I have shaped a knife out of cpm 154, to what degree should I finish the knife before I send it out to to be heat treated. I am knew at knife making, so not sure
I would finish to the point where your happy with the lines in your blade if your doing a satin finish and to at least 400 grit if your going for mirror polish. The trick is the less marks and scratches the easier the finishing is after the stell has been hardened. (Gee I wish somebody told me that when I started...lol). Get your blade close to where you want the finished product and you won't pull your hair out over one scratch you can't remove. Also that way your blade will survive the build and not end up on the other side of the shop...lol!!!
Cpm 154 can be left thinner than standard carbons before ht so I would suggest going no less than 400 grit. There will be some discolouration but it will be minimal and you won't have to worry about the same decarb issues. If I know quite a few guys that go to a very clean 600 pre ht if they plan to polish or stonewash. If it will get a satin or scotchbrite finish 400 is probably enough. As Steve said, the better you get the finish pre ht, the less of a battle you will have later on when you try to hand sand the hardened blade.
With O1 I went to 600 then a quick buff before ht only because I find the scratches that I may have missed are easier to see. Since I finished my grinder I just rough profile the blade and do all of my grinding and finishing after heat treat even the last ones which are D2. I haven't done an actual stainless blade yet though. The next order of blade steel will include stainless just not sure exactly which one yet. I am pretty new to knifemaking also so I am still experimenting to see what works best for me.
Thanks guys........making a pair of 7 1/2 inch sharp finger style skinning knives......going for function....hopefully they will be things of beauty as well. Sending them to Canadian Knife Maker Supply. Hoping to finish one in bison horn and the other in some real old dense local oak. Knives 2 and 3
Thanks......looks like I may have got ahead of myself with the stainless, next order will be some tool steel, and maybe some proper files. For now my blades will be filed.......not going to attempt a hollow ground blade just yet, 154 is too expensive to learn on.. Learning process......I will leave the rest of the stainless until I get better at it.
Bummer that you'll have to wait 3 weeks before you get your blades back but Rob at Knifemaker will definitely do a great job on the heat treat. Did you ask for a specific hardness on your 154? I would shoot for a 60-61HRC. Don't quote me on it but I think Rob would treat at 60 anyway given his expertise.
Thanks Steve.....the knives are a couple of weeks away from being sent out, and yes I will ask for a 60 -61 HRC. Lots of filing ahead of me.....
