WIP thread making SL1Ks EDC Knife

[Guest Bowdenknxvll]

So here is my way of making a knife. I dont claim to know it all so feel free to chime in if you do something different. This is a knife for fellow forum member SL1K. Its a smaller edc pattern. Sorry about the pics, my shop is dark!
First step is to trace the pattern onto the barstock. Some guys use dykem and a scribe but Im lazy!
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352690951.jpg[/IMG]
I use 1095 carbon steel primarily, its a great steel when heat treated correctly. I get it in 1 1/2" widths mostly and 48" long.
After the pattern is done its off to the grinder. Sometimes I dont use a pattern, I just grind away until I get what I want. In fact, all my designs started that way. I use a Grizzly two wheel grinder. Its about the cheapest grinder hou can get other than a craftsman, but it gets the job done. It runs 2x72" belts.
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352690981.jpg[/IMG]
I usualky do four or five knives at a time to safe propane and electricity when I heat treat. Ive gotten pretty quick at profiling so the four knives took about 20 minutes.
Here is a shot after rough grinding
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352691056.jpg[/IMG]
Next I go to theoscillating sander to make any curves. The better grinders use three wheels and have an attachment with small wheels that makes it much easier. I round any swells with different sized drums with 60 grit.
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352691089.jpg[/IMG]
Now I go back to the grinder to remive any rust and flaten the stock. It warps when sitting so its necessary to get it flat again. I use a heavy magnet to hold the blade.
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352691016.jpg[/IMG]
Here it is cleaned up with a 60 grit belt
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352691115.jpg[/IMG]
Now its time to normalize. Some guys dont but Ive found it really helps with relieving stress in the steel from getting hot while profiling. The process is heating the steel to a nonmagnetic state and letting cool. This tightens the grain and stabilizes the steel. I do it three times. I use a propane forge with a thermocoupling to monitor temp. This steel gets nonmagnetic around 1500 degrees.
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352691144.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352691166.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352691188.jpg[/IMG]
Here is what it looks like after normalizing with forge scale
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352691203.jpg[/IMG]
Thats all for tonight. Next up is grinding the bevels!
Had an hour last night after work so here we go. Next step is to remove all the forge scale and reflaten after normalizing. I use a 60 grit belt and grind with a magnet like before. After its flat I scribe two lines on the edge to mark where I want to stop grinding. You have to leave some meat there so it wont warp when heat treating. I leave .30, measured with calipers.
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352809203.jpg[/IMG]
Here is what it looks like
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352809186.jpg[/IMG]
Edited November 13, 2012 by Kfu Knives

[Guest Bowdenknxvll]

I now use a file guide to mark where I want to start the grind. This will ensure the grinds are equal on bith sides. Its left on until Im happy with the rough grind, than its removed as I move up ingrits. I start with 60 and go to 120 than 220 before heat treat.
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352809216.jpg[/IMG]
Now Im ready to grind the bevels. Its ground edge up. I freehand all of mine, some use jigs. Freehand is how I learned so thats what I do. I start the grind at about 10 degrees, starting at the plunge and pulling across the belt to the tip. I keep grinding making sure to stay even on the belt and apply consistent pressure. This is the hardest part, any movement can screw the knife up. Im doing a convex sabre grind on this one so I use the slack portion of the belt underneath the flat platen and the drive wheel. If I were doing a flat grind I would do it on the platen. I alternate from one side to the other until the grinds hit the scribe marks. Than I will flatten the angle to about 3.5 degrees and start again. This will mobe the grind further up the blade. I stop when the two angles meet and I can see the grind at 3.5 degrees start moving into the scribe line. Hopefully, if done correctly, the top of the grinds will be even on both sides of the blade. If not, you make more passes to catch it up. Im leaving some flat at the top so I stop the grind shy of the spine. This one matched up so Im good to love onto the next step later. Next uo is drilling some holes and heat treating.
Here is what it looks like after grinding
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352809290.jpg[/IMG]
Ok, now its time to drill holes. You have to do it before you harden the steel. I drill my holes one bit size larger in the steel so the pins will go through better.
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352938797.jpg[/IMG]
Now its time to heat treat. Everyone has different routines and temps so Ill leave those out. I preheat my oven and let it settle for awhile. I use a sugarcreek kiln which will hold a 24“blade.. I set the temp to my temp and the oven will stay consistent since I have a digital readout and thermocoupling. OI put the knife in and when it hits nonmagnetic I let it soak for about 10 minutes.
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352938858.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352938872.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352938829.jpg[/IMG]
Before I got an oven I used the forge. The oven allows for exact temps but isnt necessary. Edited November 15, 2012 by Kfu Knives

[Guest Bowdenknxvll]

ok, its out of heat treat and and into an oil quench. With 1095 you have to move quickly or it wont properly harden. When brought up to temp the steel is soft, you have to cool it rapidly to harden it. I use an ammo can filled with parks 50 fast quench oil. I heat the oil to 120 before quenching as recommended. If you dont heat the oil you stand a chance of cracking the blade. I go from oven to tank within a second and leave in the oil for 30 seconds.
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352938886.jpg[/IMG]
Here is what it looks like out of the quench
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352938899.jpg[/IMG]
Than I check for flatness again as the quick cooling can sometimes warp the steel if the grinds are uneven. I use a brass brush to remove as much scale as I can before tempering. I use a basic toaster oven regulated again with a thermocoupling. It actually keeps temps more consistent at lower levels than the oven. I temper at 425 for an hour, cool, and temoer again at 400 for another hour. You wanna see a straw color after tempering. This softens the steel and makes it less brittle. If you didnt temoer you could break the knife, after tempering its more flexible. I test the edge with a file to see if ut butes or skates. If it bites your heat treat is wrong.
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352938918.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1352938933.jpg[/IMG]
Here is what it looks like after tempering, see the gold color?
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1353132318.jpg[/IMG]
I check for flat again and move on to cleaning off the scale. I use a 120 grit belt and clean up the tang and bevels. I than regrind the bevels to thin out the edge with 120, 220, and 400 grit belts. The edge is somewhere around .10 when finished which is hardly visible. On larger knives I will leave it thicker to aid in hard use situations. This ones gonna be a slicer! Here is what it looks like cleaned up.
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1353132332.jpg[/IMG]
Now its time to antique the blade. This being a convex ground knife you cant really do the whole thing because it will come off when sharpened. On a flat ground Ill do the whole blade. This consists of cleaning the knife with acetone than applying gun blue to any parts you want finished. After the blueing dries its dunked in bleach for about 45 minutes. When removed it looks like it came off the bottom of the icean. Its rusted and etched. I remove the rust with steel wool and wash off. I like non polished blades so I leave any etching that happens. I could grind it off but I think it adds character! Here is what it looks like after applying the finish
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1353132361.jpg[/IMG]
Its now ready for handles! He decided on the two toned cocobolo for this knife. He was correct in saying this small knife would waste the figure in the other sets shown. Im going to try and cut it to where we will get the nice contrast of heart and sap wood. This wood smells awesome when sanded and is oily so it takes a beautiful polish. More to come! He is also getting two more knives, one of which will have that beautiful Amboyna burl second down on the left. Just FYI, dont finish cocobolo with oil. It will darken the wood and lose any real color it has.
[IMG]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/Bowdenknxvll/picsay-1353134754.jpg[/IMG] Edited November 17, 2012 by Kfu Knives

[Guest Bowdenknxvll]

reserved

[Guest sL1k]

Planning on making this my constant companion

[Symbolic]

I like threads like this. Thanks for sharing.

[Guest sL1k]

its coming along nicely!

[Guest ochretoe]

very cool thread. I'm along for the ride.

[Chazmr]

I've always wondered how knife makers did that. I can't wait to see the rest of the steps.
Thanks for sharing.

[Guest Bowdenknxvll]

Thanks guys, sorry for all the typos. Im doing this on my phone. If you have any questions feel free to.ask. I hope its been informative thus far.

[Guest Bowdenknxvll]

Thanks guys, sorry for all the typos. Im doing this on my phone. If you have any questions feel free to.ask. I hope its been informative thus far.

[Guest sL1k]

Very informative! I really like how the finish turned out on that blade!
I knew you put a lot of work into your knives seeing the steps makes me appreciate it even more.