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  1. #1
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    Default Your help gratefully requested

    Hi there,
    I'm in the process of making a few knives and associated sharp things, ideally a draw knife too.
    Can I weld (or get someone else to weld) some mild steel to my knife making steel? I have some 154cm, and 1095. The mild steel part would make the tang, so the join is clearly important.

    Also, can I use some sort of welding rod to make a hard cutting edge onto plain steel? Isn't there such things as hard facing rods? Would that work?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    BobL is online now Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by iolithblue View Post
    Hi there,
    I'm in the process of making a few knives and associated sharp things, ideally a draw knife too.
    Can I weld (or get someone else to weld) some mild steel to my knife making steel? I have some 154cm, and 1095. The mild steel part would make the tang, so the join is clearly important.
    If the knives are short enough there's no need to add mild steel tangs, they can be the same hardness as the blades.
    For longer knives preferential blade and tang treatment is a better way to maintain the integrity between the two rather than attaching a mild steel tang.
    That aside I have done exactly what you suggested when making drawknives.
    See here http://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...ight=drawknife
    As my blade material was an old file I did temper it first so I could more easily grind off the teeth and shape the blade.
    I assume your stock is already annealed which is fine to weld but then it will need to be hardened and tempered for optimum longevity of the edge.
    I believe the 1095 cam be welded in its hardened state but maybe someone else can confirm this.

    Also, can I use some sort of welding rod to make a hard cutting edge onto plain steel? Isn't there such things as hard facing rods? Would that work?
    You can but you would have to be a pretty good welder to do it evenly and the edge/join would have to be heat treated before and after the welding.

  3. #3
    Ueee's Avatar
    Ueee is offline Blacksmith, Cabinetmaker, Machinist, Messmaker
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    Hard facing rods are really not the right type of hard for a knife edge, they will chip too easily.

    I would imagine the 154CM would be very hard to weld, you would need to TIG it with the correct filler.

    Every maker i know uses the same steel all the way through, whilst this may seem wasteful it is the best way of ensuring the strength of the finished knife.
    1915 17"x50" LeBlond heavy duty Lathe, 24" Queen city shaper, 1970's G Vernier FV.3.TO Universal Mill, 1958 Blohm HFS 6 surface grinder, 1942 Rivett 715 Lathe, 14"x40" Antrac Lathe, Startrite H225 Bandsaw, 1949 Hercus Camelback Drill press, 1947 Holbrook C10 Lathe.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    If the knives are short enough there's no need to add mild steel tangs, they can be the same hardness as the blades.
    For longer knives preferential blade and tang treatment is a better way to maintain the integrity between the two rather than attaching a mild steel tang.
    That aside I have done exactly what you suggested when making drawknives.
    See here http://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...ight=drawknife
    As my blade material was an old file I did temper it first so I could more easily grind off the teeth and shape the blade.
    I assume your stock is already annealed which is fine to weld but then it will need to be hardened and tempered for optimum longevity of the edge.
    I believe the 1095 cam be welded in its hardened state but maybe someone else can confirm this.

    You can but you would have to be a pretty good welder to do it evenly and the edge/join would have to be heat treated before and after the welding.

    Wow, thanks for the drawknife build pics.
    I'll be annealing and then shaping an old rasp for the drawknife, so maintain hardness is irrelevant, as I'll regarded after. I need two tangs for handle attachment, hence the question. Seems like it should be OK.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ueee View Post
    Hard facing rods are really not the right type of hard for a knife edge, they will chip too easily.

    I would imagine the 154CM would be very hard to weld, you would need to TIG it with the correct filler.

    Every maker i know uses the same steel all the way through, whilst this may seem wasteful it is the best way of ensuring the strength of the finished knife.
    It's not wasteful per se, in simply don't have enough material for a full tang in 154cm.

    Thanks for the information on hard facing

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by iolithblue View Post
    It's not wasteful per se, in simply don't have enough material for a full tang in 154cm.

    Thanks for the information on hard facing
    https://www.crucible.com/eselector/p...ss/154cms.html


    Seems welding will be pretty damn difficult

  7. #7
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    I have welded 'rebar' onto 1095 to heat treat it, thinking i could 'break' it off later. No such luck!
    I ended up leaving the rebar there for the tang.

    Metallurgy aside, I think it's worth trying. It worked for me.

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  9. #9
    Ueee's Avatar
    Ueee is offline Blacksmith, Cabinetmaker, Machinist, Messmaker
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    John and his Son Tom are 2 of only a handful of guys able to do it full time in Aus. Most of the full time guys supplement their making with teaching, i don't think the Tassie boys do.

    Whilst i'm sure its against forum "rules" I would suggest you go over to the ABF (Australian blade forum), you will get a lot more answers.
    1915 17"x50" LeBlond heavy duty Lathe, 24" Queen city shaper, 1970's G Vernier FV.3.TO Universal Mill, 1958 Blohm HFS 6 surface grinder, 1942 Rivett 715 Lathe, 14"x40" Antrac Lathe, Startrite H225 Bandsaw, 1949 Hercus Camelback Drill press, 1947 Holbrook C10 Lathe.

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