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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 11-28-2012, 11:27 AM
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Hardening. . .Powder?

Amateur knife collector, I decided that making a blade would be more satisfying than buying one, hopefully it even saves me money. I recently graduated with an engineering degree and am unemployed, bumming around on the farm, we already have many of the tools needed for me to mess up some steel.

Two quick questions on the Hardening process before I begin,

We lack a kiln, but have a Weed Burner, if the flame can engulf the entire blade and an even glow results from it, can this be used instead of a makeshift kiln?

Also my father has been telling me that he has a powder of sorts he sometimes uses to make metal very very hard. Has anyone had any experience with this, would it improve the quality in the end?

Thanks in advance for any help!
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Old 11-28-2012, 12:25 PM
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AUBE AUBE is offline
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Hardening powder is for case hardening steel. Basically you apply it to a steel where you desire more carbon and heat the steel and carbon migrates from the powder into the steel. It can make the surface very hard. The downside is it usually only considered a surface treatment, and the penetration won't be very deep unless you soak it at elevated temps for long periods and you won't know for sure what the final carbon percentage is.

Its neat stuff for when you need to harden just the surface or if you don't have access to steel with decent carbon levels but typically just buying a decent steel ends up being cheaper, easier, and more predictable.

I've never used a weed burner so I'll leave that for others to comment on.

And welcome to the forums


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Old 11-28-2012, 12:30 PM
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On the Farm.....

You probably have a torch , that would work better than the weed burner.

You got old junk trucks or tractors around?
Leaf springs make great knives , 5160.


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Old 11-28-2012, 12:44 PM
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Don't bet that farm on all leaf springs being 5160.
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Old 11-28-2012, 12:49 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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No, you can't bet that the leaf springs will be 5160 but it will undoubtedly have enough carbon in it to make a decent blade, though it may also have stress cracks in it. If you are restricted to using mystery metal used auto springs are probably your safest bet. Your best bet, however, remains a known unused steel.

Doug


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Old 11-28-2012, 12:59 PM
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Weed burners can get the heat you need but not just by pointing at the steel and waiting for a 'glow'. "glow' is not a precise temperature and for hardening steel you need to know pretty close what temperature you have.

To use a weed burner you need to put it inside a forge body and pretend it's forge burner. You'll have to mess around with the air intake on it because the weed burner isn't made to burn inside an enclosed area like a forge body. But, contained and insulated, it should be able to bring a simple carbon steel to non-magnetic. This set up should heat treat a simple blade but it might not be able to reach the forging temperatures you would need to work those 5160 springs.

Best advice I can give: buy some 1084 and consider building a forge ...


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Old 11-28-2012, 02:07 PM
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Thanks for the advice everyone, exactly what I was looking for. The plan is to try and create a similar knife to the Benchmade Adamas I own for a Christmas present, if I have a knack for it then maybe the old man will agree to having a kiln in the shop.

While I have you all reading, has anyone made matching grips for a pistol, to match a knife?
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Old 11-28-2012, 02:31 PM
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QUOTE: While I have you all reading, has anyone made matching grips for a pistol, to match a knife?


Of course. If you thought of it, someone else thought of it too and it would be simple enough to do. I've seen variations where the knife handle was shaped like the grip of a 1911 with wood and checkering to match a similar pistol and I've seen conventional shaped knife handles made with simple materials that matched a particular pistol or revolver grip. It's pretty rare to think up something with knives that no one else has done but there are infinite variations on every theme ...


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Old 11-28-2012, 02:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray Rogers View Post
Of course. If you thought of it, someone else thought of it too and it would be simple enough to do. I've seen variations where the knife handle was shaped like the grip of a 1911 with wood and checkering to match a similar pistol and I've seen conventional shaped knife handles made with simple materials that matched a particular pistol or revolver grip. It's pretty rare to think up something with knives that no one else has done but there are infinite variations on every theme ...
Good point, I should have specified has anyone here created matching grips? I enjoy photos on this forum opposed to Google images, easier to ask the maker questions.
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