1084 Steel 1/8 thick for knife

[Jas32596]

I got some 1084 steel and I wanna make some carving knives. Is 1/8 to thick or will I be able to grind it down? It's not heat treated just annealed. What the best way to go about this? Any tips?

[Dark Lightning]

How thick are your other carving knives? That could be a starting point, but it really depends on what you want these knives to do.

[Nebraska]

Yes 1/8” is way to thick for a typical wood carving knife. Mine range from 0.030 to 0.062 inches. Or roughly 1/32” to 2/32”. I’m not a blade maker but I do know 1084 is commonly recommended for beginners. I’m guessing there would be a ton of YouTube videos on making blades with 1084. There are also forums for blade smiths that would probable be a good resource.

[Eddy-Smiles]

1/8" will make a great Bowie knife but as Nebraska has said it's way, way too thick for a carving knife.

[pallin]

When you get done with the knife, I have a wheel I'd like you to re-invent.

[NoDNA]

I got some 1084 steel and I wanna make some carving knives. Is 1/8 to thick or will I be able to grind it down? It's not heat treated just annealed. What the best way to go about this? Any tips?

Say Jas, I had worked in steel years ago., 1/8th is a bit wide and you can grind it down. Although do not let the metal even start turning brown thants a start of dis-tempering.. . Keep a sized pan of water and a small bit of oil, in the water.available for dipping AND I when doing this I do not wear gloves, Yeah safety and all, but you can feel the heat build up.. been here. But this is a heavy knife to work on , plan on a month..
WEAR EYE SAFETY glasses.
Chuck

[joepaulbutler]

I would say you have a little work ahead for your self.

At 1/8"-0.0125" you got forge/ hammer or grinding to get a knife you'll be staisfied with.

The thickest knive I have for carving is 0.055" w/edges sharpen up from the edge of 0.25" on each side/ This knife isn't used a lots.

another that is use more but still not that much is0.035 With the edge sharpen up 0.08' each side

I like my steel in the 0.02" or thinner..

you mention your steel is annealed; therefore, you will need to harden steel . Heat to 1500°, Quinch in oil heated to about 120°.once you've all your shaping and shaping done it is time to reanneale it. I use an electric overn a 400°, clean the steel before putting it in the oven, watch the color when is a straw brown/yellow take out and let it air cool.

This the procedure I've used~There is a great pleasure to use a knive you maded and Gotten the handle on. Enjoy your new venture.

[Jas32596]

Thank you all so much. I went ahead and got some 3/32 to use for carving knives. I'll probably do what Eddy said and make a bowie knife with the bigger. Thanks so much again

[Jas32596]

Say Jas, I had worked in steel years ago., 1/8th is a bit wide and you can grind it down. Although do not let the metal even start turning brown thants a start of dis-tempering.. . Keep a sized pan of water and a small bit of oil, in the water.available for dipping AND I when doing this I do not wear gloves, Yeah safety and all, but you can feel the heat build up.. been here. But this is a heavy knife to work on , plan on a month..
WEAR EYE SAFETY glasses.
Chuck

If I ordered a flat stock of annealed 1084, I wouldn't need to worry about the temper since it'll be heat treated and tempered right? Also it's 3/32 so it's still gonna need ground down some. Any suggestions on the best way to go about this?

[NoDNA]

If I ordered a flat stock of annealed 1084, I wouldn't need to worry about the temper since it'll be heat treated and tempered right? Also it's 3/32 so it's still gonna need ground down some. Any suggestions on the best way to go about this?

AH, but You say, "it'll be heat treated and tempered right?" Still watch the heat, blue means the temper is gone. And if you need some help using up that iron,, just let me know..
NOW, pictures .. I think it is a great project, my eldest grandson doe's knives and forges, and I am envious as all get out.

And if you mean cutting to shape and that on ideas. I guess most of the guys here can help you there, I have been making all my own knives for a couple years and a pattern you make yourself is a start of look at some in catalogs and such. If you have your blanc steel draw it out then to cut it you can use a steel cutting wheel on a 4" grinder. But watch the heat. I could go on but there are some YouTube on making knives too.
And the post from Joe paulbutler may also help.
Cheers
Chuck

[Claude]

1/8 inch is 0.125 - my favorite knives vary from 0.030 to 0.035 thick at the spine. People often comment about how the carvers on youtube seem to effortlessly cut off large chips of basswood; part of that is because they know how to really sharpen their blades, and (I think) part is because they have used the knives long enough, and stropped them often enough, that the blades are relatively thin. Thinner blades can carve through wood more easily than thick blades. After all, a knife blade is basically a wedge, and a thin wedge has less resistance than a thick wedge when cutting into wood. Of course, a thin blade is more "delicate" than a thick one, and can easily be broken if one is trying to pry out a chip of wood.

Claude

[Jas32596]

My plan is to have my friend plasma cut the blanks out and then I'll file/grind it down to the thickness I want or roughly I should say along with establishing a bevel. I'll then heat treat and anneal the knife blank and epoxy it into the handles I've made and hone and sharpen. Hopefully it works but 12 inches of steel for 10 bucks, if I mess up no big deal. Thank you all for the help. I'll post pictures when I'm done.

[joepaulbutler]

Several knives in that piece of steel, you never said how wide it is????

You know just thinking about it, I believe if it was my steel I would try to bring the whole piece down to a thickness that was close to what you wanted. It would be easier to work with one larger piece than several smaller pieces, hey just my 2¢

[Jas32596]

Several knives in that piece of steel, you never said how wide it is????

You know just thinking about it, I believe if it was my steel I would try to bring the whole piece down to a thickness that was close to what you wanted. It would be easier to work with one larger piece than several smaller pieces, hey just my 2¢

It's 2 in wide, I'll have to go long ways in order to make the tang and that's an awesome idea! Thank you

[dogcatcher]

I use Personna scraper blades to make my carving knives. I get them from the local hardware store, they come in 4 and 8 inch lengths. I shape using small sanders, a drum, a dusk and belt sanders.

Too Mount in a handle I create a long tang. I drill a 1/2" hole in a handle blank. I cut a dowel as deep as the hole and saw a thin kerf to slide the knife tang in. I shape my handle first, then epoxy the tang in the dowel, then epoxy it all into the handle.
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