Two topics, one post: Lefty and rasps

Self Made Knives

Self Made Knives

Well-Known Member
I've got two issues this week. First, lefties. Got an order for 2 of my Lancer models for twin boys. One's is left handed, other is right. Should I put my makers mark on the "wrong" side of the lefty. Make them mirror images of each other?

Second, got a customer/acquaintance that has a thing for ferrier rasp knives. He wants to bring me a rasp and some antler from one of his deer. Will I be safe annealing and heat treating basically the same as 1095 or O1? Any brands of rasps I should turn down, or anything else to watch for? I've already warned him that I won't guarantee any particular cutting performance with unknown steels, but he's ok with that.
 
Left and right marks sound cool in this situation...
I have no input on the file thing, but I am curious to hear what the veterans say! How do you know how to re-heat treat it?
- J
 
Nice reminder that "identical" twins are often opposite handed. Marking the the blades on opposite sides will help identify who's knife is who's and prevent arguments.

As far as the rasp goes keep in mind that it may only be case hardened and not have enough carbon in it to harden into a usable blade. If I were to make a guess as to how to try to heat treat it I would lean towards 1095. I think that it would be a better guess than O1.
 
I second what Doug said on both accounts.

The rasp may not be good steel at all, even if it's a Simmonds or Nicholson (pertaining to the completely false rumor that all nicholson and simmonds brands are good steel). IF it is good hardenable steel, you'd probably do well to treat it like 1095 or W1.
 
Well, as far as the rasp goes, what do you guys think about cutting a short piece off of it and trying to anneal/harden/temper/test it first, before grinding a blade? I've got a hardness tester now, so it seems like that would be one way to know.
 
what do you guys think about cutting a short piece off of it and trying to anneal/harden/temper/test it first
Click to expand...

For what its worth I would do a test quench on it if it were me. If the rasp is not good steel and you forge a blade from it no one will be happy
 
Just heat a piece of it with a torch, like the tang end, and get it past magnetic, even a little hotter maybe and quench it in water. See if it snaps then. I wouldn't actually run it through a whole annealing, thermal cycling, hardening regimen for just a test piece.

But yeah, I'd test it that way and maybe spark test it.
 
Here's one of the rasps a customer wants me to use. He says he got it at a swap meet back in the 80's. It's a Nicholson made in USA Platers Special, 17.25" long. Have no idea what that means, but do you guys know if it is decent steel?
 

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I've used Nicholson's before and they make for a good blade. I tempered it using the 1095 process as others have recommended. Looking forward to seeing the final product.

The Twins set looks really nice. Your jimping design/style adds an extra look with the rounded lows giving a basic addition a unique style. Very cool.
 
No way of telling for sure until you test a piece or the whole thing.

I've made blades out of Nicholson and Simmonds from the 70's that were case hardened junk.
 
I will go out on a limb on this one, I found this post a long time ago and I don't have any idea for sure how true it is but here goes.

Nicholson File
1.23%C .37%Mn .21%Si .16%Cr .09%Ni .04%Mo
(extra low P & S and very low W, Ti, Al, B, Cu)

The old Nicholsons were good. There was a period in the 70's that as John says they were experimenting with some case hardening. Then they went back to their original formula and as of now they are currently being made in Mexico and are not worth bringing home!
 
Thanks For the comments Steve. John and CC, I was just hoping we had a rasp guru that could take one look and say yea or nea definitively. I'm too inexperienced to look at alloy % to know what's good or not. I'll try a little test quench and see what I've got.
 
I've done 10 or so file knives. I chip or break off a small section to see if it breaks clean and chech the grain in the cross section. I only use large Nicholson mill bastards and such. No experience with rasps. I heat treat as 1095, they come out plenty hard and hold a wicked edge.
 
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