AWCC 1st place prizes Build Thread Rodney over at Axial asked if I would do a little build thread on these knives and I thought the rest of you might like to see what goes into making a knife. So....Here we go I get this particular knife cut out at a waterjet place back east. It saves me about 1.5 hrs. This is the only one I do this with. The rest of my knives I cut from barstock. When I get them I aneal them , put them in the oven at about 1400 deg F , let em get up to temp and then just shut the oven off and let them cool real slow. This makes them dead soft. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03030.jpg Then I flatten the edge so I can mark it with a sharpie and mark the grinds. This is the tool I use for that. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03035.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03034.jpg Then I get my sander set up to do a flad grind. I built this sander from scratch , it's built just like the ones you can buy , but mine has a 2hp DC variable speed motor, and I built a vertical 5/8" shaft on the other end. I can put several different tools on it. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03038.jpg I built a small work rest to do flat grinds on , it helps to hold the blade still. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03037.jpg The belt direction is down , I always grind into the edge , never away. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03036.jpg Here is one that has been ground next to one that hasn't. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03041.jpg I start on a 60 grit belt then go to a 120 grit and then 220 grit before heat treat. Here they are , ready for the oven to be heat treated. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03042.jpg My digitally controlled oven , it will go up to 2200 deg I think. 1095 High Carbon steel heat treats at 1550 , I take them to 1600. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03043.jpg They are in there , wow thats hot. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03044.jpg When I take them out of the oven I dunk them in the quenching oil , that cools them off very fast. As long as your grinds are even you dont hear a pop when you drop them in. If you do ......its cracked and now scrap iron. lol , its has happened to me before, not in about 5 years though 8) http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03045.jpg After they cool off to about 200 deg , I put them in the toaster oven at about 325 deg for 2 hours. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03046.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03047.jpg Here they are after the heat treatment , thats the oil burned on the blade. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03048.jpg I then go back to the grinder on a 120 belt , 220 , 320 , 400 then a burishing 3M wierd belt. Makes a great brushed finish. Here they are after that.....I had some others at the same stage and just shot them all. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03049.jpg While the blades were in the oven I made the handle material. I buy the G10 ( fiberglass composite ) in different thickness and colors and then laminate them together. Not all of the choices , just custom ones like this. I sand each side with a 30 grit block and then use Devcon 5 min epoxy to hold em together. I put it in my 20 ton press and squeeze the chit outa it. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03050.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03051.jpg Cut up and ready to put on the blades. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03053.jpg Here they are again , with handles on them , epoxy drying , it dont take long before I can start shaping them. I also put 4 brass pins all the way through the handle. this helps with latteral strains. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03052.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03054.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03055.jpg Sanding and shaping is done on the belt grinder , I have a .500" wheel that works great for the finger groove. I use a Hook-it II system( 6" disks with velcro on them , real fast to change grits ) mounted on the vertical shaft to finish sand handles on. Missed a pic of that. Now its time to make the Kydex sheaths. Kydex is a heat moldable ABS based plastic , its super tough stuff , and really cool to work with. If you mess up a mold , you just put it back in the oven and try again. Here is my home made Press , it just has 2" of a real dense foam on the bottom and then 1" on the top. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03062.jpg Here is the first one ready for pressing. I tape the chit outa the blade to give it some room inside the sheath , the square on the handle is for the loop to attach to. The Kydex I decided to use has a silver carbon fiber look to it , i think it looks cool. It goes in the oven at 325 deg F hard as hell , and comes out soft as dough. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03063.jpg Its pretty simple , put a piece of sheet down , the knife on that and another sheet on top and press.....2 min later and take it out and here it is. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03065.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03066.jpg I have a system of holes for these sheaths that will accept 2 different kinds of attachment , there is a rhyme and reason for the layout. It can be worn righ or left handed , cross draw or upside down. Pretty cool I think. The rivets closest to the handle are critical in placement. They are the ones that dictate how tight the knife fits the sheath. Drill a 1/4" hole and put a rivet in it and press it in the arbor press . http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03067.jpg I make my own stencels for marking my name on my blades too. I use this light sensetive material , its like a silkscreen. You put the negative on the glass and then put the stencel material on top. Close the lid , turn on the light , wait 2.5 min and turn the light off. Take it out , peel a clear film off each side and put it in the developer for about a min.....done. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03071.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03070.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03072.jpg Then I just tape the stencel on the blade and etch it on there , comes out cool most of the time. These came out pretty good. AND here they are. As Parker would say...Those drivers that Do Work , will reap the rewards. The winner of each class will get a hand made knife. Here are the two for the 2.2 pro and Sportsman classes. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03080.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...DSC03081-1.jpg And a special one for the winner of the G6 scale competition. It has Moon Glow in the center of the handle , man its some bright stuff and glows for hours. The lanyard has glow string in it as well. It is also equiped with a whistle and a Black Crater cord light flashlight. Of course all of the knives have a ferroCerrium fire steel in the handel as well. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03073.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03074.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03075.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03076.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03078.jpg http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/DSC03079.jpg Well I hope you enjoyed my little how to here. I wish I was going to AWCC , but it just ain't meant to be I guess. There will be a little bit of my sweat there though , these were fun to make. They will be Cali bound by 8 AM . |
Pretty Cool, thanks for shareing. Back in the mid 80's we had a project in metal shop in high school where we made knives.(6" blade limit) We made them out of a little bit of everything. The most popular and easiest for students to get were lawn mower blades. I made mine out of an old woodworking file but saw a couple made out of a leaf spring. Been into knives ever since but collect mostly automatics and some fixed blade designs. |
Very cool Dwane! |
Easily one of the best how-to articles I've seen here! My girlfriend does jewelry and has a kiln capable of those temperatures...I'd love to try something like this some day. Very cool to see it done by someone who knows what they are doing "thumbsup" |
WOW!:shock: |
Nice work, you made it look easy & quick! |
You can go ahead and etch my name on there since I am going to win the AWCC5 G6. You can give it to me Friday afternoon when I show up. |
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If it was easy everyone would be doing it , lol Quote:
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Thanks for sharing! Cant wait to see them in person "thumbsup" |
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Awesome! |
I jumped this thread over to the Oliver / AWCC Announcement: http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/showt...25#post3142825 THANK YOU OLIVER KNIVES!!!! |
Very nice Dwane"thumbsup" |
Great build thread Dwane! I definitely like your belt grinder, they make life easier."thumbsup" |
wow indeed! If that's not a little extra motivation to get out and practice, I don't know what is "thumbsup" |
Super cool how-to thread. I never knew so much went into making custom knives. |
Nice! Dang, you are TALENTED! |
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