Elmax Build n Test n Show Thread

I did do a thickness sizing on my Emax and two other small blades, last night. I don't use a surface grinder so taking down a thick piece is something I do regularly. I found it was more grind resistant than the other stainless steels I have used including 440-C, ATS-34, and 154CM, and as Felhoeter said it did not drill as easy as these steels. Frank
 
So I received my Emax blade back from the heat treater today. It was sent to KnifeMaker.CA By chance I did talk to Rob Ridey as well. He said it takes the heat as good as any he has done and he has done pretty much all of the stainless types. It rockwelled at 58.
The blade is 3 1/4" long .100 thick and will be double ground when finished. I finally got to it tonight I used a 120 grit blaze belt on a 19" wheel turning pretty slow for most. It was just lovely to grind!!!!!! The graining seems very fine the way it was coming along. I may not get back to it before Saturday so I had to report on this tonight. This is the blade for a benefit knife I'm giving to the Dogs to raffle off. Frank
 
It's kind of fun for sure ! Tonight I got back on that Emax blade. I went through all the grits as I usually do which are 100, 65, 45, 30, 16, and even 5 I tried skipping but could see right away that for me that wasn't going to work on this stainless.The grinding looks like it has been reasonably well done - well at least for me- . The hand finishing I always do will tell me if that's true.
Tomorrow I will try to advance this project a bit further. I'm going to then ask one of the Dogs to forward a picture or two to show my wip. Yes I got a camera, finally, but that doesn't mean I can do clear pictures yet. Next I will get someone to show me how to post to the forum. Frank
 
BossDog said:
I hadn't thought of even doing a flex test. I guess that makes me a stainless guy. A pounder would have don that right off.
I'll do that with the next test blade.
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I'll be the first to state there's a WORLD of stuff I've yet to learn about steel,
being that I've yet to grind or pound...
but as a hard user of knives for over 30 years,I've learned there are limitations to every knife,and to different steels.
Some are better suited to specific tasks due to design and steel type (and heat-treat),
but all will (I'm talking about Good Knives,not cr#p with 420 series steel) cut and serve to various levels of performance.
In my mind,and experience,Life and Circumstance are unpredictable and I carry a fixed and folder so that I may be prepared
with at least those basic tools as best I can.
I once very suddenly found myself in a situation that had I been carrying a knife (fixed blade) that was weaker than what I had,I might have been a very sorry critter.
My Swamp Rat Howler saved me from a potentially nasty fall.
That 3/16" thick SR101 carbon steel showed to me that a knife needs to be able to at least hold my weight (then 198 +lbs) without bending or breaking.
Lateral strength and the ability to withstand substantial shock loads is important to me.
Stainless,or high carbon forged,a steel should be tough and strong.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how the Elmax stands up!
 
I'm curious as to who's doing fixed,and who's doing folder blades from the Elmax.
I know Frank is doing folders (I can't wait to see what you create Frank!),
who else is doing folders?
 
Wolf said he would send my picture of the WIP. That is if I can get a decent picture to him.
I found the blade finishing went well for me . I did a satin finish down to 2000 I did try the Windex again but went back to the Mobil 1. It just seemed to give me a better finish maybe just because of the brand of sandpaper I was using? I drill the detent ball holes after hardening. It seemed to grind cleaner, with a carbide bit, than with a regular bit when the Emax was soft. Frank
 
Brian, I'm looking forward to seeing those.
Are they going to be something like your KWERKs?
One thing I like about all the knives I saw on your site is they all exhibit sleek,clean lines and very functional looking.
 
Frank Niro said:
Wolf said he would send my picture of the WIP. That is if I can get a decent picture to him.
I found the blade finishing went well for me . I did a satin finish down to 2000 I did try the Windex again but went back to the Mobil 1. It just seemed to give me a better finish maybe just because of the brand of sandpaper I was using? I drill the detent ball holes after hardening. It seemed to grind cleaner, with a carbide bit, than with a regular bit when the Emax was soft. Frank
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I'm standing by Frank,
whenever you're ready I'll put them up for you!
 
Here's the first pic Frank sent me
...sweet...!!!
Elmaxblade1.jpg
 
Now you know how I feel evaluating knives for Blade. I have 2 folders and a fixed blade cut out and ready to grind. I am going to try a poormans heattreat to see if the average guy can HT without a paragon oven.
 
My bar of Elmax

Well here it is, my bar of Elmax from the give away. I have been wanting to try a folder for a while now and thought I could get the most use out of my bar by making some folders. So I split it down and got started. Just thought I'd show you guys my state of the art grinder while I'm at it. I used 1080 for the spring so the Elmax is only being used for blades. So this is my first folder. I did an oil quench on the blade after getting it to non-magnetic, and then a softback draw on it. It worked fairly well and I was happy with the results. But I gave the knife to my son stationed at Ft. Riley. He managed to bend the tip of the blade the first day. But I told him to use it hard and let me know how it worked for him. I liked working with the Elmax, but I will send the blades out for HT from now on.DSCN0130.jpgDSCN0132.jpgDSCN0131.jpgDSCN0136.jpgDSCN0139.jpgphoto.JPG
 
Well my last report on the use of the Emax. I sharpened the blade tonight. Sorry I didn't give it a testing but this I can tell you I did the sharpening in the routine way I have been using. Boy what a razor edge!!!! Tomorrow I will assemble the folder and if it looks good I will contact Mike for an address to send it out for the raffle. Frank
 
I got my Elmax today and have a small edc type fixed blade I am going to do as I have similar knives in S30V and D2 to test it against. I also got some additional Elmax a few weeks ago and have had it percision ground for use on a couple folders. On other fronts some of the guys from the 5160 Club here in Oregon, which I am part of, have been talking of doing some testing on Elmax also so I will try to get some input from them to pass allong.

Eric
 
Here's the finished Elmax folder from Frank...
wow. It's said that Nature abhors a straight line,
and that principle is generously applied to this...
ain't a straight line is sight!
Those argillite scales just blow me away!
P1000103.jpg

P1000102.jpg

P1000100.jpg
 
Nice one Frank. It looks like a lot of hand work went into that one.
 
this is a "just making sure" post. Did everyone that won a sample bar of Elmax receive it? Let's do this, if you did not get the bar you were supposed to, let me know via PM soon as.
 
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