Stone file II

[B.Finnigan]

I just noticed the stones I got from MSC are Congress stones.

Beau, pics of the holder and knife(s). I like seeing how home built tools get modified or improved. I get inspiration from every knife I see no matter who builds it. Too many people don't post thier knife pics. and we all lose out in some way. Who cares if it only gets a few replies or views.

One new guy over on the Newbies forum posted a knife that was incredible but since he is new not very people bothered to view it let alone comment. They lost out on seeing and being inspired by some excellent work.

[Mike Krall]

Another company with stones and a lot of other tool & die maker tools. Nice outfit to work with. They don't do internet and you need to send them a check (kind of antique...) but they will take the order over the phone. Good prices.

http://www.falcontool.com/pages/658743/index.htm

Bottom of the page is an e-mail link to get a catalog.

Most tool & die makers use deodorized kerosene with the stones. It might seem counter intuitive but stones that break down some and mold to the surface being polished are a lot of what I use. Yeah, a person wants FLAT, but a lot of that is not falling off the edges. The stones are for polishing. Flat comes from grinding, milling, draw filing, etc.

A hard stone can gouge, especially in the lower grits. It's not like hard stones are wrong but a stone that forms is really useful (Falcon "SE" and what looks like Congress "Super" but I bet you could reference the Falcon SE with Congress and they would tell you what their equivalent is). Softer stones (Congress Ruby, Falcon "R") in low grits really move metal.

A person learns how to keep the stones flat in use. If you have flat already, a stone that molds, molds to the flat.

Oh, and you can screw things up with stones... just like everything else.

[B.Finnigan]

The biggest advantage in using them in knife making is they cut hardened steel. After a knife is heat treated your choice of finishing tools gets very limited. I try to take my knives very close to finished before Ht'ing but there is always some clean up work that needs to be done afterwards.

They also give the knife a very ancient finish that you can't get with a belt grinder. Many of the Outpost regulars are exploring many different directions in obtaining a very authentic looking knife. Stone finishing, smelting thier own simple steels and using ancient adhesives are just a few techniques members here are using.

For me the stone file was that missing link that I have needed for sometime now in hand finishing a knife.

Welcome to the Outpost! Be sure to hang around for a while with us as we sink further into the depravity of bladesmithing addiction.

[Mike Krall]

Thanks for the welcome, Brent...

[Doug Lester]

I had some boxes in my door when I got home last night. One was my stones from Congress and another was my $19.95 knife vice from Poor Boys Blacksmith Tools. I was in luck, evidently he tried to make the wood inserts for the vice and had a set that he didn't like so he included them grattis. Saved me from having to set up my lathe. Plan 1.0 for the stone holder hit a snag, so I'm going to have to go to plan 1.1. Got to work on my first knife with the stones. I figured it was messed up enough that it would make a good first project with the stones. After all, you can't mess something up that's already messed up. I found taking the low spots and the black crud off with a file was faster than trying to use my 4x36 inch belt sander. I used a 60 grit stone to get the file marks out and then a 100 grit to get the 60 grit marks out.

The 60, 100, and 220 grit stones are the ruby stones from Congress that was mentioned in another post. Even though I really haven't use finishing stones before, I'd have to say that they are pretty agressive. I just stone the blade and a 90 degree angle to the file or previous stone until all the scratch marks are in the direction of the stone that I'm using. Tomorrow, or should I say later today after work, I'll switch to the 220 grit and then maybe the 320 and 600 grit that I got in the Y2K stones for a finer finish.

I'll have to say that using the stones is more soul satisfying than using the belt grinder. I guess that I feel more in tune with the steel. I just have to be sure that all the scrathes from the previous stone are taken out before going onto the next. Guess it's like hand sanding a piece of wood. It give you the feel of it. I'll try posting a picture when I get the first blade finished. It shouldn't take too long; it's only a three inch blade. I've got a 10 and a 14 inch blade waiting for me. Those should be interesting.

Doug Lester

[EdgarFigaro]

For the ones wanting the primitive look, might even try making your own stones from found stones to use in your stone file.