Modification Project

[boar_d_laze]

If it were my knife, I'd buy a Norton coarse Crystolon and work on the knife in 20 mintue sessions until I got more or less the shape I wanted. Then I'd smash the stone or find some other way to get even with it. Next I'd really take my time creating an edge geometry and sharpening on the usual stones, before polishing the whole knife out to at least liquid mag-wheel polish level.

Yes, it would take forever, but so what? I don't think efficiency is as important as rescuing a wonderful knife, making it useful and beautiful again. Whoever allowed the knife to reach that stage can profit from time spent in repair to reflect on respect, responsibility, the tao of cutlery and certain anglo-saxon terms.

I think most of the alternatives to just working it out on a stone are worse from an amateur's perspective, but I don't really know enough about belt grinders to say yea to this or nay to that. It pleases me to not know everything.

Stone or belt, the knife is a Nenox, and you really want to do as little as possible. Be gentle darling.

First liar doesn't stand a chance. I'm not going to engage in a pissing contest here. I'm going to pee waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over there.

BDL

[Tippet]

Nonetheless a bastard file will leave with deep scratches that will take a long time to get out. Careful use of a belt sander would be my recommendation.

LOL you guys crack me up. Of course I prefer a belt sander. A 2"x72" with 3" and 8" contact wheels to be precise. But I still stand by a file as a viable alternative...despite the fact that you then have to work through progressively finer grits to get a polish...just like with a belt sander.

Any Joe off the street can opine that the power tool is more desirable. It's a non-sequitur. My recommendation to use hand tools is for those who can't or won't spend the money for power tools.

A guy who knows little about knives, doesn't plan to make knives, who only has one project in mind and that's just to ruin what's left of what was once a really nice knife...that guy shouldn't waste his money setting up a shop with a bunch of power tools. A file is that guy's best friend.

[Tippet]

PS: this link is to a discussion of filework: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=760776

2 out of 6 those knifemakers do their filework after hardening. So I guess whoever says "you can't cut hardened steel with a file" is a tad bit mistaken on that.

[Err]

They're discussing decorative filework on the spine, not reprofiling the blade with a file! Why don't you head over to bladeforums or any other knifemaker discussion board and ask how many of them would like to try that?

[Tippet]

I have my friend, I'm active at BladeForums. I like the "shop talk" board best.

LOL you just won't give up will you.

Last month I reprofiled a hardened steel kitchen knife, a 10" chef, with a file- so don't try to tell me it can't be done.

[Pensacola Tiger]

I have my friend, I'm active at BladeForums. I like the "shop talk" board best.

LOL you just won't give up will you.

Last month I reprofiled a hardened steel kitchen knife, a 10" chef, with a file- so don't try to tell me it can't be done.

You remind me of my Dad. He loved to make silk purses out of sow's ears with whatever he had on hand. He felt he'd failed if he had to go buy something he thought he could do without. I miss him.

[Alchemist]

Is it at all possible that there is more than one way to skin this cat?

[Tippet]

Thanks Tiger that's nice of you to say. Actually my dear old dad is the same way, which is probably explains me lol.

Is it at all possible that there is more than one way to skin this cat?

I don't know! My story, and I'm stickin' to it, is that anyone who says you can't cut hardened steel with a file is wrong. Anything beyond that is still fair game I guess.

[SShepherd]

I grind post HT, as long as it doesn't get hot enough to hurt your fingers you'll be fine. Most knives are tempered around 350 degree plus, which is waaay past most peoples pain tolerance

you can use files, as long as the file is harder than the blade.........you start getting up around 61+ in hardness and files won't be much good.

[thombrogan]

My story, and I'm stickin' to it, is that anyone who says you can't cut hardened steel with a file is wrong.

I think Bob H can harden some steel that'll file your file.