blade types

C

cmcgearhead

Member
OK next question from the pain in the ass new guy. I have been reading studying and digging for several months into Knife making and , have started getting equipment together, looking at Feb or March starting. I want to go for nice high end knifes not just the plain old average run of the mill blade. I have looked at carbon steel, stainless heat treating tempering and, forging. So question is which is the ultimate best method. Saw a video where a guy uses a sledge to drive his knife thru a steel cable and, it retains the edge, this is what I am going for. I know it wont be easy and there is a whole world of mistakes to be made but, I will keep trudging on till I get it. My momma used to saw if it keeps you out of the pool halls it can't be bad Thanks
PS what do ya'll recommend for types of steel to make good strong knifes out of
 
The first thing I'd do is stop worrying about making "nice, high end knives" using the "ultimate best method" that you can sledge hammer through a steel cable.

The second thing I'd do is make a few "plain old average run of the mill blades".

Josh made an excellent master list of tutorials and WIP's (Work-In-Progress). Click here to see it. I'd recommend reading every single one of those.
 
I started using old files. Cheap and available back then. Now there are many chinese etc old files around that aren't good enough steel or a casing so you have to be careful.

Buy some 440C stainless and some O-1 Carbon steel to grind and or pound out a few knives to get started.
Don't try to forge the Stainless. Stock removal only. The O-1 you can learn to Heat Treat yourself. The 440C can be sent to a number of HT services for a fine professional job that will do a few blades at a time. Later you can buy a Oven to HT the stainless in your shop if you like?
I don't, I use almost all stainless and then send it out Paul Bos/Buck Knives for HT about 40-60 blades at a time..

There are many steel choices but these two will get you started being inexpensive, readily available and easy to deal with in the HT department.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
The ultimate best method is what works for you, everybodys method varies, it can be a long journey, but that's the joy.

I think having a goal is a good first step.

Steel 1084, http://www.cashenblades.com/steel/1084.html read what Kevin R. Cashen has to say about this steel in other posts.

Good Luck and stick with it, it's fun.
 
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Shawn's right start simple. Buy a piece of 1095 (this is a good piece of steel) and make a simple knife. I made my first knife with a harbor freight sanderand heat treated it in a metal bucket with charcoal and my shop vac blowing on it (it was red neck). I was and still am proud of that first knife.
 
Put the most effort into the weakest part of your knowledge base. If you are a finish guy and understand how to finish things; put your effort into learning about metallurgy. Theres a lot to learn here. If you come from a design background and not so much a finish background, spend more time there.

If your goal is to make "high end" knives, keep in mind you need quite a stable of skills to accomplish this. It takes design, grinding skills, heat treating skills, finishing skills and last but not least the skill of communicating with your target market. If any one of these lags behing or gets out in front of the others, you will not be able to produce those high end knives.

Thats why posters are saying to start with the basics with the distant goal of producing the finest knives of all time. :60:
 
Fred Rowe said:
Put the most effort into the weakest part of your knowledge base. If you are a finish guy and understand how to finish things; put your effort into learning about metallurgy. Theres a lot to learn here. If you come from a design background and not so much a finish background, spend more time there.

If your goal is to make "high end" knives, keep in mind you need quite a stable of skills to accomplish this. It takes design, grinding skills, heat treating skills, finishing skills and last but not least the skill of communicating with your target market. If any one of these lags behing or gets out in front of the others, you will not be able to produce those high end knives.

Thats why posters are saying to start with the basics with the distant goal of producing the finest knives of all time. :60:
Click to expand...

Great info Fred, it's taken me years to realize this.
You also need all the tools and place to work to accomplish those tasks, can be big bucks.
 
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