June 11, 201610 yr This is/was my 2nd knife. I used O-1 tool steel. The design didn't seem very complicated on paper, but it sure was a P.I.T.A. trying to cut and file. It's going to have a brass bolster and handle made from snakewood. Hardened in oil and then tempered at 400 degrees F for 4 hours. My first test of the knife was dropping it onto the concrete floor and - voilà. I guess it was just knife-shaped object. Next time I will temper longer, and I've come up with a simpler way to make the blade - I'm going to give it a whittle tang instead of the scale tang.
June 11, 201610 yr why do people ruin perfectly good knifes by dropping or throwing them at concrete? what evil person is telling the noobs to do this? I already wrote a long detail post about heat treating, I refuse to type all that again. . One trip to temper for 4 hours is not correct, the steel needed a rest and a second trip to convert the retained Austenite that converted during the first temper. which I also explained.. not a surprise you ruined it. Sorry.
June 11, 201610 yr Steve, I do the drop test all the time. Never had one do that. The problem is doing it without understanding heat treating and what is going on. First, don't harden much into the handle area. If you do use a torch to do some differential tempering. It's not really complex but doing it right can be. Keep your next blades simple. Get some steel like 1084 that's better suited for a newb. If you intend on making an unbreakable blade learn the "soft back draw". Good luck.
June 11, 201610 yr Author 1 hour ago, jmccustomknives said: 1 hour ago, jmccustomknives said: Keep your next blades simple. Good idea. I'm glad this knife broke, I was very unhappy with the way it turned out, and it was going to be a gift. Now I can start again with a better (simple) design which I know that I can do nicely. I got a lot of experience filing and grinding and fiddling. I'm going to keep playing with O-1 until I learn it well. I've tried the soft back draw, but no matter how slow I try it, the blade goes from shiny polished steel to black and then orange if I hold it on the heat too long (waiting for "straw" to appear). I never see any other colors, let alone "straw."
June 11, 201610 yr Use indirect heat to do it then. Put a semicircular roof tile over the fire, or half pipe. Then set the back of the blade on it. That way the fire doesn't contact it directly. I have drawn back items with a propane torch with no issues. What are you using?
June 12, 201610 yr Author I tried using a propane torch, the outside of my forge, and I even heated a long strip of spring steel for the heat source.
June 12, 201610 yr 4 hours ago, jmccustomknives said: Steve, I do the drop test all the time. Never had one do that. The problem is doing it without understanding heat treating and what is going on. First, don't harden much into the handle area. If you do use a torch to do some differential tempering. It's not really complex but doing it right can be. Keep your next blades simple. Get some steel like 1084 that's better suited for a newb. If you intend on making an unbreakable blade learn the "soft back draw". Good luck. you are saying that is a safe way to test a blade? how do you control whose leg the broken section cuts when it goers flying in a fail, which can happen a lot to beginners?
June 12, 201610 yr Harry, another thing to keep in mind with O1 is that thin sections can air harden. I had one quickly dull a drill bit after forging and rough grind with no heat treat at all. I had to heat it back up to a dull glow and move it back through the dragon's breath and then just outside the flames a little bit at a time over 20 minutes or so to get it soft enough to drill. Also, if hardened correctly it will not drop below 60 hardness until about 500F or more when tempering.
June 12, 201610 yr 11 hours ago, Steve Sells said: you are saying that is a safe way to test a blade? how do you control whose leg the broken section cuts when it goers flying in a fail, which can happen a lot to beginners? I do think it a whole lot safer than chopping on wood blocks. If you are doing it without wearing proper safety gear nothing in knifemaking is safe. lol. In my experience the drop is just a quick test of the tip, never have I had one break in the center or really break at all. I'll also capitulate that I only do the test on knives that are intended for rough use. Skinners are not one I'd ever do it to.
November 13, 20169 yr Author Here is "Take 2" on this blade. I changed the blade style slightly, and used a whittle tang instead of a scale tang. While I did not repeat the drop test, I did beat the xxxx out of it otherwise. It's a tough blade.
November 13, 20169 yr Congrats Harry, please watch the language. On 6/11/2016 at 3:32 PM, jmccustomknives said: Steve, I do the drop test all the time. Never had one do that. The problem is doing it without understanding heat treating and what is going on. First, don't harden much into the handle area. If you do use a torch to do some differential tempering. It's not really complex but doing it right can be. Keep your next blades simple. Get some steel like 1084 that's better suited for a newb. If you intend on making an unbreakable blade learn the "soft back draw". Good luck. and the neighbor kids run across the street all the time and never been killed yet. What about that drop onto concrete? Is that a part of normal use of a blade?
November 14, 20169 yr Author On 11/13/2016 at 10:50 AM, Steve Sells said: Congrats Harry, please watch the language. My, we have vastly differing standards of what is and what is not appropriate language. Worlds apart. I certainly won't talk about my bxxxxd files that I used on this blade. But your advice will be heeded.
November 14, 20169 yr Hey I was once gigged for a phrase I had used in church talking with my pastor the day before. Not a problem their site their rules, Machete is flexible!
November 14, 20169 yr 37 minutes ago, Harry Marinakis said: My, we have vastly differing standards of what is and what is not appropriate language. Worlds apart. I certainly won't talk about my bxxxxd files that I used on this blade. But your advice will be heeded. Glenn Conner owns this place, he does not like hearing children using the words you used, and that is the standard he used here. If that is a major problem for anyone, then I can only suggest you talk to Glenn about your perceived rights on HIS server. I am only the door man. any more of this talk needs to be in PM
November 14, 20169 yr Steve; I've always considered you more as a Bouncer than a doorman with Glen being the owner of the Club...
November 23, 20169 yr Author On 11/14/2016 at 2:06 PM, Steve Sells said: If that is a major problem for anyone, then I can only suggest you talk to Glenn about your perceived rights on HIS server. I have no perceived rights, and as I said your advice will be heeded
November 23, 20169 yr A bouncer (if only they knew) who did his masters in knife making and is working on his doctorate, lol.
November 25, 20169 yr On June 11, 2016 at 6:50 PM, Steve Sells said: you are saying that is a safe way to test a blade? how do you control whose leg the broken section cuts when it goers flying in a fail, which can happen a lot to beginners? Keep going, I'm learning here, you guys are a wealth of information
November 25, 20169 yr 55 minutes ago, Wayne Mitchell said: Keep going, I'm learning here, you guys are a wealth of information its all in the knife making classes
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