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Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: 44charlie on December 03, 2009, 03:50:00 PM

Title: Shortening a knife blade?
Post by: 44charlie on December 03, 2009, 03:50:00 PM: can it be done? how? does and don'ts.

have two fillet knives, both carbon steel blades.

also have a knife that the blade broke off and i'd like to "round nose" it.

thanks for your input.

charlie
Title: Re: Shortening a knife blade?
Post by: DANA HOLMAN on December 03, 2009, 04:34:00 PM: charlie
IMO, I would keep the blade as cool as posible, if you don't you will soften the edge, i would do it bare handed so you can fill the heat in the blade, it looks like you have 3 knives, so try one, if it works great if not you still have 2 knives left.
good luck
dana
Title: Re: Shortening a knife blade?
Post by: OconeeDan on December 03, 2009, 06:29:00 PM: Easy to do. Cut it off with dremel tool, zizz wheel, or angle grinder. Like Dana said, keep it cool. Dip in water before it starts turning colors. Use dremel tool with tootsie roll drum sander bits, and clean it up. Finish with files and sandpaper.
Dan
Title: Re: Shortening a knife blade?
Post by: OconeeDan on December 03, 2009, 06:30:00 PM: And put tape along the edge before working with it. Too easy to "mess up" and get hurt. Dan
Title: Re: Shortening a knife blade?
Post by: tippit on December 03, 2009, 08:53:00 PM: OR if you have a forge, just re-grind to what ever you want. Then re-do the entire quench/heat treat process and cleanup...Doc
Title: Re: Shortening a knife blade?
Post by: 44charlie on December 04, 2009, 10:48:00 AM: is carbon steel hard to drill thru?
Title: Re: Shortening a knife blade?
Post by: Jeremy on December 04, 2009, 11:07:00 AM: Easy to do. I've redone a bunch of the kitchen knives for my Sportsmen's club. Go slow, cut and grind barehanded and if it starts to even feel warm dip it in cold water.

Dan's advice is critical! Tape the edge before you start working with it!!!

If you're talking about drilling for a pin in the tang, then it all depends on if the tang was hardened or left soft. I always leave my tangs soft, so it's relatively easy to drill. If it was hardened and tempered with the blade it's going to be more difficult to drill through the hard steel.
Title: Re: Shortening a knife blade?
Post by: killinstuff on December 05, 2009, 05:53:00 AM: Shortening a blade is easy. The way I have done it in the past is to use my knife as a screw driver or a pry bar. It's quick and easy. :)
Title: Re: Shortening a knife blade?
Post by: Shakes.602 on December 07, 2009, 02:49:00 AM: "Tootsie Roll" Sanders... LOL!! :thumbsup: :archer:
Title: Re: Shortening a knife blade?
Post by: Maxximusgrind on February 03, 2010, 09:39:00 AM: I shortened up a couple old kitchen blades,cut off enuogh to make paring knives from the tips.I didnt want to re temper after drilling so I bought a couple straight flute,solid carbide drill bits.they arent cheap,but they drill through some hard metals.I think I ordered mine through MSC.
Title: Re: Shortening a knife blade?
Post by: Ragnarok Forge on February 03, 2010, 04:07:00 PM: If you want to drill thru the handle. Just grip the blade in a pair of vice grips. Hold the blade in a bucket of water and slowly heat the tang until it turns light blue. Hold it there until the tang is cool and you can drill right thru it.
Title: Re: Shortening a knife blade?
Post by: Maxximusgrind on February 03, 2010, 09:17:00 PM: Thats actually alot better than the way I did it,because it leaves the tang less brittle.But I didnt think it through that well at the time.
Robert