First blade -- total newbie

[Ken S]

Bud,

Read the origins portion of this:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Knives

If worn out files were good enough for Hoyt Buck, who am I to doubt them?

I would add that things may have changed since the 1940s. Buck's classic methods had be outdated.

Ken

ps Ernie Conover often uses old files to make turning scrapers. Again, if it works for Ernie, who I have known and respected for more than twenty years, who am I to question?

[Bud]

That's great Ken but had to read it twice before I found the part about worn out file blades. It is interesting because I have two buck knives but both of them are hunting knives and no folders.  So sounds like it might work. Also sounds like lots of grinding to me but that doesn't bother me. I've got a good bench grinder and my 1sm. I'm getting a little excited to tell you the truth. A week ago I thought I'd never actually make a knife and now I think I might. It may not be pretty but it will be mine. I'm certainly open to any suggestions and tips before I even think about starting on this.  How hard do you think a file is as in Rockwell what? Hate to wear out two grinders and a dozen belts for one knife but then again I might anyway.

[grepper]

I've found that if you have a lot of metal to remove with the 1SM, it really helps to start with a very coarse, 80 grit or less belt. If memory serves me correctly, I've chugged through a bunch of steel on my 1SM using a 60 grit Zirc belt. Those Zirc belts are very sharp and aggressive and will scratch pretty deeply, but for hogging off metal they work great.