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Ed Caffrey's Workshop Talk to Ed Caffrey ... The Montana Bladesmith! Tips, tricks and more from an ABS Mastersmith.

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  #1  
Old 11-01-2012, 09:42 PM
Jeremy Jeremy is offline
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Some guard help

I finally finished a fair amount of building and fabricating and my "shop" is relatively done . So, I started getting stuff together to work on a knife and I've somehow managed to lose my bar of nickel silver..... But, I do have a bar of 416 stainless that I could use, but I've never used SS before. From what I understand, it's not nearly as easy to work as nickel silver. So, any words of wisdom from those who have? Ed-could I use the same shaping method we did at the class with the 416?

Thanks for any help.

Jeremy
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Old 11-01-2012, 09:54 PM
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J. Doyle J. Doyle is offline
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Hi Jeremy. The methods to shape it should still be the same. It might take a bit longer.

When it comes to fitting, it won't give and deform nearly as easy as the nickel will so you have to be careful. Make sure you get a good fit going and file carefully. I've found that you usually have to file the slot in 416 a little closer to the actual size of the ricasso than you do with nickel silver. Then carefully press fit it up.

Hope that made sense.


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Old 11-02-2012, 07:55 AM
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Ed Caffrey Ed Caffrey is offline
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Ditto to what John said! When you file the tapered hole in the 416, you'll have to get it closer to the shoulders before you "press" it into place. Take it slowly.....sometimes the difference between a tight and sloppy fit can be 1/2 a file stroke! Otherwise everything else is the same.

When it comes to shaping/finishing, you're going to have to go to about a 1200 grit finish if you want to polish the 416....or about 800 grit if you're going to satin finish it.


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Old 11-02-2012, 04:27 PM
Jeremy Jeremy is offline
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Thanks for the info, guys. Was planning on getting in some good practice with the NS before trying the SS, but oh well. Maybe I'll get lucky and find that missing bar laying around somewhere.


Jeremy
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Old 11-17-2012, 03:56 AM
Jeremy Jeremy is offline
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Not sure why I thought I could just "do it like Ed" (at least how I remember it being done...), but clearly I have a ways to go when it comes to fitting guards. You were both right-416 definitely doesn't deform like the NS will and just a bot more with the file means too wide a slot... I could have sworn that was where the tang was getting caught up, but quite apparently, it wasn't. Oh well, if I got it right the first time, it wouldn't have been as "rewarding", right?

Jeremy
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Old 11-17-2012, 07:16 AM
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Ed Caffrey Ed Caffrey is offline
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It's all part of the learning curve Jeremy. Just keep at it, and remember where things went wrong "the last time".....and you'll be on your way. As I've said many times before, Knifemaking is about the "Journey", and NOT the "Finishing line".

Maybe we should be called "Knife-Practicers" instead of "Knifemakers"....because every knife is an exercise in learning something new/different.


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Old 11-17-2012, 07:37 AM
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J. Doyle J. Doyle is offline
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We've all been there Buddy.

Everything Ed just said is right on.

But all that aside,............................................ ...........it's pretty rewarding when the guard fits right the first time.


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Old 11-17-2012, 09:02 AM
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Dana Hackney Dana Hackney is offline
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Hey Jeremy!

Yep, ditto to what both Ed and John said. You'll get the hang of it. It just takes practice. Sometimes it may only take a couple of strokes with the file and your slot is over the mark.
Take your time buddy. We've all been there (and still go there occassionally ).

Dana
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Old 11-17-2012, 10:32 AM
Cthulhu Cthulhu is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Caffrey View Post
It's all part of the learning curve Jeremy. Just keep at it, and remember where things went wrong "the last time".....and you'll be on your way. As I've said many times before, Knifemaking is about the "Journey", and NOT the "Finishing line".

Maybe we should be called "Knife-Practicers" instead of "Knifemakers"....because every knife is an exercise in learning something new/different.


Adding to what Ed said, I keep a seperate record book of the blades I make, and along with the details of steel types, blade styles, etc etc, I also chronicle any screwups I make along the way.

Before I start a new blade, I go back and review the previous work and pay special attnetion to any problems or mistakes I made last time, so I don't make them again.

probably too anal, but it works for me.
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