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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 09-18-2015, 11:01 AM
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mcarriganphotos mcarriganphotos is offline
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Deployed to Iraq: a little help finding some steel

So I was a big follower of this site a long time ago but was never in a position to make a knife. I am deployed to Iraq right now and strangly enough I find myself with time on my hands. I have access to a work bench with clamps, hacksaws, and a nice set of files. I know it will be a lot of work doing it all by hand but I got 4-months. I'll get some stones and sand paper as well to help.

So my plan is to make a belt knife a little bigger than a neck knife. Looking at a 3-in blade, tanto and probably chisel style. This way it is mostly straight lines and one side to focus on since it will be all hand done. No grips, and I'm thinking pretty thick, 3/16 to 1/4. I know I just some eyes role, that thick by hand haha. My thought for metal is O-1. I remember this being cheap but good.

I know I could search this site and probably find everything I need to know but I have to pay per data that I use and it is not the fastest speed either. So this is what I need if you don't mind me asking for a little help without searching?

I need to find a place that I can get a 1 bar of the O1 already anealed and as flate as possible, don't know how much it will cost me saying "precision ground." 2-in wide and I'm looking at under 7-in long for the knife but I want some left over to make my sanding block with and then either 3/16 or 1/4 inch. You know as I type this lets say 3/16.

Next I need to find a nice resonable place I can send it to for heat treating after I'm done.

Thanks a bunch for any help!
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Old 09-18-2015, 12:18 PM
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Hunter10139 Hunter10139 is offline
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First off, thank you for the service you and your fellow soldiers are doing for this country. The sacrifice you make allows all of the citizens here to enjoy our freedom.

As far as your thickness goes, our eyes won't roll because you're doing it by hand. Instead we're thinking that the edge geometry on a knife that thick will be poor for such a small knife. In other words, it'll be so thick it may not cut well, unless it is hollow ground. Are you worried about strength? A properly heat treated knife of 1/8" - 5/32" thick or so will be plenty strong enough and it will likely cut much better than a 1/4" knife.

As far as places to purchase steel from, if you can order from the states and have it shipped to your location, look up jantz knife supply, texas knife supply, and the new jersey steel baron. Jantz and texas knife supply both will sell shorter lengths of steel; I've purchased some from texas knife supply at 12 inches long I believe. The new jersey steel baron is better for price if you're making a bunch of knives, but you'll have to order multiple feet I believe; I've ordered 4 ft from them before and I think it's the minimum. If you can't order from the states, I'm at a loss for locations in Europe or the Middle East, but maybe someone on here will know.

I can't help with the heat treat location as I do all of mine myself but if there's anything else you need help many of us here on the forum are more than happy to help.


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Old 09-18-2015, 02:37 PM
RedstickJP RedstickJP is offline
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As far as sending a knife out for heat treat goes, it's much cheaper to ha ran air quenching steel done than it will be to do the oil quenching steels. Though if
You got some 1084 you probably have everything you'd need to do the heat treat over there with you
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Old 09-18-2015, 02:52 PM
damon damon is offline
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having been there myself.... depending on what part of the country youre in... in mid-late august you could leave the knife outside between noon and 3pm and about get it hot enough to heat treat a piece of O1

if you have access to a torch and a large magnet and couple quarts of auto trans fluid you could heat treat yourself. its not exactly perfect, is a bit tricky for a first timer, but is fun.

http://newjerseysteelbaron.com/shop/o-1/

I suggest getting the 3' bar since your buddies over there are going to be asking you to make one for them too. (trust me on this... they will)
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Old 09-18-2015, 04:58 PM
jmccustomknives jmccustomknives is offline
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You've got your ingredients right there. One of those old files should make a good enough knife. If you've got a torch, it's on!
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Old 09-19-2015, 03:55 AM
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mcarriganphotos mcarriganphotos is offline
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Thanks for all of the info. I did want to go thicker because I am very bad and abusive to knives, but you are right 5/32 might be better.

So if O1 is something that sounds like not too many people may do heat treating for and I am not in the kind of place that people like to see you heating a drum of oil I guess I should look at a different material. Jancie has some 1095 pretty cheep??

So I have a design drawn up, like I said I'm keeping the blade to straight lines so I don't bung it up. I guess it is a reverse tanto. I hope I can make it look as nice as my drawings. I took the blade on out to 4-in and a width of 1.5 In. I've got rounding files to do the handle. My only issue is I have a drill but no quality bits to lighten the handle any.

Knife-Drawing
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Old 09-19-2015, 06:53 AM
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mcarriganphotos mcarriganphotos is offline
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I've been looking and can't find anyone that will do a high carbon steel heat treat. I may swap over to 440C. Texas Knife will treat it for a pretty reasonable price. I don't know if working 440C will be any different that any of the carbon steels.
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Old 09-19-2015, 11:16 AM
samuraistuart samuraistuart is offline
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There is a fellow knife maker by the name of Darrin Sanders who will heat treat carbon steel blades for you. Not too sure if he is on this forum, but is a regular on Bladeforums. You might want to try him out.

If you can't get a hold of him, drop me a line, I'll do it for you if you'll pay the shipping back. Darrin does this as part of his business, and he is a very nice guy, so I would like to direct you to him first.

If and when you get around to heat treating, do yourself a big favor and stay the heck away from ATF or motor oil quenches. There is absolutely no need to use those nasty products when canola oil is an excellent substitute for an engineered quench oil. Canola oil warmed up to 130?F works extremely well on carbon steels, and as long as the knife isn't over 1/8" thick, the canola warmed up is even fast enough to quench the shallow hardening steels like 1095 and W2.

Last edited by samuraistuart; 09-19-2015 at 11:20 AM.
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Old 09-20-2015, 01:11 AM
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mcarriganphotos mcarriganphotos is offline
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Thanks, I found a Darrin Sanders on Blade and sent him an e-mail.

That's interesting that you can use canola oil. I'm sure the DFAC (dinning facility) workers would look at me cross-eyed if I went and asked for a couple of quarts LOL
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Old 09-20-2015, 06:12 AM
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Crex Crex is offline
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Get their spent oil. just strain out the residuals. Pull up a "Sticky" on 1084 for HT, won't get any simpler than that and you will learn much faster. Like was said above......you're gonna wind up making more than one.

I also wish to thank you for your service. Can't be said enough for you fine young people standing at the Gate!


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