MEMBER ITEMS FOR SALE
Custom Knives | Other Knives | General Items
-------------------------------------------
New Posts | New PhotosAll Photos



Go Back   The Knife Network Forums : Knife Making Discussions > Custom Knife Discussion Boards > Knife Making Discussions > The Newbies Arena

The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 11-23-2013, 10:43 AM
Hurley Hurley is offline
Steel Addict
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Southwest GA
Posts: 275
Testing a blade

Searched the previous forums for this topic, but couldn't find. Maybe due to the keywords, I dunno. Regardless, what are some good ways to test a blade you have heat treated? Not looking to Rockwell grade the blade, just something simple to see if my HT is working by doing a little more to it than scraping a file on it.


__________________
Contact: khurley1@gmail.com
Website: www.ebay.com/Peccys-Place
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-23-2013, 11:05 AM
Ray Rogers's Avatar
Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
Founding Member / Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wauconda, WA
Posts: 9,840
One popular test is the brass rod test. Roll the edge on a brass rod on a table with the edge laying a little bit on its side. You should see the edge bend around the curve of the rod (might need magnification to see this). If the edge recovers its just about perfect. If it stays bent its too soft and if it chips out its too hard.

After that, chopping 2x4's, slicing cardboard, and slicing rope are popular tests. Count the cuts and compare to the results you got from some other blade you have that seems really good to you. Finally, break the blade and observe how it behaves when you try to break it and how the grain looks after it is broken. This step is especially necessary when working with a new steel OR a new batch of steel. It is not necessary for the blade to bend 90 degrees before breaking but you don't want it to snap off at the first sign of lateral pressure either. Put the first 25% of the blade between two pieces of hardwood in the jaws of a vise, then use a pipe over the tang to slowly and steadily bend the knife over until it breaks (don't jerk it). Wear eye protection AND a face shield and stay off to the side as you do this to avoid being hit by flying pieces. If the blade is tough there should only be two pieces, if the blade is too hard there could be several pieces...


__________________

Your question may already have been answered - try the Search button first!






Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-23-2013, 11:16 AM
jmccustomknives jmccustomknives is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Alabama
Posts: 554
All those + my favorite; holding the blade out and dropping it point first into the concrete floor. If the tip rolls it's too soft, breaks it's to hard; a nice divot and everything is perfect. This test is not for the faint of heart. Take safety precautions if you do this.
It should be noted, I only do this to differentially hardened blades.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-23-2013, 02:20 PM
Hurley Hurley is offline
Steel Addict
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Southwest GA
Posts: 275
by differentially hardened I take it you mean just the blade is hardened and not really the tang?


__________________
Contact: khurley1@gmail.com
Website: www.ebay.com/Peccys-Place
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-23-2013, 02:24 PM
Ray Rogers's Avatar
Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
Founding Member / Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wauconda, WA
Posts: 9,840
No, he means the lower part (the edge) is hardened and the spine is left soft (or, at least, softer). This is accomplished by either edge quenching, clay hardening, or drawing the temper of the spine with a torch . Incidentally, all of these methods usually result in the tang also being left soft but that isn't the main aim of the process ...


__________________

Your question may already have been answered - try the Search button first!






Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
blade, blades, brass, edge, file, heat, knife, rod, simple, steel, tang, temper, vise


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Blade Testing BItPlz The Newbies Arena 4 03-12-2012 05:18 PM
ABS JS/MS testing at the 2010 Blade Show Ed Caffrey Ed Caffrey's Workshop 2 04-03-2010 08:18 AM
Nessmuk Blade testing. mariano gugliot The Outpost 1 12-23-2006 07:52 AM
For those who will be testing for JS or MS at Blade....READ THESE GUIDELINES Ed Caffrey Ed Caffrey's Workshop 2 05-22-2003 10:06 PM
Who will be testing for JS or MS at the Blade Show?? Ed Caffrey Knife Making Discussions 6 05-07-2003 01:41 PM


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:15 PM.




KNIFENETWORK.COM
Copyright © 2000
? CKK Industries, Inc. ? All Rights Reserved
Powered by ...

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
The Knife Network : All Rights Reserved