First go at knife making

**dtalbot** · 09-01-04, 01:16 PM

Hi.
Over on bushcraftuk a few people have suggested http://hossom.com/tutorial/jonesy/
as a good set of instructions for a first try. I've got a couple of questions as it looks like fun.
Anyone any idea where I can lay my hands on a foot or two of suitable steel in the UK?
And has anyone any idea if the fire in my coke fired Rayburn cooker would be hot enough to do the heat treating stage?
Thanks
David

**Trond** · 09-01-04, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by dtalbot

Hi.
Over on bushcraftuk a few people have suggested http://hossom.com/tutorial/jonesy/
as a good set of instructions for a first try. I've got a couple of questions as it looks like fun.
Anyone any idea where I can lay my hands on a foot or two of suitable steel in the UK?
And has anyone any idea if the fire in my coke fired Rayburn cooker would be hot enough to do the heat treating stage?
Thanks
David

Hello and welcome david

I am sory that i can not help you though.
Good luck with your first knife, you soon to be a knifemaker

**Duncan Mac** · 09-01-04, 01:50 PM

Trond!

I am catching up!!!

Only 471 to go!!!!!

**Duncan Mac** · 09-01-04, 02:15 PM

Hi David - Sorry - didn't mean to ignore your post.

I expect your fire will be fine for tempering - but maybe not for the heat treat itself - hard to say...

Either way - have fun!!

**dtalbot** · 09-01-04, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Duncan Mac

Hi David - Sorry - didn't mean to ignore your post.

I expect your fire will be fine for tempering - but maybe not for the heat treat itself - hard to say...

Either way - have fun!!

Thought so (well it has been hot enough to ge the hotplate above it glowing red on particularly windy days once or twice!).
I'll report back once I've found a dit of steel and given it a go.
David

**Kevin** · 09-01-04, 02:57 PM

David.

Good link you posted.

As for the question ...will fire being hot enough.?.....I can see it getting steel red hot (only have to leave a poker in a fire to see that happen), but will it get it up to non magnetic (critical temperature)?....I dont know...but I doubt it. The 'link' mentions that he had a strong breeze blowing...that may have worked in his favour to add extra heat to his fire?

Build a fire and do some tests on a scrap piece of steel to see what happens.

Keep us updated on your project as we are all interested...
Good luck.

**dtalbot** · 09-01-04, 05:13 PM

I'll give it a go, with the draw on the fire set to maximum and a good breeze blowing across the chimney the fire gets very hot (certainly the coals are glowing at the whiter rather than red end of orange). Enough to take the temperature gage on the oven to the end stop which if the response is linear above the 250 centegrade top mark is somewhere around the 350 -375 centegrade (700f) mark.
If not I'm sure somthing can be arranged.
Only one way to find out, time to experiment.
And back to my original post anyone know where I can get a small ammount of suitable steel for knife making in the UK?
Cheers
David

**Colin KC** · 09-01-04, 05:21 PM

David try www.parkersteel.co.uk & get the phone number, ask for the trade desk & tell them you want some ground flat stock O1

**dtalbot** · 09-01-04, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by Colin KC

David try www.parkersteel.co.uk & get the phone number, ask for the trade desk & tell them you want some ground flat stock O1

Thanks
David

**dtalbot** · 09-01-04, 06:21 PM

And one other thing I should have asked you experts. Does the project in the link I mentioned look a good way to start knife making? (bearing in mind I don't have any specialist equipment)
Thanks again
David

**PS_Bond** · 09-01-04, 07:46 PM

Yup. Lots of work in comparison to some ridiculously expensive power tools, but it does work. Let's face it, power tools haven't quite been around as long as man's oldest tool... That said, some of us like accumulating tools.

As for hardening the steel - there are a few of us here who can help if your Rayburn won't quite do the job. Maplin sell magnets on telescoping rods (car aerial

) for about £1.99 - these are pretty good for looking for the steel getting to non-magnetic. Try it with a scrap piece first!

**Colin KC** · 09-01-04, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by PS_Bond

Yup. Lots of work in comparison to some ridiculously expensive power tools, but it does work. Let's face it, power tools haven't quite been around as long as man's oldest tool... That said, some of us like accumulating tools.

As for hardening the steel - there are a few of us here who can help if your Rayburn won't quite do the job. Maplin sell magnets on telescoping rods (car aerial

) for about £1.99 - these are pretty good for looking for the steel getting to non-magnetic. Try it with a scrap piece first!

Or, if you know someone with an old "magmount" CB aerial, you could stick the base to the side of your range, that'll do it too

**dtalbot** · 09-01-04, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by Colin KC

Or, if you know someone with an old "magmount" CB aerial, you could stick the base to the side of your range, that'll do it too

Broken kids fridge magnet, broke car radio aerial and a blob of araldite will be my first try.
I have a ferret round the barn on little sis's farm tomorrow and turn up a bit of scrap steel to try out and report back.
Thanks for all the help guys.
Regards
David

**dtalbot** · 10-01-04, 09:58 PM

I've put the first rayburn experiment results over on the cutlers forge forum as I'm straying far from bushcraft. Thans for the help so far folks.
David

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