Making knifes from old files???

[String Cutter]

I got about a dozen old dull files laying around. Has anyone tried making them into a knife blade??? I think once you got them sharp they wouldd keep a pretty good edge???

[MadDog]

I made 1 a couple of years ago, cleaned 4 deer with it so far and it hasn't seen a whetrock since I made it.  

[String Cutter]

MAddog, Got any pics???
I was thinking of buying a cheap grinder from Wal-mart and use an antler horn I have. Don't really have any idea what I'm doing at all.  

[robtattoo]

Made that froman old 14" Mill File. It's not quite as straightforward as you'd think. You've got to anneal (normalise) the file before working on it, then quench & heat treat after you're finished.

You can actually do all the hot work in a charcoal BBQ, which makes it easier!

[Bobby Urban]

Robo - That is an awesome looking knife!

Bob Urban

[NativeArcher]

newbie novice question for you Rob after that process what type of blade quality are you left with. by way of able to take an edge and edge retention. thanks and yes hat is a great looking knife... matt

[robtattoo]

That's the good thing about making your own knife blades, you can work it so that you end up with whichever properties you desire  


I tend to try and aim for a finished hardness of HRC 58-60. Not too easy to sharpen, but edge retention is good. Unfortunately, all things being equal, you can either have a blade that sharpens easily, OR keeps a good edge, not both. All knives are a personal compromise between te two. Most files are made of W2 steel (nowadays anyway) It needs to be annealed before you can work it, due to it's brittleness. Once it's been shaped it needs to be re-heated to critical temp & quenched in oil. This should give aroung 64-70HRC Way, way too hard to be of any use. To compensate you then need to draw out the temper in an oven by re-heating the steel to between 200-260C for anywhere from 2-4 hours, then allowing it to air cool. This will re-align it's chrystaline structure producing a far more soft & flexible blade at between 54-60HRC.The lower the HRC the easier it'll be to get a good edge, the higher the HRC, the better it'll keep it. Unfortunately if your finished steel is too hard, you won't be able to sharpen it at all & if you do manage to get a good edge, it'll chip & crack very easily. 58 on the Rockwell (HRC) scale gives a reasonable balance between the two properties.

Again, this is all dependant on what the original steel is! All steels have very different properties. They all need different quenching mediums & require different tempering times & temps. It's all down to researching your steel & it's particular properties.

There are some amazing knife & blade making forums out there, most of which will contan all the relevant information you'll need!

Whew! Hope this helps.

[JStark]

I have found many useful places on the web for this year's projects:  A skinner, a tanto, and a kukri.  The $50 Knife Shop is a great book source, too!

[clay]

heres one I made, I love old file knives and usualy don,t polish the blade I like the old hand forged look

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y96/cladrow/antler.jpg
and here is one that I'm still working on

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y96/cladrow/leatherhandle.jpg

[sar]

Anyone try making broadheads from files???

[sticshooter]

Clay love the looks of them blades. I have a couple of knives made from files. Great stuff. Rob stop teasing me with that knife.<><

[raghorn]

My dad gave me this knive when I was much younger. It was hand made in WWII in the Pacific theater. The blade is a file and is now 5 1/2". The handle is made from aircraft windshield plexiglass (so I was told), and colored in the center. The handle spacers and guard are scrap aluminum. I lost the knob on the end of the grip and just use a cabinet pull. As you can see on the blade I really abused this knive when I was in my teens. The sheath was scrap leather and edge stitched/wrapped with copper wire.
I saw another one for sale on an online auction site several years ago, so whoever made my Dad's also made more.


 

[String Cutter]

Alright , I thought I was just going to Draw a blade on the file. Take the file to a grinder and superglue on a handle. What stepps is I missing and what in goodness is "annealed" ???
THe only sources of heat I got is a yellow bottled blowtorch and a gas grill out side.

[robtattoo]

Sorry, lost the translation there  :D

Annealed=normalised.

Heat the steel to critical temperature (basically until it loses it's magnetism, check it with a magnet.) then sloooooowly cool the blade to room temp. The best way to do this is to put the steel into either a charcoal BBQ or coal fire. Make sure it get's to a good 'orange' hot & thenleave it in the coals until the fire goes out.

This softens off the steel so that you can work it. Files are very brittle things. You could just grinda sharp edge on it & with enough effort get it razor sharp. Thing is though, the first time you use it, it'll snap the edge off, like it was glass!

If you go through the 'normalise-work-heat & quench-temper' cycle, you'll turn out a very good, useable blade.

[clay]

I made a small forge from a single refractory brick, and a propane torch, works GREAT for making blades,and very cheap.  do a google search for "one brick forge" very simple to make and like I said, works GREAT.  I heat the file to reddish-orange then just turn off the propane and let it cool right in the forge, this anneals or softens the file, then take it to the grinder and drill press to shape and drill my pin holes, put a bevel on the blade with the grinder and then clamp it down and draw file the bevel untill all is smooth. I then reheat to reddish-orangs and quickly quinch in transmission fluid to harden. Then I put the blade into an old toaster oven that I got at a thrift store at 400 degrees for an hour to temper the blade.
Put on your handle of choice, clamp into a Lansky Sharpening system and sharpen at 25 degree angle. will come out razor sharp.
I am by no means any kind of expert but I get good knives that hold an edge well using this system.

[jdupre]

You could probably simplify the heat treating by just placing the file in the oven at 260-300 degrees for a couple of hours and then letting it cool to room temperature. Then you could SLOWLY grind it to the right shape being careful not to overheat the steel. It is not the best way to do it, but you would come out with a very serviceable blade.

[String Cutter]

Don't have a charcoal grill... Could I Just grind the file into shape, Heat the blade edge with my blow torch until cherry red and let it cool from there??? Would this give me a softer workable edge and a stiffer back???? I don't know nothin' Just tryin to figure out how to do it with what I got already at the house...

[Jeff Hren-Renegade]

Robtatoo: how about heating it then working some of the carbon out with a anvil & Hammer? Will this soften the file steel enough to make a good knife?

[Billy]

$50 Knife Shop explains all the in's/out's and why's and howcomes really well.
I'm not a knife maker but, was curious about how to do it cheaply.
Wayne Goddard, the author, is a Master knife maker and explains the grinding and heat/forging methods very thoroughly.  
Someone else mentioned the book , thought I'd throw it out there again.
Good Luck with yours.

[OconeeDan]

String cutter, I am no expert.  But I have made a few knives using files, and I didn't temper them.  I held them in my hand while grinding, if they get too hot to hold, dip in water.  That way you don't hurt the temper.  Go slow, it's a very slow process.  Final product, is a blade that is very hard, holds an edge for ever.  I haven't had chipping problems, but I don't pry or try to hack through hip bones with them.
Don't get it too thin, it gets hot quick when grinding and you'll ruin it.  The thinner it gets, the slower you must go.
One thing to keep in mind, like Robtattoo was saying, if you soften it first, much easier to work with.  But you have to retemper it later.
For me, the cold slow way worked.  I have gutted a couple of deer and still shave hair.
Dan