cutting the bevel

[woodsman1031]

Hello,

  I am making a knife out of a saw blade. I have it cut out, but I am a little gunshy of putting on the bevel. Is there a way to do it acurately with just a dremel tool? Also do I put on the bevel before or after I sand/polish?

Thanks

[KHALVERSON]

i would suggest a file over a dremel tool
those little sanding discs it would take forever.
put on your bevel before sanding and polishing
if you dont mind me asking what kind of saw blade are you using

[woodsman1031]

It's a stainless skilsaw blade. I was hoping to use the dremel because I dont think a file will cut it.

Tommy

[Bobby Urban]

you could anneal it.  Heat to "non-magnetic" and slow cool in a bucket of wood ash or vermiculite.  Takes a good 8 hours but the steel will be soft enough to work with a file.  Build the knife to 90% and heat treat.  If you make the edge 100% you risk issues in heat treat.

[Leftieshot]

What "issues" are you refering too?

[OconeeDan]

You could use a dremel tool, clamp it in a vise and work around the blade edge.  
Use a sanding drum (tootsie roll).
Belt sanders and grinders work better.
Dan

[woodsman1031]

I was not aware that stainless steel could be  annealed . I already have the blade cut out. Can I still anneal it? Do I anneal the whole thing, or do I anneal only the bevel area?

Next time should I just anneal the whole blade before I cut it out?

Thanks

Tommy

[woodsman1031]

I did not anneal it because the file cut it fairly easy.It cut so easily that I did not think anealing would help. I have the bevel cut, blade polished and the blade sharpened a just little bit. I could not find what kind of metal the saw blade was made from. The blade is the kind that the teeth are super small like a hand saw (kind of cut and bent) to make the pattern. The blade does say RESHARPENABLE on it. Should I anneal it and reheat and quench or should I just put it on a handle?

Thanks

[woodsman1031]

Just for grins I put a handle on it. It turned out ok. The handle is a piece of maple. I used tung oil on it. I made another blade out of the same sawblade. Just like the last one I cut it out really slow. I did not anneal it.

On this blade I sharpened it up really good. I heated it up cherry red with my mapp torch and quenched it in old motor oil. I cleaned it off and used a steel on it a few strokes. It is WAY sharper than the first blade from that same material. Is it possible that this skilsaw blade was never treated with heat from the factory? I am working on a piece of mahogany for the handle .I am hoping to use a copper bolster on it. This blade is far superior to the first blade. I am really exited about this knife. I already have the next one planned out in my mind. It seems like the 2nd blade took about half as much time to make than the first one. I will post pictures when I get some.

The more I tinker the more I learn.

Tommy