MEMBER ITEMS FOR SALE
Custom Knives | Other Knives | General Items
-------------------------------------------
New Posts | New PhotosAll Photos



Go Back   The Knife Network Forums : Knife Making Discussions > Custom Knife Discussion Boards > Knife Making Discussions > The Newbies Arena

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

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 08-10-2003, 05:58 PM
FOURLEAFCLEAVER FOURLEAFCLEAVER is offline
Registered
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 3
Thumbs up New maker here

Iam a new guy,just starting out really. I started getting a shop together about 1 1/2 yrs ago,but time has been at a premium. I have a new shift now,and my wife is back to work,so I will have a little more time to grind away. So thats my story,I'll be back with about a million questions probably so be pepared. Another knifeknut is onboard.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-10-2003, 06:01 PM
C.M. Arrington C.M. Arrington is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Rome, Georgia
Posts: 321
Welcome to the forums.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-10-2003, 06:10 PM
Ray Rogers's Avatar
Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
Founding Member / Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wauconda, WA
Posts: 9,840
Ditto on the welcome!

Be sure to try out the blue Search button at the top of the screen when you have a question. Most of the common questions have been discussed in great detail in previous threads so you can find your answers much faster that way. When that fails, just holler ....


__________________

Your question may already have been answered - try the Search button first!






Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-10-2003, 09:54 PM
Jared L. Cass Jared L. Cass is offline
Registered
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 9
Also a new guy!

Hi all, I'm also a new guy. I've been interested in the subject of knife making for a long time, too...but finally decided to get serious and stop messing around with cold (hot?) rolled no carbon steel (good for grinding practice, though )

Anyway, I don't mean to hi-jack this thread. But, one question though.... I've searched this forum and the web using just about every search engine, but can't seem to find the answer I'm looking for. Maybe you guys can help.

What type of steel is commonly used to make conveyor/idler sprockets? I ask because I was able to get ahold of a nice sized chunk of 3/16" steel from the local scrapyard which had obviously had sprockets cut out of it (as one could see the outline of several where they had been chopped out by a plasma cutter and there were several "puzzle pieces" on the heap as well that fit the cut-outs exactly).

After I got home with my new matereal, I spark tested it against an annealed file. The file had many more "secondary burst" sparks visible, but the "sprocket" matereal wasn't too far behind (it had a good amount of secondary bursts as well, just not as many). I then cut out a small piece with the sawz-all and heated it till it was non-magnetic. I then quenched this "sprocket" matereal in water to harden. Then I clamped this newly hardened piece into the vice and yanked on the steel till I broke it (didn't take too much force, snapped really easy). I looked at the break and it broke clean off with very little (I'm not sure about the technical term) "jaggedness" to the break.

Is this enoufgh info for you guys to make an educated guess as to what kind of steel I've got?

I'd appreciate any insights you guys might have. And, I'll be back with many many more questions...no doubt

Jared L. Cass, Wisconsin
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-11-2003, 08:52 AM
Ray Rogers's Avatar
Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
Founding Member / Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wauconda, WA
Posts: 9,840
Nobody could tell you with absolute certainty what kind of steel you have but it seems that it should make a blade.

However, my opinion on the subject has always been that carbon steel is very cheap to buy and easy to get. When it comes time for you to really get serious about knife making you should consider buying the steel you use. That way, the steel stock is easier to work with, you can tell your customer exactly what you used with confidence, and you can optimize the heat treating for that particular kind of steel. Recycling is great (we all do it) but it's really difficult to be certain about what the resulting blade will be ....


__________________

Your question may already have been answered - try the Search button first!






Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-12-2003, 11:39 AM
Jared L. Cass Jared L. Cass is offline
Registered
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 9
Thanks for the quick reply, I appreciate it. Yep, I plan on ordering some decent steel soon...as you said, something a guy can optimize heat treating on and a steel a guy is positive of what he's working with.

At litterly pennies on the dollar, I couldn't pass this "sprocket" steel by, though Lot's of experimentation is ahead for me reguarding hardening, tempering, ect. of this material.

Ok, here's a very general question on another subject: For those of us who do our tempering in kitcken ovens/toaster ovens, after a knife has been tempered the appropriate amount of time per the type of steel used and the approximate RC wanted, does a fellow turn off the oven and leave the knife in there to cool as the oven cools... or does he take the blade out and let it air cool?

Thanks for all of the help!

Jared L. Cass, Wisconsin
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-12-2003, 02:07 PM
Ray Rogers's Avatar
Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
Founding Member / Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wauconda, WA
Posts: 9,840
The more common method is to take the blade out of the oven to cool .....


__________________

Your question may already have been answered - try the Search button first!






Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-16-2003, 10:38 PM
ragnik ragnik is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: North East PA
Posts: 481
Jared,

I am very new to this too and have completed two knives and a letter opener. Note the completed; there are plenty hunks of metal laying around that started out to be knives I do have to agree with ray get some cheap 1084 or 1095 steel to play with it does make things a lot easier for us newbies, I know it helped me and it is inexpensive.

Secondly, i take the blade out of the toaster oven when the time is up to cool. I dont know if that is right or not but so far it has worked for me. I am interested in the other replies you will get!!

Happy grinding

Ross
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-18-2003, 06:56 PM
Jared L. Cass Jared L. Cass is offline
Registered
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 9
Thanks guys!

New steel will be on the way soon, probably 1095.

I've been so busy with work lately that I haven't had many chances to play around with the sprocket matereal. I did have a spare couple of minutes yesterday, though.

This time I once again heated to nonmagnetic...except I quenched in oil (which I'll be using in the future) rather than water. Again the piece went into the vice and this time I had a hell of a time cranking back on it to break it! It did break (with a real satisfying and loud "PING!") The grain was even smoother, than befor with the original test!

Now I need to temper a piece and see if I can find the ideal time and temp. needed.

All I need is the time (actually I'll probably make the time) to make a knife out of this matereal! I'll keep you guys posted.

Later,

Jared L. Cass, Wisconsin
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
blade, knife, knife making, knives


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:47 AM.




KNIFENETWORK.COM
Copyright © 2000
? CKK Industries, Inc. ? All Rights Reserved
Powered by ...

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
The Knife Network : All Rights Reserved