INFO: Trad Archery for Bowhunters



Author Topic: First knife and questions  (Read 542 times)

Offline TroyH

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 283
First knife and questions
« on: September 09, 2010, 09:35:00 PM »
This is my first post to this area of tradgang.  I'm usually up in the powwow or bowyers bench.
Anyway, been wanting to make a knife, so I did, out of an industrial reciprocating saw blade and some osage scales.  The blade is thin but feels much like spring steel or something along the line of a stiff fillet knife.  It is a small drop point hunting knife 6 7/8" OAL.  Blade is 3 5/8".  I'm happy with the way it turned out, but I want to make something much stouter like from a file.
My question is, can you make a blade straight from a file without the annealing process?  I ask because I don't have any way of getting it that hot.

   
Formerly known as PastorHunter.

Offline Goose Gossett

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 449
Re: First knife and questions
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2010, 11:30:00 PM »
If you have a charcoal grill try that.  I used a bag of $5 oak charcoal briquettes and left it to burn for an afternoon.  Did the job for me.  You might be able to go that route to get it hot. I don't know much cause I've only made a couple. There will for sure be someone wiser that will chip in.
He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow, and concealed me in his quiver. Isaiah 49:2

Offline Steve Nuckels

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 2155
Re: First knife and questions
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2010, 08:34:00 PM »
Troy, yes you could without annealing, but it would be hard work and at the expense of tools and much time.

I made a very primative forge by making a box with cinder blocks, charcoal and an old hair dryer for some forced air and higher heat.

Situate your steel on edge for this process to avoid warping.

Nice knife!!!

Steve
-------
Potomac Forge

Offline Ragnarok Forge

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 3034
Re: First knife and questions
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2010, 01:52:00 PM »
Just put the blade in your fireplace when the coals are red hot, or in a charcoal barbeque when they are red hot and let set until blade is non-magnetic.  Then stick blade in fire ash, vermiculite or leave it in the barbeque as it cools.  Lots of folks anneal with very easy methods.
Clay Walker
Skill is not born into anyone.  It is earned thru hard work and perseverance.

Offline gables

  • Trad Bowhunter
  • **
  • Posts: 388
Re: First knife and questions
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2010, 04:02:00 PM »
After you anneal and grind out your blade, you will need to get it back that hot for the hardening process. There are gobs of cheap forge ideas on the web. Try that famous video web site for some ideas. I would also search this forum for buildalongs for knives from files- that's how I started with only charcoal, hair dryer, magnet, belt sander in a vise, files, sandpaper and transmission fluid.
"Art is thoughtful workmanship." W.R. Lethaby

Users currently browsing this topic:

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
 

Contact Us | Trad Gang.com © | User Agreement

Copyright 2003 thru 2024 ~ Trad Gang.com ©