Result of New Strategy

[cbsmith111]

Here is the first one that I've beveled completely with files. I think the way it turns out shows promise. I still need to clean it up some, and I think I can improve it the more I do. I like this method since it allows me a greater deal of control. I do not like how my fingers and elbows feel after hours of filing. If there are any suggestions that you think can be acted upon before I clean it up for heat treat please let me know. Thanks.

b4.jpg

[Doug Lester]

Looks good. It is a lot of work doing everything with files but what you learn using them can help you with a grinder if you want to go that route later. It is hard on the arms but look at it this way, you won't have to spend all that money joining an athletic club to keep in shape.

Doug

[Ray Rogers]

Looks good to me. I wouldn't over do the clean up before HT since there's usually quite a bit of cleanup needed after the HT but you'll work that out after you go through a few knives ...

[cbsmith111]

What to do before and after heat treat is something that confuses me a little. I do get the general concept, but I've never had one heat treated yet, so I don't have a feel for it.

For example the flat grind comes up just a little higher on one side, and I want to even it out. There are also a few small but deep stray file marks. I don't want to over do it before the HT, but I also didn't know how hard these things would be to fix afterwards.

[Ray Rogers]

Even up the grind lines but don't worry about making them perfectly straight because the cleanup work after HT will move those lines a little no matter what you do. Get the deep scratches out but don't finish the blade beyond about 400 grit. If you go to 400, then after HT you will probably want to start your cleanup at 220 before returning to 400. Depending on how thick you left the edge you may have to go even further back in order to remove more steel. It isn't all that difficult to work a hardened blade, you just need fresh sharp belts, files, or sandpaper ...

[cbsmith111]

As of right now the edge is about .03 thick.

[Ray Rogers]

You can sharpen it at that thickness but it will be a fairly thick edge. I think most guys try to get the edge down to about .020 before sharpening for most utility type knife like yours, even thinner if it were a kitchen knife. But, you wouldn't want to do that before HT was finished, too much chance the edge would warp. To be safe, my impression has been that most edges are .030 or .040 just before HT and made thinner afterwards...