Making knife from old file

[40calPUNISHER]

Started this project after doing very little research. Took an old file, threw it in a super hot fire and took it out after about 5 minutes or so.. It came out warped. "No big deal" I told myself, "its my first knife". Well now it is a big deal cuz the scales wont sit flat on the wavy tang... Anyone know a local blacksmith that could straighten it out, re-heat treat and temper? If not, I'll treat and temper and cross my fingers I dont warp it anymore. I plan on just using 2 hollow 1/4" brass pins to hold the scales on. I will flare the pins on either side to take/keep out any play. Think that will be enough or should I use epoxy too? Any input would be helpful. Anyways here is what I have done so far..

See how its warped?!

 

[96firephoenix]

throw it back in the super hot fire and beat it flat... maybe heat it with a plumbing torch.

 

[40calPUNISHER]

Might try it. I just dont want to make it worse.

 

[johncarbaugh]

Definitely use epoxy.

 

[strahd71]

it wont take as much heat to bend it back as you think. use a small torch or be careful using a big torch and it should bend or beat back just fine. while u did it make sure the whole blade is straight!

epoxy and pins are you friends on the handle.

dont forget to heat treat! do it right all the work in the world wont mean anything with out proper heat treat

jake

 

[cubby]

do you have a torch and an arbor press? that will be the best way.

knifemaker rule: if your gonna make it straight, you better practice. meaning: things are NEVER straight. no matter how much you THINK they are! LOL! even "surface ground" items are typically not done correctly!

 

[clt46910]

I would use a torch and a heavy vice. Slowly heat it and close the vice as it gets softer.

Kind of the same thing as Cubby is saying. Just most people might have a heavy vice over a arbor press. Which is actually about the same thing....LOL

 

[cubby]

I would use a torch and a heavy vice. Slowly heat it and close the vice as it gets softer.

Kind of the same thing as Cubby is saying. Just most people might have a heavy vice over a arbor press. Which is actually about the same thing....LOL

you can use a vice. you will probly need 3 dowel rods though..... a vice will take it to flat WHILE UNDER PRESSURE. but after the pressure release, it is still not 100% flat. you have to take it PAST that point of spring to recover the flatness lost from the spring effect. wow. does that make any sense??!! LOL!

lets see if i can make a picture:


-------------------
O************O
*******O******
-------------------


knife will go in so the point you want to make more negative is at the single dowel point. close the jaws until you get the correct amount of "flat" back. using mechanical fasteners on the knife can remove SOME gaps and flatness issues, also.

 

[abrumlev]

Thats awesome, I just started the same thing last night. I only heated the area where the blade will be shaped. Honestly didn't check for straightness but with my luck itll be bent like yours.

I'll post up pics of the final product. Mine will get a tanto style blade and paracord grip for simplicity.

 

[40calPUNISHER]

you can use a vice. you will probly need 3 dowel rods though..... a vice will take it to flat WHILE UNDER PRESSURE. but after the pressure release, it is still not 100% flat. you have to take it PAST that point of spring to recover the flatness lost from the spring effect. wow. does that make any sense??!! LOL!

lets see if i can make a picture:


-------------------
O************O
*******O******
-------------------


knife will go in so the point you want to make more negative is at the single dowel point. close the jaws until you get the correct amount of "flat" back. using mechanical fasteners on the knife can remove SOME gaps and flatness issues, also.

And this is while using heat right? I've got a small propane torch and an oxygen and acetylene torch. Does it need to be hot or red/white hot?

 

[littletommy]

I've seen a few references to using epoxy, could someone elaborate on that?

 

[cubby]

And this is while using heat right? I've got a small propane torch and an oxygen and acetylene torch. Does it need to be hot or red/white hot?

depending on how soft it is, you may not need heat. if you do, just heat around the area the you need to straighten out.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

I've seen a few references to using epoxy, could someone elaborate on that?

The epoxy will fill any gaps/spaces between the tang and the handle material.

 

[twisyblackmetal]

I have done some blacksmithing, maybe I can help. What you need after forging is generally to cool it as slow as possible. A large container of used fireplace ash is generally good. After cooling (24 hours) I know one blacksmith that throws his blades into a gas oven and heats them to 450. "Bakes" them there and then turns the oven off and lets them come to room temperature and repeats the process. I know another that polishes the blade and then tempers them by heating up a big slab of iron to red hot and drawing the desired temper out You can get some damned sharp knives made out of files, but they don't like being bent at all. An awsome skinner, but not a pry bar.

I highly recommend Conner Prairie Museums Arms and Armsmakers courses. They are held annually and there are classes in blade and axehead forging that are very reasonable considering how much you can learn. Good luck!

 

[twisyblackmetal]

Just hot enough to do the job. I have made horn scraping tools from old files and you can overheat them quickly.

 

[96firephoenix]

Just hot enough to do the job. I have made horn scraping tools from old files and you can overheat them quickly.

agreed. this is a step separate from heat-treating. you want to heat the bent portion until it becomes easily pliable with a hammer... should start happening at about 6-800*... nowhere near red hot (~1200*) and NOwhere near white hot (~2000*).

would't hurt to get a bench-vise. they typically have small flat portions that can be used as anvils for small work like this.

After that, you want to heat-treat it.

 

[Caleb]

How much would you expect to pay somebody to make a knife?

 

[40calPUNISHER]

How much would you expect to pay somebody to make a knife?

No looking for anyone to make me one, I like doing things myself... as much as possible.