a little bit.
Now what I have learned is that 3/16 steel is heavy... I decided to go with a pinless handle so instead of just drilling holes to lighten it up I am going to be cutting out pockets. Again with my rudimentary tools this first one took about an hour to file out to where it is
Going out tonight, which is good because my fingers were sore from gripping the files for 4 hours on and off last night.
Will be sure to update the weekends progress on Monday though.
Another quick edit:
This is where I decided to go with the handle line, and also an outline of the other cut out section for lightening the weight.
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