I am going to try and make a japanese style tanto out of an old file, i plan on treating the steel as w-2 and I am using a piece of what i think is walnut to make the grip and scabbard. so far i have been contemplating it and have ground off the teeth from the file. Just wanted to know what you guys thought, all criticism is appreciated!


this is the board and file i will be using

My $2 grinding wheel

the file after i ground off the teeth

I would anneal the file before continuing. While your grinding wheel will work for profiling the blade, there's going to come a time when you have to lay in the bevels and the grinder just won't work as nicely as you might like. Files and sandpaper are going to be needed rather soon, and working on a hardened file with those will be a chore, to say the least.

Overall, you're almost there and it's looking good. I'm anxious to see pics as you progress!

I would anneal the file before continuing. While your grinding wheel will work for profiling the blade, there's going to come a time when you have to lay in the bevels and the grinder just won't work as nicely as you might like. Files and sandpaper are going to be needed rather soon, and working on a hardened file with those will be a chore, to say the least.

Overall, you're almost there and it's looking good. I'm anxious to see pics as you progress!

thanks, i started forging the file into the shape i wanted tonight. i shaped most of the tip and bent the metal towards the edge so it would straighten as i forged the edge.
but as you can see in the picture it is bending back more than i anticipated, i am going to to try bend it more towards the edge so it will come out mostly straight

i want it to eventually come out something like the bob engnath tantos featured in JPH's "the complete bladesmith" and i am hoping to find some proper heat treating clay locally

Jim Hrisoulas definitely knows what he's doing. I've got all 3 of his books and they're worth every cent. Another really good book that may help u some is Wayne Goddard's "The $50 Knife Shop". It's chock full of good ideas on how to get started in knifemaking/bladesmithing. Just in case u don't already own it..and of course it's just my opinion. Keep us posted!

Gene

After another night of forging i think the blade is really starting to take shape. the length is 11.5" right now but will probably end up a little longer after i finish forging the edge. as it stands i think its going well.

looking good! keep us posted...

Gene

tonight i finished my forging, tomorrow i will go to the belt sander to shape my bevels. also would anyone know where to find proper heat treating clay near McHenry county illinois? that would be amazing

nice forging, that looks like it will go.

as far as heat treating clay is concerned..if there's none in ur area (natural) u mite try a concrete or cinder block company in ur area..u should be able to get a 40# bag of fire clay for around $25 and I understand refractory cement will also work...keep the photos and updates coming..looking great!

Gene

i got alot of good work done today on the belt sander, but i made a rookie mistake and was sanding without my gloves on and the seam of the belt caught the spine of my knife and yanked it out of my hand and broke my belt , the knife didn't cut me terribly bad but i am still gonna wait until tomorrow to work on it again

i never wear gloves to grind with if the steel is to hot to hold with bare hands then cool it down. after heat treating you want to feel the steel so you don't build any heat at all.

looks more like a Kitchen knife than a Tanto if you ask me... but nice work

Very nice forging! I haven't forged in years, but I feel confident in saying that you've done a far better job than I could. Great hammer control.

Can't wait to see how it turns out.

thats good advice tdaleh thanks but i am still working at 60 grit shaping my bevels, and it isn't finished yet is it mrkiddi , i am almost done with the bevels so by the end of tomorrow it should be ready for normalizing and heat treating

The blade shape is more of a drop point and it looks like a kithchen knife of maybe a hunter, instead of a having the angular shape of a tanto.

however, Very nice blade. I would love to see the finished product.

now that i look at it longer i see what you guys are talking about, too late to fix the shape though, think i should finish it like one anyway or just make a handle?

now that i look at it longer i see what you guys are talking about, too late to fix the shape though, think i should finish it like one anyway or just make a handle?

onwe of most beautiful things about mistake is they can turn out better than the intended idea. keep going see where the steel leads you. and don't forget the pictures.please.

I think it looks fantastic..I do see why some are calling it a kitchen knife..but it still looks great! keep the pics and postings coming!!!

Gene

Do not and I repeat do not quench that in water IT MIGHT SHATER. I had a Bowie I was making out of a truck spring shater on me and I was not happy.

yeah i figured, im gonna quench it in vegetable oil
thanks for the warning

yeah i figured, im gonna quench it in vegetable oil
thanks for the warning

Your welcom.

Another good way to oil quench is one part diesel to 3 parts 30 weight non-detergent motor oil (cheap stuff) and I've also heard that ATF is as good a quench oil as
Brownell's quench oil at $60.00 a gal!

Gene

thanks guys, this good stuff

i use hydrolic oil, it works well for me. the knife looks awesome, cant wait to see it with a handle i bet it will look nothing like a kitchen knife when its done.