Spoiler alert

[Goods]

For file guides, I saw an interesting trick on YouTube. The person took a  cheap ceramic kitchen knife and cut it with a diamond abrasive wheel to make the faces of the file guide, which he epoxied in place. I’m not sure how long it will hold up, but it look like a good idea…

Keep it fun,

David

[SlimW]

it may be silly but i am gleefully pleased with the shoulder i’ve filed on this blade - its the most precise thing i have ever done, and with only half a file jig.

 

On a side note, someone gifted me with 12 soft firebricks (rated 2800F, I think), so I am going to say goodbye to my bbq chimney/leafblower forge and build a real forge.

 

[SlimW]

a better fit than last time for sure:

[Scott NC]

Couldn't have done better with a surface grinder!

[Latticino]

This is the way...

 

Well done.

[SlimW]

knife shaped object, now with 50% more knife shape: 

 

this is only sanded to 120. i may have to reprofile a bit, the edge is once again a bit too thick.

[Buzzkill]

That's looking pretty good!

It might just be a combination of the light and the grind marks, but on what will be the cutting edge just above the glare in the middle of the blade it appears as though there might be some small cracks.  I could only see them when enlarging the photo, and it might be nothing, but I can tell you from experience how deflating it is to spend hours on a blade only to have it fail at the quench.

Hopefully it's nothing to worry about and we'll soon get to see the finished blade.

[SlimW]

they're just scratches - I hadn't fully-sanded. you can see scratches on the ricasso as well. I was unhappy with the current edge thickness, so I draw-filed the blade to thin it out a bit, re-sanded, and those scratches are gone.

I just need to heat-treat now, which is waiting on a better forge than a bbq chimney. I have an old charcoal grill bottom that will fit just fine in the top of a 55-gallon drum that I think will make a fine forge once I get some kitty litter and a couple old firebricks in it. I've been delayed because I hurt both my lower back and my knee (torn meniscus) so I'm slower than usual. I can file/grind/sand blades sitting down, lol.

[SlimW]

while I wait for daylight, materials, and time to finish my JABOD, I am filling some of my scarce weekday time to start a folder. Never did one before, so I think I will start with a friction folder, though I have some ideas for locking knives.

This is a design by Tim Troyer called "Little Friction Folder" that he kindly uploaded somewhere that I forget.

Side plates are mild steel, blade is 5160.

As a side note, if anyone could recommend a good book on folding knife geometry, I would appreciate it.

[SlimW]

things grow more knife shaped: 

also, a friend dropped off about a dozen sections of bandsaw blade, used to cut stainless.

it seems the teeth are M42 steel, but the blade is something else very tough. makes fine sparklers on the grinding wheel. if nothing else it will make fine side plates on folders, and maybe if i am lucky i can use it in layers with other steel.

 

please disregard the safety socks.