Wow...grinding bevels is HARD.

[Sam1911]

So I finally tried my hand at making my own blade.

This is HARD.
This is VERY time-consuming.

I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I was not quite prepared for the amount of concentration that goes into every single pass across the sanding wheel. And it takes hundreds of strokes.

I was not prepared for how hard it is to establish your grind-lines, and how much harder it would be to make them straight and parallel to anything.

My first attempt went well ... or so I thought ... until I got about half-way there and just totally muffed it! Of course, by the time I reached that point, the knife was noticeably smaller than what I'd intended...

(Note to self: every little correction in form takes material off. None seem to put any back on! )

So...after several hours last night, and another hour or two this morning, here is my second attempt:





The blade is 1/4" 1095. When I laid out what I wanted, I kept ending up with something a whole lot like the Valkman fighter that was the first knife I worked on. I sincerely hope that imitation will be accepted as most heart-felt flattery!

There are some serious flaws -- errant grind marks where my technique coming off the wheel isn't smooth yet, and a disappointingly poor faring of the grinds which I hope to smooth away later in polishing, and of course, THE FRIGGIN' GRIND LINES AREN'T STRAIGHT! AAarrrgh. -- but I'm happy with it as a [STRIKE]first[/STRIKE] second attempt.

All comments are more than welcomed!

 

[JShirley]

Integral guard- I like. I might prefer it a bit more prominent.

Overall, looks pretty good.

 

[Sam1911]

Hmmm... more prominent as in projecting below the blade more, or the handle tang cut higher?

 

[bikerdoc]

I like it. I can also appreciate you frustration.
I am confused when you say wheel as I use a belt, none the less a good effort and a utilitarian design. Keep us posted as you progress.

 

[JShirley]

Projecting further away from the handle, providing even more protection against slipping onto the blade.

 

[Sam1911]

I am confused when you say wheel as I use a belt, none the less a good effort and a utilitarian design. Keep us posted as you progress.

I'm using a belt-sander that runs 2"x72" belts around two wheels. The lower wheel is 10" dia. and I can set the tool rest to work directly on the wheel for a hollow grind, or against a flat platen for a flat grind.

 

[Sam1911]

Projecting further away from the handle, providing even more protection against slipping onto the blade.

Right, but would you prefer that guard to be even with the blade edge (like it is now, but with a deeper cut for the fingers to ride higher), or pointing down below the blade edge (like the landshark design)? I can imagine doing it either way (though the latter would probably be harder to accomplish).

 

[Eaglestroker]

I know nothing about them, but I do know that's a lot better than I could achieve. I don't have that kind of patience!

 

[hso]

John,

That's not an integral guard. It is a finger choil. An integral would have to project beyond the blade.

Sam,

Now you get it. It isn't something that just anybody can buy a grinder and a hunk of steel and crank out Bob Loveless duplicates. Wait until you try to heat treat the thing and it comes out bowed or rippled! Tons of fun. "Hundreds of passes"??? Dude, that's way too many and way too many opportunities to screw up. Each pass is another potential failure opportunity so you want to make as few as possible. Don't move your arms. Lock them in to your sides. Don't twist at the waist as much as you shift your weight from one leg to the other so your entire body moves from side to side.

You should practice with wooden furring strips to learn to grind. Far less expensive and much safer.

BTW, Sam, good looking first attempt.

 

[Valkman]

I like it, and it does look a lot like one of my Fighters on the blade part. The grinds are amazing for a first time, usually they are not that "clean" on the edges for some time.

It gets better - you can grind a blade very quickly once you've done 50 of them!

I should not be suprised as I've seen your attention to detail on sheaths and knives you've finished, but that really is a great job. I'd round off that pointy end of the handle (top) and make sure you "break" all the edges so they're no sharp.

Now you get to drill holes for pins, and you need to drill bigger holes than the pins diameter. So if you want 1/4" holes use a "F" or "G" bit so the pin will fit. Also drill more holes to help the epoxy seal to both handles and to balance the knife.

Great job!

 

[Valkman]

I'll say something else from experience about Fighters - it really made me feel good to give some away to soldiers. Think about doing that when this is done (unless you really want to keep it) and I know just the guy who can get it to a soldier if you are interested. Yep, I think it'll be that good!

 

[cyclopsshooter]

Looks quite professional to me- nice job

 

[Sam1911]

Hey guys, thanks a million for the compliments! Easier when I've done 50? I'm so worn out by this ONE that I hardly had enough strength to do another one today. It is exhausting work! (I'll post the second, completely different, one later.)

I did end up using one of the wonderful 36-grit carbide belts I got from Pop's supply last week. Those are amazing for being able to take off that much material without wearing out like the ones I got from Grizzly did.

Maybe "hundreds" of passes was an overstatement, but it was probably 3-4 hours of grinding over two different sessions. I've no doubt I was waaay over-working it, but I was gun-shy after flubbing the first one.

(The second one I did took probably 1/3 that much time. Will post soon.)

I did notice that when I finished the Spyderco Mule Team knife and used 3/8" stainless spacers in the 3/8" holes it came with, they were a tad tight. In fact, I had to press them in with a vice. But they really came out well, and they were tight enough that they didn't move around when I installed the scales.



Unfortunately, I don't own a complete jobber's drill set. Or even one letter-sized drill larger than 1/4". Guess I'll have to order some.

 

[Sam1911]

Here's the other one:





I was going for maximum "belly" with this one. Something that might be comfortable to use chopping veggies, or maybe even as a skinner.

It's sort of an odd shape, but I can imagine it being useful for some things.

Grinding this one went at least 2-3x faster than the one above. 'Course, it isn't quite as finely finished, either.

 

[JShirley]

I REALLY like the second.

 

[Valkman]

I wouldn't order a set of drill bits - just get the ones you'd use the most. I used to order the 2 sizes for handles pins 10 at a time, and I used "G" bits for 1/4". www.enco.com has 'em. I also ordered 1/4" bits to do all the drilling of extra weight-reducing holes but got cheaper bits for that. I spent more on the G bits since those have to be precise.

Examples:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=240-6860&PMPXNO=4872075&PARTPG=INLMK32

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=305-8116&PMPXNO=940188&PARTPG=INLMK32

Just order 2 or 3 to start with.

 

[JTW Jr.]

I prefer the F bit for 1/4" holes , as this makes things a closer fit.

Nice work , first one looks darn good.

I started out hollow grinding , then for some reason someone ordered a flat ground...and I have yet to make the switch back to hollow.

Can't wait to see it finished.

 

[Valkman]

I'm the opposite, started out flat grinding and switched to hollow, probably because that's the way Loveless did it. He and SRJ were my heroes big time! I watched tapes of them and Johnny Stout and that was it for me! I also like grinding against a rubber wheel than against a hard platen.

 

[Sam1911]

I REALLY like the second.

GREAT! I was hoping someone would not think it the strangest thing ever conceived. I'm still not sure what it will look like when completely finished. But I'll keep on going with it.

I'm thinking of even further undercutting the finger choil (thanks for the term, HSO!) forward into the blade section for a more "choked up" grip, but I haven't completely committed to that yet. That seems to go in the direction of some "native" design I half-remember from somewhere. Almost like the Inuit Ulu, but not really.

 

[USAF_Vet]

Looks good. I like both of them.
What grade of steel are you using? I've been wanting to get into blade making for some time, and have a pretty good selection of scrap steel available.

 

[Sam1911]

The steel for both of those is 1095 purchased new.

I'm a little daunted about trying to heat-treat it myself, but I'm assured by several knowledible folks that I should be able if I'm careful.

 

[BRad704]

Sam, you are doing GREAT for your first 2 time grinding bevels!

If you looking for a good steel supplier, check out Aldo at the NJ Steel Baron. Awesome Awesome guy, and he's from up North. So shipping should be pretty kind. He's gonna be at the AG Russel show in late July and I plan on getting several more bars of 1095 from him then.
http://njsteelbaron.com/

 

[Sam1911]

Hey!

Thanks for the encouragement and the resource! I've heard of him, but never dealt with him.

 

[hso]

scrap steel

Unless you know what type of steel your scrap is you're probably better off starting out buying steel so you know what the heat treat temps and soaks need to be. Of course, you could just go with the old magnet trick for heat treat, but then you don't know of you have an oil or water quench (or air) steel.

 

[BRad704]

You are from PA, so I'm sure you know people with that TypeA yankee personality where they are talking non-stop but always happy about it? That's my impression of Aldo...

1095 is fabulous to cut, drill and grind. I agree about unknown steels being "free" but sketchy when it comes to heat treating. If you edge-quench (differential heat treat), 1095 is capable of some beautiful hamon's as well.

The bar of 1095 I am almost finished with is 5/32" x 1.5" x 48" and only cost me $18. I have gotten 3 of my fighters cut out already and have enough left to do 2 6.5" throwing knifes.