Usually those general purpose tools are made from steels of .40 or .50 series, containing carbon in range of 0.40 to maybe 0.50 percent. With that carbon, you can generally not go beyond 50-55 hrc in best conditions. In your case, forging process also takes some of that carbon, from the surface. You heat treat in the furnace, without any proper data about the temperature. So oil quenching should not be any option, need water quench to get max. from that piece. Also before tempering, you could try to bend a tiny piece from the tip, measuring toughness. If not breaking easily (I bet it would not crack), no need for tempering and reduction of hardness. Edge retention can be because of bevel angle, it seemed fairly steep. Anyway, good piece, thanks for sharing.
My guess: forging may have caused decarb so the outer jacket was low carbon when you tested with the hrc files, but after sharpening you may have gotten down to the "good" steel. I cant recall the exact figures but a half decent steel with good heat treat should cut like 200 ft of cardboard and still slice paper/shave. People have gotten super nerdy about the cardboard test and you can look up alot of data about known steels to get a better picture of edge retention. You could try adding carbon by cooking it with calcium carbonate or something. Cool video and project, even just for the forging practice .
Kabar makes one, which i own and love. I often carry it as a neck knife. PS: Fyi the steel Kabar uses on this knife works well and has acceptable hardness. It takes and keeps a good edge. I put it through it's paces, particularly cutting up nasty cardboard boxes not a few and it held up nicely.
I really appreciate you did with without a bunch of fancy hammers. Even your anvil use was basic enough that it could be improvised as well. Thank you for sharing your skill and creativity. I hope all is well with your Grandfather. Cheers! Robert
I've done a few of these now. They are most of the time 6140 and from what I've seen they are around 34 hrc. I carry one as my daily, like you mine just cuts all the time.
Thanks for this video. I will be trying to make knifes in Philippines with next to no technology helping just routine steps like you are showing in your video. I have large bearing races and also spring steel. Still looking for large circular saw mill blades.
@raydreamer7566 most carbon steels need to be up to around 1500° F, so I'm not sure about that thermometer. Usually a magnet is a good test. Heat your steel until a magnet no longer sticks to it and then quench in warm oil (100° to 120° f).
These days people are getting weirs with hardness. Hard enough is hard enough. I broke blades while using them working outside. Apparently they were made fo cut and nothing else. Not to hard, edge retension and easier to sharpen are way more valuable to many people
Bottom line, you forged a functional blade. The inherent problem working with mystery steel is that you can never know the proper heat treating protocol, or even the proper quench medium. I sell these as letter openers, not to say they don't work as knives, but I don't want to confuse my customers.
I do the same thing, a novelty blade like RRspike knives. In my tests the edge would always roll unless it was buffed to a polish, and then it will shave and cut but it seems to have no toothyness"" to its cutting.
Thanks for the video ! I was thinking about making one myself. Could you list the belts you use ? I'm new and just finished building my 2x72 and wonder what belts to go with ...
Ceramic belts are great for knife making. Make sure to get a variety of grits. 36 grit is good for hogging off material. 60 grit is good for grinding your initial bevels. 120, 240 are food for finish grinding before hand sanding. 3m trizact belts leave a really nice finish. Different brands all sell some form of a scotch Brite belt which is good for satin finishes in blades. Hope this helps.
@@beser12v66 buffing wheels are great, I mainly use mine to polish knife handles. Definitely don't have to have one. Harbor freight sells them and that's where a lot of people start.
If you can find a way to make a removable handle/sheath you could make the hole at the handle end into a spoon hook knife the way some have done with box end wrenches. Assuming of course the steel at that end of the knife is also “hardenable.”
A good blacksmithing video. Good narration.
Usually those general purpose tools are made from steels of .40 or .50 series, containing carbon in range of 0.40 to maybe 0.50 percent. With that carbon, you can generally not go beyond 50-55 hrc in best conditions. In your case, forging process also takes some of that carbon, from the surface. You heat treat in the furnace, without any proper data about the temperature. So oil quenching should not be any option, need water quench to get max. from that piece. Also before tempering, you could try to bend a tiny piece from the tip, measuring toughness. If not breaking easily (I bet it would not crack), no need for tempering and reduction of hardness. Edge retention can be because of bevel angle, it seemed fairly steep. Anyway, good piece, thanks for sharing.
9:08 your card board test is about the most thorough I have seen. You cut small slivers which is even more rigorous than cutting chunks.
Thanks again!
Impressive. What more can one say. Looks like a very functional EDC utility knife to me
I also use a lot of different steels to make cutting tools. I believe the chromium vanadium content of the hand tool helps with its wear resistance.
My guess: forging may have caused decarb so the outer jacket was low carbon when you tested with the hrc files, but after sharpening you may have gotten down to the "good" steel. I cant recall the exact figures but a half decent steel with good heat treat should cut like 200 ft of cardboard and still slice paper/shave. People have gotten super nerdy about the cardboard test and you can look up alot of data about known steels to get a better picture of edge retention. You could try adding carbon by cooking it with calcium carbonate or something. Cool video and project, even just for the forging practice .
Would grinding to shape from the start be advised?
Kabar makes one, which i own and love. I often carry it as a neck knife.
PS:
Fyi the steel Kabar uses on this knife works well and has acceptable hardness.
It takes and keeps a good edge. I put it through it's paces, particularly cutting up nasty cardboard boxes not a few and it held up nicely.
I really appreciate you did with without a bunch of fancy hammers. Even your anvil use was basic enough that it could be improvised as well.
Thank you for sharing your skill and creativity.
I hope all is well with your Grandfather.
Cheers!
Robert
I've done a few of these now. They are most of the time 6140 and from what I've seen they are around 34 hrc. I carry one as my daily, like you mine just cuts all the time.
Thanks for this video. I will be trying to make knifes in Philippines with next to no technology helping just routine steps like you are showing in your video. I have large bearing races and also spring steel. Still looking for large circular saw mill blades.
@@raydreamer7566 Spring steel and bearing races make excellent knives when heat treated properly. Good luck with your knife making!
@@NickVanLeuven I have a InfraRed Thermometer That reads up to 1112 Degrees F or 600 C is that high enough ? Still learning ?
@raydreamer7566 most carbon steels need to be up to around 1500° F, so I'm not sure about that thermometer. Usually a magnet is a good test. Heat your steel until a magnet no longer sticks to it and then quench in warm oil (100° to 120° f).
These days people are getting weirs with hardness. Hard enough is hard enough. I broke blades while using them working outside. Apparently they were made fo cut and nothing else.
Not to hard, edge retension and easier to sharpen are way more valuable to many people
Probably it’s the chromium forming carbides in the steel that is giving you a sharp edge
Bottom line, you forged a functional blade. The inherent problem working with mystery steel is that you can never know the proper heat treating protocol, or even the proper quench medium. I sell these as letter openers, not to say they don't work as knives, but I don't want to confuse my customers.
I do the same thing, a novelty blade like RRspike knives. In my tests the edge would always roll unless it was buffed to a polish, and then it will shave and cut but it seems to have no toothyness"" to its cutting.
Режит хорошо дома на кухне он будет хорош по сравнению с китайскими ножами😊😊😊
Great work. A blade any us would be pleased to have.
I didn't think a wrench would make all that great of a blade. I'm surprised it did that well. There is probably chromium and some vanadium (?) In it.
I have all kinds of old tools. I wonder......
Nice anvil btw..
Thanks for the video ! I was thinking about making one myself.
Could you list the belts you use ? I'm new and just finished building my 2x72 and wonder what belts to go with ...
Ceramic belts are great for knife making. Make sure to get a variety of grits. 36 grit is good for hogging off material. 60 grit is good for grinding your initial bevels. 120, 240 are food for finish grinding before hand sanding. 3m trizact belts leave a really nice finish. Different brands all sell some form of a scotch Brite belt which is good for satin finishes in blades. Hope this helps.
@NickVanLeuven thanks !
What about buffing - what do you think a begginer need ?
@@beser12v66 buffing wheels are great, I mainly use mine to polish knife handles. Definitely don't have to have one. Harbor freight sells them and that's where a lot of people start.
@@NickVanLeuven
Thanks again for all the advice!
Put Dawn detergent in your water quench
You are amazing! Is that knife for sale? 🔪💲
... ? proč ten nůž 2 krát kalíte , ?...
I'm working on a website where I'll list any knives I have for sale!
@NickVanLeuven congratulations, it's always nice to see other smith's.
If you can find a way to make a removable handle/sheath you could make the hole at the handle end into a spoon hook knife the way some have done with box end wrenches. Assuming of course the steel at that end of the knife is also “hardenable.”
Seems flexible but still strong enough for a workable knife. Processing wood by batoning thicker pieces might be a different story.
I'd buy that one off you n.p...lol.
@@B-leafer this one is already sold.