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Post by paskinner on Jun 19, 2010 8:32:05 GMT -5
I'm trying to make a knife from an old trap spring. I am not a knife maker, well not yet anyway, just playing.
What I've done so far: I straightened the spring, heated in a stove and banged on it some to get it flat, then cut my knife shape out with an angle grinder.
I heated it to red, quenched in oil and have been trying to get a good edge on it, since with no luck. Do I need to heat it with a torch until it just starts to change color or? Any advice on how to get the steel to where I want it?
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Post by Buckskin Billy on Jun 19, 2010 21:10:47 GMT -5
well i don't know nothing about nothing and i sure don't know nothing about making knives. i do have hershel house video and cousin willie whites video on knife making. and i believe they heat the metal till red (non magnetic) and then they will anneal it in wood ash. or some kind of ash. just cover it in the ash while red. from what i get out of this is it softens the metal so you can put a edge on it.
i'm certain james, beaudro or cody know more about this than i do.
i thought i wanted to be a knife maker but i figured out i'm a better tanner than a black smith ;D
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Post by beaudro on Jun 19, 2010 23:43:24 GMT -5
I've never had the greatest luck from a trap spring, especially more modern ones. If there is enough high carbon steel in that metal then I would try one more time to heat and quench it , if that don't work I'd move on to better metal. I've started just ordering my steel from Jantz supply or various others, it's already annealed and I can get the thickness i'm looking for to start with , it's a lot less work. Then I only have to worry about shape and temper.
That camp knife I made from a leaf spring is the last salvaging I want to do , but if you can get your spings to temper there's nothing wrong with that. It saves money to convert old steel into something , but unless I'm real sure of the quality of metal I would rather buy blank stock.
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Post by james on Jun 20, 2010 14:01:28 GMT -5
For the trap spring you can try quanching your trap spring is warm brian, But your well have to be careful it 50/50 chance it well crack, What ever method you try to quanch your blade you well need to temper your blade. clean the blade with wire brush for you see the metal then bake it at 400 degree in the oven for an hour Do it three times or till you get the color of bronze you need.
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Post by paskinner on Jun 21, 2010 19:41:07 GMT -5
Thanks. I'm gonna try heating with a torch, quenching again, then do the oven thing. If it don't work, I'm not out much and maybe I'll learn something. If it does, I have some more trap spring laying around, maybe I'll make myself some extra skinning knives.
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Post by joebosch on Aug 21, 2010 9:46:54 GMT -5
Hi all, I new here but have been lurking in the shadows. I have been watching this post for a while and it appears to be dead. I have been making trap spring knives for about 4 years, and I think you would have a hard time finding a better metal, after all it is a spring or used to be. I have been edge quenching them and have not had a failure to date. Thanks for looking I not sure how the photos are going to post?   |
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Post by paskinner on Aug 21, 2010 15:54:13 GMT -5
excellent! I haven't done any more knife work yet.  |
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Post by james on Aug 21, 2010 16:31:07 GMT -5
Great work.
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Post by Cody ( The Patriot ) on Aug 21, 2010 18:17:00 GMT -5
those are mighty impresive for a trap spring knife looks like you have it down pretty good
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Post by joebosch on Aug 22, 2010 5:53:00 GMT -5
Thanks Guys : Its like anything else the first couple of hundred were hard. By using old trap springs most of the work is already done, the metal is pre-aged from hanging in old barns and sheds. All that needs to be done is shape it to look like a knife and pin a handle on it.  |
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Post by Cody ( The Patriot ) on Aug 22, 2010 9:00:05 GMT -5
What kind of steel is in the jaws?
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Post by joebosch on Aug 22, 2010 9:38:19 GMT -5
I,m not really sure. It's a low carbon steel (soft). I have a box full of jaws left over, I thought I would try to make flint striker out of them. Well that did not work. The next thought was to use the ring and chain with the jaw bent into a S hook for rustic plant hangers. I,m such a pack rat.
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Post by Buckskin Billy on Aug 23, 2010 18:21:50 GMT -5
very good looking knife joe. i really like your work.
welcome to our camp fire
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Post by joebosch on Aug 24, 2010 19:56:34 GMT -5
Thanks Guys. Paskinner when you get back to working on your knife, If I can help let me know.
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Post by joebosch on Sept 8, 2010 18:31:56 GMT -5
I wasn't going to to post this but seeing that it's a little slow, what the heck. I make a lot of neck/patch knives, two basic sizes from the #0 trap. the smaller knife uses the same spring as the larger knife.  But I have a little piece of spring left over. I wend over to the grinder and come up with this little finger knife. So what do you think?  |
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. JanT Hello to Whitedove and Kentuckybushcraft was looking for a more active discussion of hide tanning. Did have fun making my first avitar, Put my beach umbrellas in it. That was a new experience. Jan