Another FNG

[Matt Bufford]

Hi everybody. Just wanted to drop a note and intro myself. I've been reading up on a lot of the posts here about techniques, and design, etc... I'm a Firefighter by trade, and I enjoy my schedule which gives me ample time off to engage in hobbyesque things like knife making. Though I'm new to knife making, I've spent many years building random things out of wood and metal... just never really combined.

I've always wanted to get into knife making, and I plunged into it feet first with my first project. All I had was a harbor freight 1x30, and other basic shop tools, but I think it turned out fairly decent - though it isn't complete yet. I need to send the blade out for heat treating, but I want to wait until I have more blades to get a bundle price.





I'll take some better lighted pictures when the knife is actually finished, and ready for testing.


I did just get in my first 2x72. Its the grizzly and, I know, it isn't the best - but it is lightyears better than the 1x30!


As part of my searching, reading, watching videos, etc., I have had a few ideas about various things. I've always been the tinkering type, so it is in my nature to try and improve what I have. I posted up a couple youtube videos today. One of them is a grinding jig that I'm fairly proud of.

http://youtu.be/_yJy2uvy8iA

http://youtu.be/8Li_NuFzyJ8

I'm open for critiques and criticism - all I want at this point is to get better. I don't expect to be pushing out Jay Fisher quality any time soon!


Anyone here know of any makers around Dallas who would be willing to shed personal insights in exchange for poor company and rich beer?

Good to be here!

Matt B.

[Ray Rogers]

Welcome, Matt! Ooops, that sounds like a pun. Oh, well, we're glad to have you here. Looks like you're off to a good start.

You didn't say what kind of steel you used in that knife. It looks like the handle is temporarily pinned which makes sense if you haven't done the heat treat yet. But, depending on what steel you have there blades can warp or crack during HT and they always need clean up afterwards which can cause subtle changes in the shape so doing any work at all on the handle before you have a finished blade may not be the best approach.

Love the Grizzly! Or hate it, but probably half of us have started with the Griz. Even after we acquire a $2000 grinder almost nobody ever sells their Griz. Still using mine 16 years later.

Check the Stickie threads at the top of the page, there's one that lists knife makers around the country. I know that Dallas area has plenty of them ...

[Doug Lester]

Welcome aboard. Ray's right about the Griz. A lot of people bad mouth them that they're too fast or that the motor gets in the way of the drive wheel if it's smaller than 10" but I met a knifesmith who earned both his Journeyman's and Master's stamps with two of them.

Doug

[Matt Bufford]

The blade was made from d2. I have always been a fan of Dozier blades, so I figured that is what I would go with. Especially because I can pick it up at a local metals supplier.

The handle is temp pinned, and If the scales don't fit after HT that is ok because I have a pretty big chunk of baccote and I could just cut a new set.


I do have a question about heat treat services. Do you guys have any recommendations for one that is fair priced? I'm looking at the one through usa knifeMaker, and they charge the same price for up to 20 blades, so if I go with them I was just planning on holding off on the ht until I have enough to fill the full price tag.

Also, I tried my first flat grind with my jig. The jig worked great, but I suck. What type of angle is appropriate for the primary bevel? By time I finished shaping the bevels, I had a razor sharp edge, so do I just flatten out the edge before ht and resharpen when finishing the knife?

[dbalfa]

I had Texas Knifemakers Supply HT some for me a few years ago before I got my own oven- did a good job for a fair price I thought.

[Ray Rogers]

I'm a fan of Dozier knives too but I wouldn't touch D2 on a bet. That's because I tried it and I know how terribly touchy it is to get the heat treat right for a knife. Maybe the pro you send it to will do it right - Dozier does - but with a long thin blade like that you're asking for trouble in my opinion. Aside from that, these days there are plenty of steels that will out perform D2 and that are much more forgiving in the HT. To heat treat D2 you could look at : http://www.petersheattreat.com

The appropriate angle for a flat grind is the angle that is formed when the sides of the blade is flat from the spine to the edge and that angle will vary with every different thickness/width combination of blade that you make which is why trying for a specific angle is pointless. Put away the jig, put the blade up against the belt and start grinding. Your hands are much more capable of adapting the every nuance in each blade you make than any jig will ever be. Yes, it takes practice, lots of it but that's knife making.

Use a scribe to put a line down the center of your blade stock and grind to the line without removing the line. That will give you a good edge thickness for heat treating. BTW, almost any other steel will grind more easily than D2, I can't think of a worse choice for anyone trying to learn how to grind. If you want a stainless steel, try 440C. It's easy to grind, makes an excellent blade, and is dirt cheap to have someone HT for you. Or, get some 1084 or 1080, also easy to work with and you can heat treat it yourself with a forge or a torch ...

[Matt Bufford]

Thanks for the replies!

Ray, point taken about the D2. Unfortunately I have several feet of it that I will have to use before my wife will let me buy more stock. But I'm thinking I'll go the route of 440C after I burn through all of my D2. I can only hope that learning with tougher materials will just make me really appreciate the better materials later on, and show in the quality of my grinds.

Am I correct in assuming that grinding softer metals like 440C would let my belts last a little longer as opposed to the D2? Those Blaze belts are expensive!

[Ray Rogers]

Oh, yeah, not much wears a belt faster than D2, especially after it has been hardened but even annealed it's a monster.

Tell your wife you're saving money by getting more steel since you'll need fewer belts. There is no single steel that's 'best' for all kinds of knives so you can save the D2 for whatever it's best for (danged if I know) so you're not throwing it away you're just not burning through it all at once ....

[Matt Bufford]

Originally Posted by Ray Rogers

Oh, yeah, not much wears a belt faster than D2, especially after it has been hardened but even annealed it's a monster.

Tell your wife you're saving money by getting more steel since you'll need fewer belts. There is no single steel that's 'best' for all kinds of knives so you can save the D2 for whatever it's best for (danged if I know) so you're not throwing it away you're just not burning through it all at once ....

Good idea! She uses the "I need to spend this money now so I can save more money later" on me all the time!

[dbalfa]

ohh the analogies are endless....shoes, purses, etc..... although a very wise man once told me to never complain about money spent on make-up or lingerie - smart man!

[ckluftinger]

Originally Posted by dbalfa

ohh the analogies are endless....shoes, purses, etc..... although a very wise man once told me to never complain about money spent on make-up or lingerie - smart man!

...or excercise classes...

I like the design of the blade, even if it may not be the best for a successful HT. keep trying!

[Matt Bufford]

Yeah, I've been paying her gym membership, which she insists she need, for months... and she has only been twice...

why wouldn't it be good for HT? what should I aim for before HT on a blade like this?
I hope it turns out well - I sent it to TexasKnife this morning!

[ckluftinger]

As Ray stated at the top, the blade is long and thin, and may be prone to warping and cracking. Doesn't mean it will, and doesn't hurt to try. let us know how it turned out...

[Matt Bufford]

so when doing a knife like this, would I be better off heat treating a profiled blank, and beveling the hardened steel? seems like that would destroy some belts.

[Ray Rogers]

I always grind my blades from hardened blanks but I admit that grinding D2 already hardened was not my favorite thing to do. No, in this case it's the combination of D2 and that long thin shape that is the problem and that won't change no matter when you grind the steel. D2 isn't very flexible if it gets hardened properly for a knife so that knife might not have much of a lifespan even if it survives the HT ....