New OLD blade

D

DrGrip

Guest
Back in 1993 I was relegated to an apartment. My night job at the time was welding for a smithy and when things were slow I had 2 options... Look busy and get paid, or go home without pay!

One night I decided to look busy and I cut out a knife blank from some stainless that was laying in the scrap pile. I took the blade home and tried to make it into something with my files with the blade clamped to the balcony rail. I got frustrated and tossed it into a box. That was in 1993.

Forward through 2 marriages and a couple of boxes of stuff that have been moved several times and you have what I found a few nights ago while looking for some files I thought I had hidden away! I was digging in the boxes and found the knife blank on the bottom.

I pulled it out and just sat and stared for a few minutes. Emotions were high as I thought not only about the time I made this blank, but everything else that has occurred since... My oldest son was not born when I etched my initials into this knife blade 17 years ago. I had seriously forgotten about this bit of stainless, but it remained to remind me of my past.

Now, I have NO CLUE as to what type of stainless this is, but I found it and I now have everything I need to finish it!

I now have grinders, sanders, Nicholson files, diamond hones, and everything I need to make a blade! But I didn't have all that when I started...

I have decided that this blade will be finished with what I had at the time, files, vise, and desire! This knife will be made in the fashion I had in mind at the time; slight bevel at the bottom to handle an edge, and be happy.

So, this afternoon I set up the vise with a small piece of hard foam in the bottom that I cut into a wedge at 12 degrees. I then pulled out a double cut file and held it as flat as I could to make my first cut.

6 hours later I have the basic shape formed with a LOT more work to do.

My arms are tired and more than once I was tempted to hit the grinder with the 80 grit belt! But I held out! She'll be finished with 100% armstrong effort.

Tomorrow I'll work some more on the blade and I plan to scale it with some wood pieces I have from a mistake order (ugly, but it DOES look like something I would have used back then) and the bolsters will come from the drop pieces off the copper bar a friend brought over for me to wrought a copper blade from.

These pics are the first, and I hope that others come soon, but ALL work will be done with files, since that is how I started this critter.

With the mental images I have of the final product you can count on an unbalanced, out of sort, strange thing, but she will cut, and she WILL take over place #1 in the case... I plan for her to be mirror polished with copper highlights. No plans for a scabbard at this time...

Here are the first few pics from today... Bad shot since they are from the iPhone, but I was in the zone and didn't want to get the other camera... Better shots coming soon from the photo box....

The "scar" you see on the blade is from where I slipped when cutting the blade out with an abrasive cut off wheel about 14-16 inches in diameter. Since the scar is deep I plan to make that area into a fuller groove. I haven't made the tool yet, but plan to use a fuller tool like the ones that have been seen on here and other forums. I will NOT take ALL of the scar out since it is a reminder of what I was working with at the time.

Charlie
 

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Not to take any wind out of your sails, but it would be really helpful if you knew what kind of stainless it is. Some stainless won't HT or keep an edge worth a dang.

Regardless, I think I understand the sentimental reasons why you're finishing the project. Beware, if you finish it, you'll probably be hooked on this knifemaking addiction :D
 
Not to take any wind out of your sails, but it would be really helpful if you knew what kind of stainless it is. Some stainless won't HT or keep an edge worth a dang.

Regardless, I think I understand the sentimental reasons why you're finishing the project. Beware, if you finish it, you'll probably be hooked on this knifemaking addiction :D

No wind removed at all my friend! This knife will be finished completely WITHOUT any HT. I will put an edge on it, but she will go into the display case and not be used for anything more than admiration once complete.

I know to some that would be sacrilege, but since I don't know what will happen if I do HT, I'm not willing to try it. I have plenty of knives to cut, slice, chop and dice with if needed.

I have her sanded to 220 and my arms are about to fall off! Hopefully I can get more done tomorrow and will post pics.

After getting the blade to 90% I'll dress the spine, add the bolsters, and finally the scales. I plan to take my time since I know that the old body is NOT used to this much work! :D huh1

Charlie
 
i second that james hooked


I'm not sure that hooked is the word I would use for it! :D

I LOVED making knives way back in HS and now realize why! My arms are KILLING me, but I am having a ball with this thing. Pics later.

Charlie
 
Charlie, I made my first few knives the same way you are with this one, but I was hooked & hooked deep! BBill.................
 
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