Fileworking Titanium

[rhrocker]

Ok, the "mechanics" of my folder is done, and I'm pleased with it. Has a nice (what Johnny Stout calls) walk and talk to it, really snappy. Blade hasn't been ground yet, so that part should even be better when some of the weight is removed.
I'm getting ready to do the filework on the liners, and thought I'd ask if you guys have any tricks for this. In other words, does everyone use handfiles, or what about the little stone burrs that are in most dremmel kits? Seems like that would work for the little contours, but you'd still need a triangular file for the straight cuts I guess?
Thanks in advance.
Robert
PS - As I posted on another forum, I've now gone through the "rite of Passage" into the world of folders, because yesterday I set my grinder tool rest on fire while grinding the liners There was a pile of Ti dust (which I now call Star Dust!) on the rest platform, and it ignited. Quite a brilliant flame I might add.

[Ray Rogers]

You can do file work with any tool you can control. For most of us, that means hand files, especially on something as fine as liners. Suggestion: do a little practice on a piece of scrap liner material and see what works for you.

As for the fire, welcome to titanium grinding. Now you know to stop and clean up that pile periodically. It's best not to put water on the fire - that works when the fire is very small but at some point it just makes it worse. And, you do not want to be grinding titanium and carbon fiber at the same time and have that catch fire .........

[Dave Kelly]

Hi Robert, With all the work in the shop you've been doing it sounds like your back is healing fine. I'm learning fileworking too and I'm sure you already know some of this but here's how I do it.

Some things to have and do before you start on your hard worked parts

1. Prepare the tools and the environment, lighting, magnification, dark felt markers, a sharp scribe, an easy to read ruler, clean sharp files, file card/brush, air to keep the area debris free, vise or other solid work holder, fine grit sandpaper for final cleanup and patience

2. Practice and know your design, I practice on scrap the same thickness as my finished piece, once I have a design in mind I try to focus on the unfiled areas, vine and thorn for example as I'm filing I visualize the flow of the vine at the top not in the filed areas but what's left over as you file.

3. I first bring the part to be filed close to the final sanded finish, color the entire area with dykem or dark felt marker, if the parts are liners and you want the same layout on both, screw or clamp them together then put them in your vise.
Take your time doing the layout with the ruler and scribe, that's very important. after layout and if it's matching liners unclamp the two and put one of the liners back in the vise, be careful not to touch the layout areas you want your scribed lines to be as bright as possible and it's easy to rub off the dykem.

4. If your pattern involves angles, it's very important to maintain the same angle throughout, it's easy to to start losing it. I don't cut completely to my desired depth, I leave a little for sandpaper final cleanup.
You've got to be able to completely and comfortably see your work, keep your files clean and sharp. If you start to get bored or tired stop and go back to it later. Keep the area clean, use the air and try not to rub off the filings. When doing final sandpaper cleanup make sure the sandpaper is wrapped tightly on your file, you don't want to deform your hardworked sharp lines.

5. I mainly use 6.25 #2 Simonds needle files (for liner filing), triangle, half round, round, knife, some of these are safe edge, meaning no teeth on one or more edges but some of this might be for nothing if you use a rotary burr.

Take a look at Dwayne Dushane's filework page on his website, absolute perfection.
http://members.cox.net/ddushane/filework.html

Hope this helps and made some sense and hopefully Dennis Greenbaum will reply, he also does some amazing work, Dave

[Osprey Guy]

Hey Robert-

You and I have talked to each other quite a bit the past week both here and via e-mail...and it's mostly centered around my naivite when it comes to shop tools...

...but now you're stepping into my neck of the woods!


Dave's already given you some terrific info (For a relatively new guy he's obviously been doing a lot of reading, practicing, reading, and practicing...and it's been showing in his wonderful, highly original knives).

I still use my Dremel for certain filework applications, but more and more I'm relying on my "pencil"micro die grinder...at least for the larger areas. For smaller detail carving I love my high speed GRS 850 Turbo pneumatic carver. For those initial cuts (for the curves) the stones work just fine...When I choose to use the stones, I like the cone shapes...The change in diameter as I move front to back allows me to different size curves without changing burs. I have many hundreds of carbide burs in all sorts of different shapes and sizes...I also use diamond burs on occasion but I mostly prefer the clean cuts and control afforded by the carbide burs.

With all of my fancy power carving equipment, by far my primary filework tools are still my needle files. I mostly use Grobet files...I tend to use #0 and #2 most of all. I almost exclusively use two file shapes, three square and half round...occasionaly round or barette files.

I always begin by grinding a "safety" side...I've been asked about this enough times that I copied the following from an older thread:



The very first thing I do when I purchase a new 3-side needle or micro file, is to grind off one of the sides* (Doesn't matter which side...It's an equalateral triangle so all three sides are identical).

This "safety" side enables far greater control. Primarily, it allows you to file with one surface or edge, focusing your efforts on one spot, without having to be concerned if the other side of the file is cutting away at an area you'd prefer to leave alone. This makes for much cleaner work.

When beginning a score or distinct cut, I'll use my (left hand)thumb nail as a guide. Place your thumb down on the workpiece aligning your thumbnail with the precise spot you want to cut with the edge of the file. Then placing the safety side against your thumb you can get an extremely accurate and controlled score as the file runs back and forth, the safety side secure against your thumbnail (and it won't file your nail in the process ).

If you want to file a left side surface, you file with the right side of the file and keep the safety side to your left. Conversely, to file a right side surface keep the safety side to the right and file with the left hand surface of the file. If you're making an initial score you obviously have to use the right side cutting surface of the file, allowing the safety side only to come into contact with your thumbnail.

Do the same thing with your half-round files...grind off the flat side. I use the 3-side and 1/2 round almost exclusively for all my filework. Every now and then I'll use a barette, square, or round file, but those are exceptions.

BTW- I've had my Grobet's for several weeks now...they are way superior to anything else I've tried (better be for around $10 bucks apiece ). I'm sure they'll need to be replaced fairly quick...cutting into stainless takes it toll.

Reminds me of another quick tip..."refresh" the safety side from time to time,...lightly grinding it down a touch further (use a fine grit belt on the grinder or just sandpaper on a block)...this helps keep your edges sharp and/or fresh again...I find this really helps extend the life of the file.

Dennis Greenbaum

Yeah Baby!

*I got this incredibly valuable tip about fileworking from Tim Herman in a letter I received from him shortly after he joined the CKD (he had sent a wonderful little hand-made gift for my daughter-Piper...I talked about this some time back in this very forum).




Robert- Now that you're armed with all this info, go practice some patterns. I like the cheap 1/8" weld steel from Home Depot or Lowe's. At $1 buck a foot you can't go wrong.

Have fun!!!!


Dennis Greenbaum

Yeah Baby!

[rhrocker]

Ray, Dave and Dennis (and Tim Herman). You guys are the best. Thanks for taking the time to detail out that information. You brought up things I haven't considered, and have saved me a lot of time and frustration, not to mention that if I would have ruined a liner,I'd be depressed for a week.
I wish you guys would consider adding a photo or two (or three, or four, on and on) to the thread, and put this in the "How-to's" section. Surely I can't be the only guy that this info helps.

Thanks a million!

[Osprey Guy]

Robert-

Good point.

I've often thought that there should be a "sticky" posted over in embellishments on many of the basics of fileworking as roughly outlined in this thread....

I'll try and get to that (one of these days).


FYI-

There are two excellent tutorials in the "How To" section posted back in the earlier days by Bruce Evans. One on the Vine pattern, the other on the Arrowhead pattern...the instructions on these two basic patterns offer a great way to get up and running with fileworking...


Dennis Greenbaum

Yeah Baby!

[Don Robinson]

Robert, let me add a little gem of information to all the other good stuff you've been told here.

Get yourself some carpenter's chalk. Sold at hardware stores, usually in a tube. The chalk is made for chalk lines. It's blue in color, a small oval with one flat side. Keep rubbing the chalk on your files as you use them. The chalk helps stop the file from loading up with cuttings.

[rhrocker]

You Da man Don! Thanks for the tip! I'll "chalk" it up to experience!