Question for you knife makers

[Craig/FL]

I have a source for old files and remember hearing they could make a good knife blade.I have absolutely no experience making knives and wondered if ya'll might know of a site with some directions a beginner could follow. Thought it might be kinda neet to make one and I'm in need of a new one. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Craig

[sticshooter]

There was a build along on here a few months back on making a blade froma old file. <><

[tmccall]

I've wondered about this too!  I'll have to check it out...

[nockhunter]

I've made about 30 knives from files. First anealed the steel (normalised), heat the steel until a magnet will not stick, then burry them in sand to cool (it lets the steel cool slow). Iuse 3-4inches around each file. Grind your pattern, do not turn the steel blue or you will have to aneal again.Only grind close to your final size,you will fine tune after temper. Once you have the pattern you want,heat the blade until a magnet will not stick, quench in 100 deg oil,(I used old jet aircraft oil,I am an aircraft mech)I don't think type matters. Then I use an old toaster oven,heat to 400 deg,(I get about 58-59 rockwel C scale). Now finish your blade, grind and sand to your hearts desire. If you have any questions PM me, I will be happy to help in any way I can. If I get a chance I will post some pics.

Mike

[OzarkRamblr]

What's a good magnet to use? I think I ruined my magnet when I was starting my first one, still working on it BTW. My magnet won't stick to anything now so I don't know if I got my old file where it needed to be or not. Guess I'm going to have to heat it again.   :rolleyes:

[Craig/FL]

nockhunter, Thanks for the detailed instruction, I think I'll get this project started this weekend.
Would definately like to see some pics of your work.
Thanks, Craig

[Bobby Urban]

Use an old speaker turned upside down and screwed into a piece of wood you can clamp to your bench or something.  If it is NOT hot enough when you pull it from the fire and lay it onto the magnet you don't want to drag the speaker back into the fire and the first reaction is to reach out with your other hand to grab it.  This is a pain at best and could be disasterous if you touch the hot blade.  

Bob Urban

[Craig/FL]

OK, here my first question ( of many I'm sure). Just how long do you heat the steel? I was burning some branches today and through a file in, after checking it periodically for over an hour its still magnetic, fires good and hot and its sitting in some coals. does it take several hours or did I over do it?. Thanks, Craig

[sticshooter]

Well I never heated up a file but I have heated steel in my kiln. 1/4 steel in a kiln brick with two small propane torches takes about 5 to 10 mins. For a file get some coals and or wood and keep it in there till it's orange and they try it on the magnet.<><

[loyd]

it needs to be a bright orange, and if you hang the magnet on a string you can see if its pulling before you hit it. loyd

[nockhunter]

You need to get the steel bright orange about 1400-1500 deg, you might have to add some air to the fire. Some kind of bellows or air forced through a pipe. Try googling knife forges, there are some pretty cool ideas out there.As for a magnet I used the kind that extends, that you keep in your shirt pocket. Don't stick the magnet into the fire pull the file out a bit to see if it sticks.


Mike

[WESTBROOK]

Also you can quench in most any oil, even vegatable oil. The oil just draws the heat out of the blade at a certain rate, as opposed to water or air hardening, diferent rate-different hardnes.

Eric

[Craig/FL]

Looks like in going to definatetly need more heat, all day in the fire pit and still magnetic. Did a little searching around as suggested and found s few ideas. I have an old grill and I'll rig up a way to get some air to it. Looks like this project might get interesting.  Craig

[sticshooter]

Craig did ya ever think of making knives from sawmill blades? Seems it might be a bit more easy. I know a blade made from a file looks very cool and I am planning trying my hand at one soon. Here are some knives I made from sawmill blades.<><  

[geno]

I am in the middle of my first saw blade knife.I have the blank cut out. and put an edge on it.BTW lowes has a new tool(NEW TO ME) that ia a wet dry electic bench grinder. It is only about 35 bucks.
I put some file work with a chain saw file. I went to lowes to look for some bubinga or cocabola(SP ?) I got a pretty funny look and settled for poplar.I bought an 1/8 th in.  brass rod there for pins. Hey frank what kind of epoxy do you use for your handle and do you stick some on the pin before you tap it in. thanks.There is a good tut. to get you started on the how to post by rgk.how thick are the skins on your knife? Do you use a ban saw?
G

[sticshooter]

What skins? I use a CA glue that is 99% pure and holds better the 2 ton epoxy IMO. I put some on the pins befoe I whack them.<><

[Craig/FL]

Sticshooter, those are some beautiful looking knives you made. Would blades for a circular saw work?, always have a few of those laying around.Thanks, Craig

[sticshooter]

Graig I don't really care for circular saw blades ...not that they don't work I just like sawmill blade. I think I have a ccircular saw blade  cut into a skinner all it needs is to have handles and a edge put on if you or anybody else would like do it?<><

[OconeeDan]

Frank, is there a good source for sawmill blades?
Geno, if you ask, there is plenty of nice wood floating around here for knife handles.  Also ask your local wood flooring installer, they usually have scraps of nice wood like brazillian cherry, curly maple, purple heart, or walnut.
Dan

[sticshooter]

Dan you being down south should be able to find some big sawmill blades. As for wood flooring. That middle knife with the wild handle(WILDTHUNG) is flooring. I picked up some bamboo for a friend and seen a bunch of this wood and I asked if they had scraps. The guy cut me a nice piece so I will be making a few more with this stuff. It looks like it has cattail mixed into it. I had to stabilize it with CA glue and it sucked up almost two tubes!<><