Greetings to all from SW OREGON

wall e

wall e

Well-Known Member
I'm Walt and am just starting on making my own knives from old planer blades, due to my limited space and knowledge of metallurgy. I'm open to input from those who have as much experience in this craft as I do on the the planet. I have just started making small easy paring knives and, a chopper, an ugly duke skinner and one combat knife for a friend, made a boning knife and a fillet knife for my dad also. My tools to make knives are limited to a 6 in bench grinder, a 4.5 in angle grinder, a sawzall, a drill, dremel tool, files and, a palm sander.
I am a father and husband who works graveyard so I get a few hrs a week to work on things . I have basic knowledge of shaping steel from working in a steel fab shop and building 4x4s. I am trying to increase my knowledge and versatility of blade types but, don't want to make crap to try and peddle as perfect. I know it is a craft that time and experience as well as patience is important. I literally have only been working with blades a few months and have learned from my mistakes. 1 Steel us sharp when its cut or ground to an edge and rushing ruins things. So if any of the wise old sages have words of wisdom to share with the novice I am willing to listen
 
20140825_012019.jpgHere is the cleanest small knife I've done so far.
I am wondering who would know whether I would have to do any HT to an old frame saw blade or not? I am just getting started in this whole craft so all the small things are where I am seeking input.
 
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View attachment 50632Here is the cleanest small knife I've done so far.
I am wondering who would know whether I would have to do any HT to an old frame saw blade or not? I am just getting started in this whole craft so all the small things are where I am seeking input.
 
My my opinion is you sould put the saw blade away for a while and work with a known steel that we can help you out with and give you the best shoot possible getting a knife from. If you buy something like a 1075 or a 1080 the price is cheap and you can get a good first blade out of it. After you. Work for a while heat treating you can start working with mistry steel.

Erik

wall e said:
View attachment 50632Here is the cleanest small knife I've done so far.
I am wondering who would know whether I would have to do any HT to an old frame saw blade or not? I am just getting started in this whole craft so all the small things are where I am seeking input.
Click to expand...
 
Your knife looks like a knife. Good start compared to some I have seen. Known steel is a must to start. Like all things learn the basics with materials you can control. When you got enough info using say 1084 then go to other steels. My starter steel was 1084 from the NJ Steel Baron, Aldo. I currently forge 1084, 1075, 1095, 5160, and 52100. The heat treat is basically the same for them and the tempering stage varies. I also do knives out of rasps that I spark test.

Welcome to the forum!
 
Thanks gents for the input. Due to limited space and funds to start this hobby I am working with steels that are already heat treated and tempered. 15 to 18 inch planer bades 20140827_185000.jpg
 
TacticallySharp and cnccutter thank you for the info on what to start with and the advice of leaving the mystery metal alone. The current steel Im using to make the larger blades from is old simonds M2 planer blades from a mill my dad worked at. They're a careful stock removal since they are hardened and ht already. They take and keep an edge for a long time.
 
5c67745a4a28b4a131ebbe3f0e2b0d22.jpg
heres one blade I ground out of a planer blade

Heres the finished product
9716121e916f9ccdd81672e9739468c0.jpg
 
looking good Walle. planer blades can make a nice knife. now you get to test it and see how it holds up to daily use.

you might want to make a trip up to Eugene and come to the 5160 club meeting first Thursday of every month. lots of guys at lots of levels and interests. good place to make connections.

Erik
 
Welcome, sounds like you are enthusiastic about the knife making, and that will take you far. I started out with just some basics two years ago and just built it slowly. The best way to build the knowledge is just read thru the posts here, it's amazing how much you pick up just listening to what more knowledgeable people say. Good luck!
 
Will see what I can do about making it up there to eugene. I know these blades make good cutters and choppers but are a hard steel and about a 16 to 20 degree bend on the blade and they snap. We have made scrapers, wood chisels, and hunting knives out of them. When they get an edge they hold it for a long time. My grandfather got me started on mak8ng these when he skipped me at christmas time for knives he made. Lol kinda an honery ol feller bit gruff but will teach you what he knows.
Here is one of his knives
d13d7836dd399187ede18016057071d0.jpg

He is now pushing 90 and is still moving like he did at 50 but doesn't have time while running a ranch, to make as many as he used to. So he is slowly handing me handfulls of stock with each visit. I came home with 3x.5 myrtlewood scales because, a rifle stock blank got wood worms in it. Also he sent a 4x6x8 chunk of yew wood home with me. So I am planning on making a knife for him by christmas eve with the myrtlewood and brass he sent with me to get started. So if any of you gents have some advice about making scales from myrtlewood and a faster way to drill the blades with out ruining blade or bits please share.
 
If your going to drill the hardened steel you have two ways to go I think. First is you can get some solid carbide drills. Not the mass nary ones but jobber bits. They will go right through the stock. Be carful they are realy brittle. Second is you could soften the handle portion of the black. Truble here is you risk screwing up the blade temper if your not carful.

Erik
 
Thanks Erik. Another option is to blast a short burst with a plasma cutter, leaves a small area thats softer around the crude hole. The problem is the crude hole will not be uniform or a specific diameter
 
Bought a hardened steel carbide drill bit and is a slow process. Bit slow going and kinda bites. Lol
 
b93017e061f24916480d541d325d3b5f.jpg


Heres the blade i came up with to use upon further discussion and research into the other types of knives made by two of the manufacturers he likes. Kabar and schrades old timer skinners. Kinda a blend of the two profiles with my own twist on what works.

5f5c7ced328c66b04139d5973447c40c.jpg


Here are the two scales that I will be using on the knife. My dillema is positioning of the scale to miss the birds eye or to use two pins for a 5.5" handle. Is that possible?
 
two pins are a must in my opinion for a work knife. get the holes drilled first in the right place in the blade and then see how the rest goes. sometimes you have to set aside a piece of wood for a different project in order to use the right one for what your working on.

Erik
 
Thanks Erik, the issue was over thinking and going for three pins in the handle. Two can be spaced evenly and properly and miss the birds eye. The eye was dead center for the third pin. Also am narrowing the handle some because its middle is as wide as the blade and feels hinky in the hand. Just odd not quite right bordering uncomfortable. A good knife should fit the hand and almost feel that its part of the hand in my opinion.
 
fec504bd635fa99817ae52d1580d852f.jpg


Heres how it came out after 1.5 hrs w a carbide bit and cutting oil. Using dowels to mock up and check fit.
 
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