New Knife I Made Out Of An Old Metalwork File

[SAVAGE HMR]

NOW UPDATED

 

Hello everyone, I noticed the last home made knife post went

down quite well and it inspired me to give it a try myself then

if it turned out any good I'd write about it here.

 

I started off with an old metalwork file I got from my friends Uncle.

First thing I did with it was to heat the file up to around 800 degrees

or till it glows orange then to let it cool gradually in my forge.

This is to help soften the metal to make it more workable.

I did this in a forge I made out of an old barbeque, a bit of metal

pipe I salvaged off an old bike, some garden hose, a torch and

a bike pump. I didn't get a picture of it but I'll be updating this post

so I'll add it in next Monday when I have another day off work.

 

Sorry about the quality of the pictures, I took them on my phone.

 

After the file had cooled down the first thing I did was to grind all

the burrs off the file with a bench grinder, I started to grind the blade

in to, at this point I actually made a mistake cause I grinded the blade

all the way along to the handle should have been but it was easily taken

care of after wards. I also cut the last blade shape on the end of the file

with a hacksaw to give it a point. After that was done it looked like this.

 

 

Next I cut the pointy bit of the file off that you would usually attach

a wooden handle to, I did this with the hacksaw. I also started to

grind the blade shape in to on the top and bottom of the knife.

 

 

Next I marked in pen where to grind the grooves in the handle to

give it a more comfortable feel, I used the bench grinder again

to do this.

 

 

Next I clamped the knife in a vice and filed off the rough edges

on the handle I couldn't get at with the bench grinder.

 

 

Next I turned the knife around and filed the blade some more in

order to even out the look of the blade. The bench grinder is

a handy tool but it's not the neatest. The hand file was better

for the more 'detailed work'.

 

 

After I had finished filing the blade it looked like this.

 

 

Next I drilled three holes in the handle, two for loveless bolts

to hold the handle in place and a third for a lanyard tube.

The loveless bolts and lanyard tube I bought on flea-bay

for a few pounds.

 

 

Now that all of the 'heavy duty' work was done I started on

the sanding. Usually you would used wet and dry grit paper

for metal but I didn't have any so I used an electric sander

and rough sand paper to remove as many of the tool marks

as possible. I started on the narrow of the knife first.

I had it clamped in the vice to do this.

 

 

Once I got the worst of the tool marks out it came out

I went over it with a fine grade sand paper to bring out

more of a shine on the metal. It ended up looking like this.

 

 

After that was done I started on the flat of the blade with

the sander again, first the rough paper then the fine paper.

It was starting to look like a decent knife now.

 

 

So, five hours later 'not including the forging time' I had myself

a pretty nice looking knife. All it needs now is sharpened and

re-tempered to bring back the strength on the steel.

I'll be re-tempering the blade on Monday and making

and fitting the handles to complete the knife.

After that I'll be making a sheath for it.

I'll be taking more pictures and updating this post so

stay tuned if you have found this interesting or useful.

 

 

Hello again, got some more work done on the knife Today

and got a few more pics to.

 

First, here's a picture of the forge I made.

As you can see it was very quickly improvised.

I made it from an old BBQ, an old torch, a metal pipe,

some garden hose, some duck tape and a bike pump.

 

 

 

First off Today I built a fire in order to get some coals and

ash for the forge, for this I salvaged some old fence posts

that I cut up in to sections so they would burn quicker.

 

 

When the coals were ready I shoveled them up and put them

in the forge along with some small pieces of wood just to

pick the heat up again.

 

 

This is the blade before it went in to the forge.

I sanded as much of the scratches out of the blade as possible.

I figured it would be easier to do it now as opposed to

later on once the blade was tempered and stronger.

 

 

I placed the knife in the forge and got to work pumping as much

air as possible in to the flames.

After five minutes the blade was bright orange.

I took a picture of the blade at this point but for some reason

it came out white. Anyway, it was hot enough now.

 

 

Next I dunked the knife point first straight down in to some

motor oil. I had to use new motor oil as there was no

old stuff to hand. When I did this it did splatter quite a bit

but it didn't catch fire. I think it's more likely to catch fire

if you are using old oil because it has a higher concentration

of carbon and combustible material.

 

 

I left the blade in the oil for about ten minutes to cool down.

When it came out it had a nice coating of burnt oil.

 

 

I got to work on the blade sanding with fine sandpaper to get

rid of all the burnt oil.

I was pushed for time so I neglected sanding the handle and

moved on to my next job.

 

 

The handle I made previously out of English Walnut.

It was quite easy to do, all I did was first to buy a

pair of knife scales 'handles' I drew around the handle

on to the wood leaving a gap of 2mm which I cut

with a jigsaw, the 2mm overlap I sanded down later.

In order to get the shape right I glued the handles to

the knife then sanded and filed till I had the shape I

was happy with.

 

Next job was to drill holes in the handles to fit the

lanyard tube and the loveless bolts.

After that I fitted the lanyard tube then cut it to fit.

 

 

 

 

Next I had to get the loveless bolts in place.

This first involved inserting the four bolts in

the pre-drilled holes, two on each handle.

Next I had to get the screws through which

at this point proved to be a bit of a pain.

Seen as I have been doing everything by

hand and eye it wasn't all 100% straight

so one or two things were a wee bit off

center but not enough to prove to be to

much of a problem.

Once all the bolts were tightened up it

looked a bit like this.

 

 

 

Next job on the list was to use the bench grinder

to grind off the excess metal from the loveless

bolts and the lanyard tube.

 

So I got started on this and this is where I

encountered a big problem.

When I was putting the handle together I

should have been using resin to glue and hold

everything in place. Then I should have left it

to harden and set but being the forgetful guy

that I am I managed to skip this bit.

This was a big problem because when I started

working on the bolts with the bench grinder

the vibration and heat from the friction managed

to loosen the loveless bolts and they started to

unscrew. The heat from the friction also heated

up the bolts to the point that it began to burn

the handles.

At this point realizing my mistake I thought I

had better call it a day. It was 10.30pm

I was very cold and I still had to drive home

to Edinburgh. Not to mention I was also very

angry with myself for making such a stupid

mistake.

I'll get some more loveless bolts and get the

handle finished properly as soon as I can

then I'll get some more pictures up on here

for you guys.

Also, I'll try and get a hold of some leather

to make a sheath with and I'll get that done

next Monday and get some more pictures

and some more 'how to' D.I.Y. information.

 

Anyway, if you do try making a knife for yourself

learn from your mistakes and a few of mine!

I'll be back on Monday 'maybe sooner' with more.

 

EVEN MORE UPDATED

 

Right, I hope you guys appreciate this. I stayed up

till five this morning installing new loveless bolts and

lanyard tube along with a load of filing, sanding and oiling.

 

Before I started inserting bolts and what not I gave

the insertion holes a good coat with Araldite to make

sure the bolts ans screws stayed where they were

supposed to. I scratched the outside of the lanyard

tube before I inserted it just to make sore the

Araldite had something to grip to.

Once all the components were inserted I left it for

a good hour to dry and cure.

When it had dried I set to work with a fine file to

file off all the excess metal. This took a while bu hand

but I didn't want to much vibration or heat from

the friction of the file to cause more problems.

When the bolts and tube were filed down enough I

gave the handles a final sand down then oiled

then with raw linseed oil.

So, a few hours of very quiet filing and sanding,

a few cups of tea and I had this for my troubles.

 

 

 

 

 

I still have to polish the blade but I'm sure you get the idea.

All I need now is a sheath. Roll on next Monday!

Edited September 23, 2008 by SAVAGE HMR

[jay222]

thats a cracking effort

[Wookie]

Damn right it is! Well done on that, I'm really interested top see how it turns out.

 

What sort of handle are you planning? Wood or something else?

[rabbithunter2008]

That looks great

[Dunkield]

Great project and a fine write up Savage

[MM]

top job mate, that will look ace!

[Vegeta]

Man this stuff inspires me, now I want to make a knife

[Gonna Shoot a Wabbit]

great stuff

 

cant wait to see the end result

[perfect]

A very helpfull website http://www.knives.com/engnath_handles.html

[Dr W]

Great write up and looking forward to next installment.

 

On query I had was that I always though files were quite brittle and could snap? I don't know if this is true but seem to remember something about it, does heating up the metal change it and make it stronger?

[Axe]

I was thinking the same, I've seen a file shatter, scary stuff. I guess the heating must change its composition.

 

Looking forward to seeing it finished.

[SAVAGE HMR]

Damn right it is! Well done on that, I'm really interested top see how it turns out.

 

What sort of handle are you planning? Wood or something else?

 

I've bought myself a pair of English Walnut scales to make the handles,

I wanted to go with something with a nice looking grain, they should

look really good when they are oiled.

 

 

Man this stuff inspires me, now I want to make a knife

 

You should give it a go mate, so far it's been quite easy to get to this point.

Better to make something yourself that will last instead of buying one.

 

 

Great write up and looking forward to next installment.

 

On query I had was that I always though files were quite brittle and could snap? I don't know if this is true but seem to remember something about it, does heating up the metal change it and make it stronger?

 

I did think that to but the way the metal is heated has a lot to do with how

brittle it is.

When I first heated up the file I heated it up to 800 degrees or

bright orange then let it cool gradually in the forge.

This heating and cooling process creates carbon on the outside

of the metal which makes it easy to work and more pliable.

I think this is when the metal is at it's most brittle.

I don't know if it would shatter but it could snap if it was put

under enough strain or stress.

 

When I heat up the knife again when all the filing and grinding

has been done it again gets heated up to 800 degrees or till

it's bright orange then it gets plunged straight in to old motor

oil to cool it very quickly. This process creates carbite on the

outside of the metal which is what gives it it's strength.

With any luck this should insure the blade wont shatter.

[mickeylove]

From what I remember about heat treatment (at school) : files are made from high carbon steel, heating them up to red heat and letting them cool slowly softens it to normal steel strength allowing working of the metal, then to get it back to the correct hardness you have to heat it gently untill it gets to the right colour then cool it quickly, usually dipping it in oil. I dont know what the colour is for a knife but a screwdriver point is blue.

[Toby]

great work, looking foreward to the next instalment!

[pauldr]

thats looking good mate ... well done

[Dave-G]

Brilliant effort on the knife and the post mate.

 

I seem to recall that the faster the steel is cooled the harder - and more brittle it becomes, particularly on it's outside - commonly called case hardening I think. Thus I'd hazard a guess that it was cooled very rapidly in thin oil or water when it was a file. I'm thinking that dipping the knife into thick hot oil would cool it slower to prevent it becoming brittle.

 

Any chance of a picture of the furnace?

[bullet boy]

Good effort.

[Paladin]

Realy enjoyed that, well done .

 

Loveless bolts=not screwed?

[MAJ2]

Excellent write up and pictures. Can't wait for the next instalment.

At school, too many years ago, a classmate made a knife from a hacksaw blade, not the hand held jobby, but one from the huge mechanical hacksaw in the metalwork room. Again, he heated the blade to soften it enough to be able to work it, but after shaping and forming the blade, he heated it again to an orange glow, and then left it to cool in a tray of oil to temper it. It turned out to be a fantastic piece, almost pliable and so excellent as a filleting blade, but capable of keeping it's edge.

I would be interested to see pictures of your forge.

 

MAJ2

[SAVAGE HMR]

Brilliant effort on the knife and the post mate.

 

I seem to recall that the faster the steel is cooled the harder - and more brittle it becomes, particularly on it's outside - commonly called case hardening I think. Thus I'd hazard a guess that it was cooled very rapidly in thin oil or water when it was a file. I'm thinking that dipping the knife into thick hot oil would cool it slower to prevent it becoming brittle.

 

Any chance of a picture of the furnace?

 

I'll be going down to my Dad's again on Monday so I'll get some decent

photographs of my make-shift forge to post here along with more

knife making pics.

I was supposed to be down doing some more work on my knife

Monday past but plans changed and I was stuck in Edinburgh.

Monday night I'll have some more pics etc for you all.

[scout]

Cracking looking knife, almost feel inspired to give it ago myself.

[nickb]

Fair effort, and a great write up.

well done fella

ATB

Nick

[Harnser]

Very good effort . I had a friend who used to make knifes out of the big industrial hack saw blades . These knifes were fabulous and could be sharpened to a razor edge . Harnser .

[AIRARMSTX200]

fantastic work well done :blink:

[dazco2121]

Good work, look forward to seeing more :blink: