Deltashooter
Well-Known Member
Well after about six months and about that many sacrificed blades. I came up with this little knife that will really work.
It started as a 1/8” thick saw blade, that I wasn’t sure what the metal was, so I cut out a blank, ground it, heat treated and full quenched in oil, then broke it to have a little look inside.
Nice small tight uniformed grain structure, Great.
So I make another one the same process then temper it at 300 for an hour twice. To the anvil I went and broke off the point and cutting edge. Then to the vise to break it in half. All was good but I just wasn’t satisfied so I start over an over again changing the process this way and that until I felt good about it.
What I ended up with was to soak a little above critical for 4-5 minutes, edge/full quench, and then temper at 400 for an hour twice.
Next was to make a knife this way to put to work for the real test, will it take and hold an edge.
So here it is.
2 1/8” blade
5 3/8” overall
1/8’ ss pins
Curly cherry handle
Sanded to 320 and etched.
Sharpened at 15 then 20 degrees then stropped on my 10,000 grit impregnated leather block to blend it all together.
Sorry for the bad photos, cell phone.
Well it has been three weeks in Hard use now, a ton of double wall cardboard and everything else I can find that needs cut, and it showing signs of needing stropped a little. It will still shave the hair off your arm, but not with the ease it should.
I have impressed myself with the way this little thing will hold an edge.
I wish that I had finished it out better and not just as a test knife.
Have two more, a little larger, heat treated and awaiting hand sanding.
Forging is so much quicker.
Todd
It started as a 1/8” thick saw blade, that I wasn’t sure what the metal was, so I cut out a blank, ground it, heat treated and full quenched in oil, then broke it to have a little look inside.
Nice small tight uniformed grain structure, Great.
So I make another one the same process then temper it at 300 for an hour twice. To the anvil I went and broke off the point and cutting edge. Then to the vise to break it in half. All was good but I just wasn’t satisfied so I start over an over again changing the process this way and that until I felt good about it.
What I ended up with was to soak a little above critical for 4-5 minutes, edge/full quench, and then temper at 400 for an hour twice.
Next was to make a knife this way to put to work for the real test, will it take and hold an edge.
So here it is.
2 1/8” blade
5 3/8” overall
1/8’ ss pins
Curly cherry handle
Sanded to 320 and etched.
Sharpened at 15 then 20 degrees then stropped on my 10,000 grit impregnated leather block to blend it all together.
Sorry for the bad photos, cell phone.
Well it has been three weeks in Hard use now, a ton of double wall cardboard and everything else I can find that needs cut, and it showing signs of needing stropped a little. It will still shave the hair off your arm, but not with the ease it should.
I have impressed myself with the way this little thing will hold an edge.
I wish that I had finished it out better and not just as a test knife.
Have two more, a little larger, heat treated and awaiting hand sanding.
Forging is so much quicker.
Todd
