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This is a knife I recently made then sold (right off my belt, literally). The steel is an old Nicholson file, the pin is ss, handle is flourescent orange homemade micarta, the lanyard is black paracord with a deerhorn bead.
Visit my blog - Eagleyeforge.com to see more projects of mine (mainly knives)
I am brand new in the knife-making world, and as such, I use files so I won't have to heat treat (I usually fail miserably when I try). I was always bothered by the file's teeth in an otherwise cool knife. After a little fiddling around, I came up with a way to remove the teeth quickly and easily. I use an angle grinder to grind the teeth off, and follow up with a power sander and various grits of sandpaper. Gives the steel a interesting, 'wavy', texture.
With the angle grinder, you most likely ruined the tempering anyway. In the future, just stick with the power sander and quench frequently.
But personally, I would just anneal it first so that I wouldn't burn through as many sanding belts; then I would re-harden and temper. Heat treating is not as difficult as you might think, it just takes practice...lots of practice. Read "The $50 Knife Shop" by Wayne Goddard, he describes the process pretty thoroughly.
Actully, the metal never got so hot that I couldn't touch it. It was just pleasantly warm. To ruin the temper, it would have to get up to the stage where the metal started to turn a brownish color. Also, I have read "The $50 Knife Shop". Where do you think I learned all this?
Nice knife, you won't lose this one in the bush! See my "Steel Mouse" 'ible, with paracord wrapped handle. Its primative! I'm just learning to make knives and use Paracord. Its great stuff. Thanks for sharing your knowledge! I'm scrounging the next files I see at flea markets. They are inexpensive and good steel for knives!
Micarta is a composite material made using some kind of hardening resin (when I make it, I use fiberglass resin) to impregnate a material that will soak it up (cloth, paper, etc.) Micarta is a brandname, but is commonly used for homemade copies of it also. Many times people will also call it mycarta because it's homemade.
Sorry, I didn't take inprogress photos. You can see two instructables I did on a camp knife I made (I only did part of it in "ibles", forgot to take photos of finishing it)
I do plan on doing a step-by-step on the belt knife I make to replace this one. SHould start working on it in a week or two. Gotta finish my sis's knife first (her b-day was 2 days ago, and the knife is still not finished)
This one has been sold, but I'll have some knives for sale in a little while. Just watch my blog - eagleeyeforge.blogspot.com - on the for sale page and you'll see what I have for sale at any given time. A knife like this will cost $80 -$100 depending on the knife, materials, etc...
I love the homemade micarta! Keep up the great work. Thought this might interest you, http://www.flickr.com/photos/54717371@N06/. My father makes all of his own damascus. He has also made his own trip hammer and hydrolic press for folding the damascus.
Hi, I'm stephen, I'm currently finishing highschool, taking college welding, and trying to balance in my hobbies of knifemaking and blacksmithing. Visit my blog - eagleeyeforge.blogspot.com - and chec...
Hi, I'm stephen, I'm currently finishing highschool, taking college welding, and trying to balance in my hobbies of knifemaking and blacksmithing. Visit my blog - eagleeyeforge.blogspot.com - and check out some more of my projects.
But personally, I would just anneal it first so that I wouldn't burn through as many sanding belts; then I would re-harden and temper. Heat treating is not as difficult as you might think, it just takes practice...lots of practice. Read "The $50 Knife Shop" by Wayne Goddard, he describes the process pretty thoroughly.
part 1 & part 2
I do plan on doing a step-by-step on the belt knife I make to replace this one. SHould start working on it in a week or two. Gotta finish my sis's knife first (her b-day was 2 days ago, and the knife is still not finished)