First Knife, no power tools to be used.

Cake_14N · 05-12-2011, 07:33

I asked Mr. Harsey if I could begin a post here to solicit feedback during the creation of my first knife. With his permission, I will begin.

Some of the basics:

1. Knife will be made from a piece of 1/8 x 1 x 9 inch CPM 154 stainless steel. Lesson learned allready, this steel eats hacksaw blades. Two blades dulled just making a cut across the piece of steel.

2. This knife will be made using hand tools only, no bench grinder or other powered grinding tools. I know this sounds foolish, but I was taught that before you can appreciate using modern technology you need to learn the basic mechanics behind the tool. I know I will regret this decision as I have started using a file to remove excess metal from the bar to shape my blade and it is going to take a very long time.

3. Blade shape is a simple, slightly pointed blade, 3 13/16 long with a 5 3/16 full tang. I started with a 9 inch long, 1 inch wide, 1/8 inch thick piece of steel. I actually measured the blade in one of the pictures in a magazine and worked out the ratio of blade length to handle and used that conversion factor to scale my knife to the piece of steel I had to use. I guess us Intelligence types make things difficult using math in public.

Stuff I still need to figure out/acquire:

1. I need to come up with a way to heat treat. I have a book by Mr. Wayne Goddard that shows how to make a gas forge using firebricks. I just need to get across ABQ and stop into the ceramics store and buy what I need to make the forge. Then I need to figure out temps and times.

2. I purchased a few pieces of wood to make the handle, but I think I ordered the wrong thickness. The wood pieces I bought are very thick, off the top of my nugget, I believe they are 5/8 inch thick and polished on both sides. This will take some filing to get them to the size I need for a comfortable grip.

3. I need to acquire the sandpapers necessary to finish the blade. I do have a dremmel, so I will most likely use that for the final polishing, but I still need to hand sand before that.

Enough for now. Thanks for the opportunity to share this project.

I will update this posting soon and add pictures.

Cake

Dusty · 05-12-2011, 07:39

When you start numbering them, I'll buy No. 1 for a hundo.

BRAVO-SMASH · 05-12-2011, 07:58

Looking forward to the progress... But geez that's A LOT of work. Have fun I guess

Cake_14N · 05-12-2011, 08:31

Dusty,

Sir,
With the QP next to your name, it would be an honor to have you in possession of a tool I made. I will definately let you know when I feel I have made something worthy.

BRAVO-SMASH,

Yes, it will be a lot of work, but nothing worthwhile is ever gained without the blood, sweat, and tears of the person behind the creation. It should be a fun ride.

Cake

**Bill Harsey** · 05-12-2011, 09:36

Cake,
Thanks for posting this thread as we discussed.

Can you post pics of steps? That would help.

If I can advise on one thing and this is for others to read too, you are probably not going to heat treat CPM 154 to it's full potential with any type of home built furnace/forge/oven on the first try.
The times and temps are too critical and nobody knows what any oven does without first dialing it in (calibration).
You don't know your hot and cool spots or if your thermocouple is right.
Also with any gas oven it may be tough to control and hold temps over the periods of time that is needed with your steel.

A small 1% error in temp reading can cause problems, a 5% error can cause big problems in heat treating air hardening steels like CPM 154.
You will have a lot of hard work at stake by the time you heat treat.

If one used a common high quality oil hardening steel for your set up, this might go better because there are good ways of judging temps without a thermocouple with a steel that gives us a little more latitude in heat treat.

CPM 154 is an exceptional steel, here is the chart: http://www.crucible.com/PDFs/%5CData...20CMv12010.pdf

**Ambush Master** · 05-12-2011, 19:44

Bill,

After reading your Link, I'd wager that the "Salt Water Quench" serves a Dual Purpose!! It not only quenches, but serves as a Passivation Process to enhance the "Stainless Qualities"!!

Just peeking in,

Take Care!!

Martin

x SF med · 05-12-2011, 19:54

Cake-
Good luck. I hope you're using "the $50 Knife Shop" as a guide. I'm still in research and reading mode on making a knife... I will make one, hopefully with some more guidance from Bill. I'm not starting with CPM154 though... I'll go with a straight tool steel not a powder.

**Peregrino** · 05-12-2011, 19:56

Impressive link Bill. Made my head hurt - even with two fingers of WR on board. Good luck Cake_14N. You're going to have an awful lot of effort invested by the time you're ready for the heat treat. Personally, I'd send it off and let a professional do it.

Cake_14N · 05-13-2011, 09:03

I will be sending the blades off for heat treat. I will probably wait until I have more than 5 or 6 blades and send them off in one batch.

I am using Mr. Goddards book to an extent, but reading a lot on Knifedogs.com and other places.

I promise to have pictures posted on Monday.

I believe starting out with CPM154 was a HUGE mistake. This is a very tough steel to work by hand. But on the other hand, I will really appreciate the knife when it is done.

Worked for about 90 minutes last night and burned through yet another hacksaw blade cutting excess metal from the tip of the knife.

Started filing the basic shape of the blade, and found this to be surprisingly soothing. I guess the sound of file on steel resonates somewhere in the primitave portions of my soul.

Cake_14N · 05-14-2011, 09:25

Ok,

Did some more shaping last night and came to the conclusion that I need to back away from CPM154 for a bit and move to an easier metal for the first knife. I spent about 45 minutes starting to file the bevel into the blade and barely removed any material at all. This is going to be a labor of love.

Like I said, I have ordered some 1095 steel so I will shift gears when that material arrives. This will also give me a chance to actually take more pictures. I need to get into the habit of taking a pic at each step of the way.

Update with pictures on Monday.

Cake

**Bill Harsey** · 05-14-2011, 09:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cake_14N

Ok,

Did some more shaping last night and came to the conclusion that I need to back away from CPM154 for a bit and move to an easier metal for the first knife. I spent about 45 minutes starting to file the bevel into the blade and barely removed any material at all. This is going to be a labor of love.

Like I said, I have ordered some 1095 steel so I will shift gears when that material arrives. This will also give me a chance to actually take more pictures. I need to get into the habit of taking a pic at each step of the way.

Update with pictures on Monday.

Cake

Have you tried draw filing with a large sharp (new) file?

Cake_14N · 05-14-2011, 09:59

Yes Sir.

I just read about using a scrap chunk of soft wood like pine to clean out the grooves on the file. Going to try that to keep working.

All in all I am having a lot of fun working on this.

Going to use Peters Heat Treat Inc to do the heat treating once I get this and another blade ready for treatment.

GoF · 05-14-2011, 10:30

I would also suggest rubbing some chalk into the file to help keep metal shavings out of the teeth. You'll also need a file card (cleaning brush) to get those shavings out once they get stuck in the file. Brush out the file every few strokes or those shavings will put deep scratches in the steel that'll be hard to get out later. I believe the term is "galling."

Cake_14N · 05-16-2011, 15:40

Here are the pictures that remain. I guess I did something wrong transferring from camera to computer, pictures just vanished.

These are all that remain.

I have started sanding. Using 80 grit coarse paper to try to smooth out the deep scratches left by the file. I know I have a lot of work to do.

Just beginning the hours of work sanding.

I know this knife is not pretty, yet, but I made it all by hand and I am learning tons with every mistake I make.

Dusty · 05-16-2011, 15:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cake_14N

Here are the pictures that remain. I guess I did something wrong transferring from camera to computer, pictures just vanished.

These are all that remain.

I have started sanding. Using 80 grit coarse paper to try to smooth out the deep scratches left by the file. I know I have a lot of work to do.

Just beginning the hours of work sanding.

I know this knife is not pretty, yet, but I made it all by hand and I am learning tons with every mistake I make.

Lookin' good.