First Knives .2(WIP)

[Richard Glenn]

Hey, so after my first failure at an effort where I realized I had no way to heat treat 1095 (or 85 can't remember which it was..) I started over with a piece of 154cm. I made the mistake of ordering a 1/4inch thick piece but I guess that hasn't done anything but slow me down a bit.

I am saving up to order some drill bits that'll actually work so I can drill the holes while the steel is still annealed and then I'll ship it off to be heat/cry treated.

Anyways, I decided to just go ahead and use all the length of steel since I can trust that the heat-treat will be good and I have to focus on just the shape of the blade and handle and how well I can do those.
So I have four tries, a 6.5in tanto, a 6in drop-point hunter, a 5in leaf shaped knife, and a 3in neck knife.

(and after not being able to attach the files on here..photobucket)










Opinions, comments, critique?

I still need to clean them all up and finish drilling the holes but I'm proud of how they turned out. Or at least I am of the big one that I did last of them lol.

[Crex]

Not bad for a start.
Tip: If your memory is like mine, mark the steel type with a paint pen in several places. Also stamp in the tang area once you get shaped. Helps, if you have to set it down for any extended length of time.

[BCROB]

Originally Posted by Crex

Also stamp in the tang area once you get shaped. Helps, if you have to set it down for any extended length of time.

excellent tip Carl , I used this method last evening

[Richard Glenn]

I don't have any way to stamp but that's definitely not a tip I'm going to overlook, I'll make sure to get that in there since my memory does fade in certain things.

[MoblMec]

There looking good. You don't have to buy expensive drill bits just get the gold colored coated ones they will work fine just use a little oil when your drilling.
MoblMec

[Crex]

Get to be my age and you got to do it. Plus, I usually have an average of 25 - 30 blades hanging around waiting on guards and handles. No way I could remember metal type or customer name if I didn't.
It's ok to mark the blade with the paint pen, acetone will remove the paint easy enough.
If you can't stamp it just get a carbide scribe/awl at the hardware store and scratch it in. Or....you can make one out of that 1095, just don't draw the temper back quite so far. It just has to be a little harder than the blade steel to scratch it.
One of those old cheap Dremel engravers will work also, plus they are adaptable for other uses in the shop such as "hammer doming" pins and texturing metals.

[Brad Johnson]

Marking your knives with the steel type is a must when you begin using different types of steel. Go to Harbor Freight and pick up one of these for 7.99
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...+number+stamps

I bought one 15 years ago after having to scrap several knives that I could not remember the steel type D-2 verses BG-42. Enjoy your new hobby!