Wood or Plexiglass for knife patterns

G

Grizzly Bear

Well-Known Member
Hey Knife Dogs, I have another question I need advice on.

Is it better to make permanent knife patterns out of thin wood or Plexiglas? I have seen both but was concerned that cutting the Plexiglas would gum up my band saw blade. If I use Plexiglas, what type of blade should I use - a metal cutting blade or a wood cutting blade? How many teeth, geometry of the teeth layout?

Thanks for your advice,

Grizzly Bear
 
My answer isn't exactly one of those, but make mine out of thin aluminum. I got a few pieces of 0.075" thick out of some scrap control boxes and it works great. I was using wood before this and I like the metal patterns much better.
 

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I use thick cardboard from ripped garage sale binders for my templates. Plexiglass would work too I think. I use my wood blade on the porta ban to cut plastic buckets on the slower speed and it seems to not gum up. I think I may have to try and cut a piece of the plexiglass grampa gave me and see if it gums up the saw.
 
I like using plexi-glass for my folder templates because I can actually see into the design that I've made to see where there may be some points that need to be adjusted or the shape needs changing. As far as fixed blades, I mostly use thin wood. And I've also never experienced any issue with the blade on the band saw gumming up cutting the plexi-glass


Wayne
 
For patterns I plan to repeat in straight knives, I general do 12-14 gauge steel. For folders the prototypes are done in plexiglass, and once all the "bugs" are worked out, those are made out hardenable steel, and heat treated to prevent holes from getting wallowed out. (I often will clamp or super glue folder patterns to the steel I'm working on.....and I found that in doing so, if I use a non-hardened pattern, it would only take 3-4 time using it for the holes to be "off" enough to cause problems.
 
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Currently I use A36 .128" steel for my forge to templates/guides. They don't flex or bend, and heat doesn't affect them. I also write on them.
 
I use whatever is available. In the past I've used some scrap mild steel flat stock I had laying around, old license plates (the flat printed ones, not stamped), scraps of g10/micarta/carbon fiber, steel from an old wall mounted tv stand, kydex, and on on on. If it's flat and fairly rigid, it's game.
 
I use lexan myself. It's ok, but I've recently started making hardened blanks with the holes already laid out. It is definitely a time saver and durable

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