Trad Gang

Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: R H Clark on January 12, 2008, 12:28:00 PM

Title: I want to make my first knife.
Post by: R H Clark on January 12, 2008, 12:28:00 PM

I bought 3 old saw mill blades at a local mill.They are about 40 inches across and are the kind that were sharpened not the kind that takes replaceable tips.They are pretty rusty but I got them cheap.

What do I need to use to cut them?

Will they need to be heat treated and tempered?

I don't have many good tools and just a cheap grinder.If I need to buy a couple of tools could someone reccomend any or a good book to get me started? This may turn into another hobby but I would like to sort of get my feet wet first without spending a lot of money.

Thanks guys and thank you Trad Gang for the site.
Randy

Title: Re: I want to make my first knife.
Post by: Lin Rhea on January 12, 2008, 12:41:00 PM

Randy,
      What you are asking is a step by step. No problem, if the moderators are OK with it. The steel is more than likely L-6 (great for a knife), but will have to be annealed and heat treated again. You can certainly make this knife with very few tools. I can help you by email, if neccessary. Have you seen the book $50 knife Shop by Wayne Goddard? How thick are the blades?
                                  Lin

Title: Re: I want to make my first knife.
Post by: tippit on January 12, 2008, 12:56:00 PM

Lin,  Go for it.  I don't see any problem with a step by step making of a hunting knife.  Alot of guys would probably like to see how to come up with a stock removal blade...tippit

Title: Re: I want to make my first knife.
Post by: Lin Rhea on January 12, 2008, 01:11:00 PM

Thanks Tippit.

Ok Randy,
         First, I'm jealous. L-6 is one of my favorite steels. I use it a lot, but I have to forge weld it up to thickness. Yours is probably 1/4 inch.
           
   You'll need to cut out the general profile of the knife leaving some grinding room. If you can get access to a torch or plasma cutter, great, but you can also cut it with a hack saw, if you soften it some. Just build a wood fire and lay it on the coals for a while letting it get hot and cool slowly. Just heat the area you want to cut. If you can get it red hot, great.
     Let me know if that's enough of a start. I'll be checking. PM me if the thread rolls down too far. Lin

Title: Re: I want to make my first knife.
Post by: R H Clark on January 12, 2008, 03:11:00 PM

Thank you very much Mr.Rhea.
Yes it is about 1/4 inch thick.There were a few more of these blades at the mill that had been in a fire when the guy's mill burned down.I didn't get them because they were pretty much warped and bent up.Not folded over but enough that I didn't know if I could get a straight bowie blade from one.I could get some for about $10 each if they could be straightened later.

I've heard of the book.I have a Jantz catalog.I've just started being interested in knife building so ordered the catalog and been trying to read everything I can find on the web.

Title: Re: I want to make my first knife.
Post by: sticshooter on January 12, 2008, 03:59:00 PM

OH BOY I can't wait. <><

Title: Re: I want to make my first knife.
Post by: jindydiver on January 12, 2008, 04:07:00 PM

I use those sorts of saws for nearly all my knives and they are great stuff.

To cut it I use a 4 inch angle grinder and the cutting wheels are the very thin (1 millimeter)cutting wheels designed for cutting stainless steel. It rips through the saws pretty easy and cost less than $2 a pop.
Away from the area of the teeth you will find the steel is a fair bit softer and you can drill it no worries so you don't need to anneal it to work it (unless you cut your bevel with files).
A pic of the saws
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/jindydiver/knife%20tutorial/Millblades.jpg)

And my little cutting grinder
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/jindydiver/knife%20tutorial/1001-1.jpg)


When you are making the knife you don't need to worry too much about how hot it gets. If it goes blue from the grinding it isn't a big deal. When you finish your knife you need to harden it. You need to get it to temp and let it cool in the air once before you heat it again and quench it. This removes the stresses built up when it gets hot during the grinding.
I quench the blades in old cooking oil and I find it does the job very well. Then they go in the oven at around 250C for an hour. Remember to give them a good clean before putting them in your oven, the wife won't understand  ;)
This is how they come out
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/jindydiver/knife%20tutorial/tempered.jpg)

and of course after you temper your knives the oven is already hot for other things
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/jindydiver/temperingbyproduct.jpg)   :D

Title: Re: I want to make my first knife.
Post by: R H Clark on January 12, 2008, 04:22:00 PM

Mick,thoes larger blades look just like mine.
What is the brand of the cutting wheel? I don't have a cutting grinder but I may get one.

Thanks
Randy

Title: Re: I want to make my first knife.
Post by: jindydiver on January 12, 2008, 05:10:00 PM

Randy
The blades are branded "SG-ELASTIC" made by PFERD
there is a website listed on them

 www.pferd.com (http://www.pferd.com)

the blades I use
 http://www.pferdusa.com/products/206/20615/206150104P.html


these blades are 4 inch by .040 by 5/8hole

Title: Re: I want to make my first knife.
Post by: Dirty Bill on January 17, 2008, 03:19:00 PM

Awright! I want to make one too.This is great.