knife making ????

[tattoo dave]

Hi everybody, so I made my first knife a couple weeks ago. Turned out pretty nice considering it was my first. I made the blade from an old table saw blade. I wasn't sure how it would hold an edge, seems to be good so far. My question is, what should be done to the blade to help prevent rusting, because it is already showing signs of tarnish/rust. Probably can't do anything to this one, but would like to know for the next. Thanks for any input!!!

Tattoo Dave

[Bevan R.]

I just keep mine dry with maybe a light coating of oil on it.

[sailordad]

i have used skill saw blades for knife making
what i do is
after cutting my shape from the blade,cleaning up all edges,get the bevel done
get the cutting edge to vey near a sharpened edge
then i fill my old wber grill full of charcoal and get them coals cherry red
stick the blade in ther for aboot an hour or so,you want it cherry red hot so a magnent wont stick
then quench it in a pan of vegie oil that has been preheated to aboot 135*-150*,leave it in there untill it quits boiling the oil
note:when placing in pan of oil, slowly and carefully place in as if you were sticking the blade into a knife block or whatever,you know from tip to handle slowly untill submerged.this will help prevent warping of the blade which WILL happen if you just drop it in
then quickly,but carefully wipe it down and stick it on a preheated pan in a preheated oven set at 350* for an hour
then shut the oven off and just let it cool all the way down before removing from the oven
you will have some black carbon like material to clean off the blade
but it will hold a nice edge and not rust easily either
atleast it work that way for me
not saying this is the right way or only way or best way
this is just how i do it and it seems to work for me 

[tattoo dave]

Thanks a bunch Sailordad!!! I'll for sure try that on the next blade. I made the one just for fun, and now I have a few friends asking for a new knife I like taking scrap material and making something out of it, and turning it into something I can sell is even better Thanks again!

Tattoo Dave

[HatchA]

Hey Sailor.

Ain't nothing wrong with what you do and how you do it!!  There's a guy called Wally Hayes that has a dvd out about how to make your own katana (Japanese style sword) from bar stock tool steel.

He Makes his on temporary charcoal forge in his garden and feeds air into it via a leaf blower and some piping but essentially everything else is done pretty much as you've described it - even to tempering it in the kitchen oven!!!

Most of all - if it gets the right outcome, it's a means to an end

Nice looking knife, Dave.  Slender and sleak!

[sailordad]

i actually learned it from a build along on this site 

[madcrow]

If you want something that looks like it was forged, you can leave the black scale on the blade, and use a buffing wheel and compound on it.  Some will buff of and have a mirror shine, the rest of the blade will be darker and dull.  For a more balanced feel, you can drill lots of holes in the steel handle to reduce the weight.

[skyarrow]

i have used skill saw blades for knife making
what i do is
after cutting my shape from the blade,cleaning up all edges,get the bevel done
get the cutting edge to vey near a sharpened edge
then i fill my old wber grill full of charcoal and get them coals cherry red
stick the blade in ther for aboot an hour or so,you want it cherry red hot so a magnent wont stick
then quench it in a pan of vegie oil that has been preheated to aboot 135*-150*,leave it in there untill it quits boiling the oil
note:when placing in pan of oil, slowly and carefully place in as if you were sticking the blade into a knife block or whatever,you know from tip to handle slowly untill submerged.this will help prevent warping of the blade which WILL happen if you just drop it in
then quickly,but carefully wipe it down and stick it on a preheated pan in a preheated oven set at 350* for an hour
then shut the oven off and just let it cool all the way down before removing from the oven

That's not a bad way of doing it if you don't have a forge I read what you do and placing it in the oils is good but I don't think you need the cool it in the oven you can just bury it in some dirt and it will cool just as slow the oil is what doese the setting since it cools the steel slower then if you used water I always let mine air cool after placing in oil or water and it holds just as good of edge as placing the blade on the forge and letting it cool on the coals as they cool. I think placing it in the oven is over working it you heat it up cool it to set the molecules then you heat it up in the oven to 350 why not just heat in the coals and the place it in the oven at 350 since that's what you are setting the molecules at after cooling in the oil. I'm not saying what you are doing is wrong if it works it works i just wanted to explain my ways and why I hope this helps tattoo Dave the one thing to remember is it's already a tool grade steel and is made to hold a edge. always try to findout what steel you use so you know how to set he edge to it's max if you want to use old files you will want to anneal them first and what that is is slowing the steel slow so that the molecules are farther apart if you don't the blade will break just put it to a cherry red and the cover it in cat litter to cool slow
 If it's  not a hardened metal then you dont have to anneal the steel ok just make the blade and Quinch it if it's a mildr steel and if it's a good carbon tool grade let it natural cool by setting to the side and letting it air cool  the molecules are will be at the same place the are before you heated it ttyl


Sterling
you will have some black carbon like material to clean off the blade
but it will hold a nice edge and not rust easily either
atleast it work that way for me
not saying this is the right way or only way or best way
this is just how i do it and it seems to work for me