Hey folks.

I'm going to forge some blades from old files this weekend. Do I need to anneal the file before forging, or can I go ahead with normal forging operations?


I'm planning to forge some flint striker/knife combos.


Thanks!

I have made a few knives from files and have never annealed before forging. However I always try to finish all forging on a blade in one session and as soon as forging is finished I normalize the whole blade and tang.

This relieves any residual stresses and gets the blade ready for heat treatment.

If you want to drill for handle pins etc. you will definately have to fully anneal, or you will get through an awfull lot of drillbits.......

one_rod.

Thanks. That's the decision I'd come to.

If you want to drill for handle pins etc. you will definately have to fully anneal, or you will get through an awfull lot of drillbits.......one_rod.

Actually if you take an old dull drill bit of the correct size you can spot aneal.

All you do is chuck it up and run it backwards and push down on the tang with it. It WILL get hot and remove the hardness in only that spot.

Ralph 8)

Thanks for the tip, Ralph. I've saved all my old bitsin a box under my workbench. Never knew exactly what for until now. I'll give that a shot in the future.

8)

I might add that a center punch will mark the spot so you know where to drill
afterwards. :lol:

I forged a bit from files. Annealing helps, but I did without and it was fine. :D

BTW in answer to the original question.
I personally would anneal then grind off all the teeth before forging.
If not then you may have a issue with cold shuts. Unless your first few heats are welding heats.

Just my 2 cents worth

When using those large tooth wood rasps to make blades, I like to leave the teeth, makes a neat "scale" pattern. Also they make a great woodplane blade, wood workers aroud here like them... alot , especialy when it was their old wood rasp you forged into new plane irons, I guess some people get attached to their tools And some people will pay a little extra for character, one of my customers said to me: if I wanted shiny stainless I'd go to wallyworld, when I want something that will cut I come to you. it's nice to hear things like that. 8)

Cool tip. I've got a bucket of my Grandad's old rasps and horse bits coming. I'll keep a few and forge the rest into something neat that will have a story for every part...

Well what ever works for you.

Each to his own I suppose.

Ralph

I have a kindling hatchet I forged from a rasp. It was a High C one so I just foled it over and forged welded it and drifted the handle hole to fit a hammer handle---cheaper than a hatchet handle around these parts. Quenched the cutting edge in vegetable oil and drew to straw from the eye (so the eye is fully drawn and only the cutting edge is left straw.

Works a treat.

Thomas