curtisk
Well-Known Member
Since I will likely be executed for my other post today (Please see: Scandalous! Heresy!), I thought I would leave a tip for other makers as a sort of departing words from the soon to be deceased
I personally just love doing file work. I like the way it really brings the spine of a knife “to life” and adds that unique touch to a hand-made blade. I too perform this task with a chain saw file (vine work) as a new file cuts rapidly and accurately. The only drawback, at least for me, to file work is the finishing. I find it very difficult to sand each individual file cut down to a 600 grit in preparation for buffing.
As Ed Caffrey once stated in a post “Frustration! Discovery!” and as a Fred (Bubble Jig Fred) quoted “Necessity is the mother of all invention”, I set out to make this task easier and found a way to do so.
I made an attachment for a Dremel tool that works exceptionally well for sanding file work. I reckon I could take some photos later and post them, but it is so simple I really don’t think a photo is necessary.
The attachment is made by taking a 12 penny nail and cutting the head off of it. Rough up the nail on your belt grinder or with hand sanding. Next take your glue gun and place a layer of glue around the nail leaving about a ¼” or so exposed; this will be the part that goes into the Dremel. Once the glue dries you have completed your attachment. Yep, that is all that is to it.
Cut your sandpaper in ¾” x 4” strips. When I first started using the attachment I applied spray adhesive to the sand paper but soon discovered that it was not only not necessary, but messy. A Dremel tool rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed from the rear of the tool. I have found that affixing the sandpaper to the attachment is easiest if you hold the tool in your right hand. I then place a strip of sandpaper next to the edge of the work bench and then lay the sanding attachment on the left edge of the sandpaper. I next roll the sandpaper onto the attachment by rolling the attachment away from me in a left to right direction, making sure I keep the paper tight. Once it is rolled onto the attachment I hold the paper between my index finger and thumb and place into one of the file cuts on the knife spine. When the Dremel is turned on the sandpaper begins doing its magic very quickly. You will have to tear off the worn paper frequently as you are sanding. I run through all of the file grooves with 220, then 320, 400, and finally 600. I sand the top of the spine with a sanding block using the same grits.
Just a tip, do not sand the sides of the blade beyond 220 prior to doing the file work and subsequent sanding with the Dremel attachment. The reason is, as you are sanding with the attachment the sandpaper will tear and split and invariably come into contact with the sides of the blade. If you have already polished the blade, well, you will have to begin sanding it again at whatever grit you had on the Dremel attachment that caused the scratches. Also, as I previously mentioned, the sandpaper will tear and split and pieces of it will fly off, so make sure “YOU WEAR YOUR SAFETY GLASSES”.
I hope this helps someone out there.
CurtisK
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I personally just love doing file work. I like the way it really brings the spine of a knife “to life” and adds that unique touch to a hand-made blade. I too perform this task with a chain saw file (vine work) as a new file cuts rapidly and accurately. The only drawback, at least for me, to file work is the finishing. I find it very difficult to sand each individual file cut down to a 600 grit in preparation for buffing.
As Ed Caffrey once stated in a post “Frustration! Discovery!” and as a Fred (Bubble Jig Fred) quoted “Necessity is the mother of all invention”, I set out to make this task easier and found a way to do so.
I made an attachment for a Dremel tool that works exceptionally well for sanding file work. I reckon I could take some photos later and post them, but it is so simple I really don’t think a photo is necessary.
The attachment is made by taking a 12 penny nail and cutting the head off of it. Rough up the nail on your belt grinder or with hand sanding. Next take your glue gun and place a layer of glue around the nail leaving about a ¼” or so exposed; this will be the part that goes into the Dremel. Once the glue dries you have completed your attachment. Yep, that is all that is to it.
Cut your sandpaper in ¾” x 4” strips. When I first started using the attachment I applied spray adhesive to the sand paper but soon discovered that it was not only not necessary, but messy. A Dremel tool rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed from the rear of the tool. I have found that affixing the sandpaper to the attachment is easiest if you hold the tool in your right hand. I then place a strip of sandpaper next to the edge of the work bench and then lay the sanding attachment on the left edge of the sandpaper. I next roll the sandpaper onto the attachment by rolling the attachment away from me in a left to right direction, making sure I keep the paper tight. Once it is rolled onto the attachment I hold the paper between my index finger and thumb and place into one of the file cuts on the knife spine. When the Dremel is turned on the sandpaper begins doing its magic very quickly. You will have to tear off the worn paper frequently as you are sanding. I run through all of the file grooves with 220, then 320, 400, and finally 600. I sand the top of the spine with a sanding block using the same grits.
Just a tip, do not sand the sides of the blade beyond 220 prior to doing the file work and subsequent sanding with the Dremel attachment. The reason is, as you are sanding with the attachment the sandpaper will tear and split and invariably come into contact with the sides of the blade. If you have already polished the blade, well, you will have to begin sanding it again at whatever grit you had on the Dremel attachment that caused the scratches. Also, as I previously mentioned, the sandpaper will tear and split and pieces of it will fly off, so make sure “YOU WEAR YOUR SAFETY GLASSES”.
I hope this helps someone out there.
CurtisK
