Do any of our members make file knives? I just started forging and have been using files because of the high carbon steel. I would like to see other file knives and any advise on forging these blades. so far I have just forged the tang and tips and hand ground the rest. sorry about the photo's, I used my cell phone, by camera just quit working.

max

Made cool!
A great start

I did only 2 times when I wanted to repeat the concave bevels
of Dozier and 1 small knife.

Depends on the quality of the file itself.
Modern sometimes have only a surface hardening or nitriding on old.

So it turned out that the knife with the concave descents well holds sharpness,
and the small one - in the center soft.

My friend taught me, but I have not tried it yet
(he lives too far to travel often to him, he has a bugle and an anvil).

It is necessary to completely anneal the steel,
to eliminate the difference in heat treatment,
make steel soft then engage in forging or grinder,
then only after did heat treat.

It is hard to know heat treat when the steel is a mystery, which is why most makers stick with a consistant steel of known constitution.

I always recommend Goddard's "$50 Knife Shop" compendiums of articles written for those wanting to experiment with forging while keeping outlay to minimum for initial dabbling.

Good information all . Thanks I'll check it out. I like to use repurchased material. My brass is old survey markers and the handles are old awards (walnut ) the pins are stock tank float rods .everything is out of my junk pile.

BMK makes one as well might ask them.
I use mine for fire tender making, sharpening my ax & as a knife.

My dad was a big time file guy. I inherited all his tools. I have enough files for dozens of knives.

I totally agree with all that, old village smiths wasted no precious iron, either. But it will help to research various known file alloys so that the heat treat is not a guessing game and all the work wasted on a knife of dubious materials. Many knife making forums will have the file info on file.

found some good info on Knifedog. and found some video's on file knives. the USA made knives Nicholson, Simmonds, and Heller are W1 and 1095 and some rasps are stainless. I haven't used any stainless. I have been using the Nicholson and Heller files so I feel pretty good on the steel. At least my process has been correct. I know they are hard after heat treat and tempering. I have saved all my farrier Rasps over the years and now I am glad I did. also find them at garage sales. should keep me in files for a while. some good information about how files are made out there also. thanks all

Glad to see you actually did legwork, and hope you did not assume I was calling you a dimwit, as one never knows how much experience a person has prior to posting questions, and I was approaching the answer as to a newbie. As sure as I assume deeper knowledge on a subject, am invariably wrong.

As DS mentioned above, some files simply nitrided or otherwise surface treated for extreme hardness on exterior, and some of those only ruin steel for forging as the surface treatment ruins homogeneity and impossible to forge. Did you work as a farrier, or are these just for hoof trimming as an owner?

Lofty, I am a retired Civil Engineer, retire Navy SeaBee and retired Army Corps of Engineer, Resident Engineer at 27th Special Operations Group, Cannon AFB. and enjoy working with my hands. I have always working with metal and have been a knife collector of anything American made knives for 50 years plus. This new interest of forged knives is fun. I have done blacksmithing for over 40 years. My wife bought me a blacksmith book in 1975 and I bought the Fox Fire books for about the same period of time. I like to make tools and some camping and hunting equipment. If I see it on the internet and like it. I'll try to make it before I buy it.

Cool background and "hobby" there Max. I have thought about trying to make knives but know I just don't have the skills or the patience. Have you tried saw blade or other types of steel. Would you forge saw blade steel or just cut and grind?

I have a huge butcher knife that was made from a portion of a saw mill blade. That thing is amazing and stays sharp.

Pap

I have seen some knives made from the large saw mill blades and they are very cool. I don't have a source for the blades, however I would try making a knife from one if I ever come across a blade. I made some choppers from a plow disk and that worked pretty good. Good steel, but you don't want to make anything to long, I couldn't keep it straight, the metal is to thin.

Beautiful work!

For those who do not have sources in the form of a sawmill,
I can advise knives for planing machines - Pilana HSS 18% W
from Czech Republic. Very stable quality of hardening
and hardening uniform throughout the body of the blade.
Some other manufacturers only harden the cutting edge.
I made from them several times simple knives,
gave everything to friends. Something like Taylor knife,
but the handle is wrapped in electrical tape.

And old sheep scissors for kitchen knife,
especially I like old Burgon & Ball.
But any other will do. Previously, they were well quality
when there was little electricity scissors.

This is my friend did. He bought old scissors on ebay for $ 5-10.


The network is full of similar ones. With a horn and stuff.

That sheep sheering blade is wicked cool. Thanks for posting.

great imagination, that is a cool knife.

started new project today:

Good stuff. Thanks for posting.

I spent also a lifetime working with hands, metal, the joys of firearms and knives for fun and profit, etc. Only dabbled in forging years and years ago, a propane forge of firebrick I called my EZ Bake Oven. But all I used, per grandfather's orders, were pieces cold chiseled out of cross cut saw blades. If any of the junk I made is still around the family farm, it is solid rust today, and probably prettier now than then.

Be sure to post finished project....really really great stuff...

Thanks All, it takes me about two weeks to complete a knife, depending how hot the weather is. I burned up my blower today so I will have to find one to complete the forging and eventually the heat treat. more to come down the line.

max

Good luck in this work!
It's very interesting to see what happens as a result

did a little work today, some grinding and cutting, hilt and handle material. brass is old survey monument and walnut is from old awards plaques,

Keep it up, Max. I like that blade shape. Going to make a nice-sized GP knife once you're through. Keep posting!

Well as I said the other day, my blower burned up and I haven't purchased a new one yet. My wife took pity on me and offered her hair dryer. so down to the forge with hair dryer and duct tape in hand. it worked!!!. three speed, had to put it on low, couldn't keep up with the wood on high. was able to heat treat and pop it in the oven for tempering. took all day, however was able to silver soldier the hilt on.

started on some finishes today still have some sanding and polishing to do. feels good in the hand, I think it well work well as a camp knife.

My goodness! That's a stunner. Nice work.

good work!

Idea with a hairdryer is excellent, it is not overheated from a long job, or it was not very long?)

I had it on low for about an hour. Didn't seem to over heat, hopefully I will find a real blower soon.
Thanks for the kind words
Max

well, I had the other side of the file that I made this knife from so I decided to see if I could do a little better. the handle wasn't quite long enough on the first knife and I decided to add and inch to the handle of the second knife. I made walnut scales and drilled and fitted them, however when I was glueing them up one scale cracked. so I grabbed the axe handle, which is Hickory. I remember a thread about Hickory and Oak handles and about the cracks. This handle was cracked from the start and I had oiled it months ago. the cracks don't go all the way thought and I have used Hickory before, but yes they have cracks. Anyway, all I had at the time. Junk yard knives. Didn't waste the other half of file.

Good color!