Cold Steel Conversion

[BigDeutscher]

I an going to make a knife out of a cold steel Bushman knife
I will start by cutting the tube type handle down the sides and then forge it flat
Re-cut and shape.
Then deside on a handle
What do you all think?
No......Just tell me when you see the finished knife LOL

Deutsch

 

[BillinOregon]

Go for it Todd. A few hammer marks for character and it will be unrecognizable. Be advised it's soft steel though. I have a Cold Steel Kukri style machete and it's pathetic compared to my Gerber Bear Gryls parang in edge-holding.

 

[gmarc]

Bill is right....these are quite soft and are made to sharpen with files, etc.

The handle should forge nicely, though.

 

[Stumpkiller]

It's also designed to be thrown as a spearhead - so you can forgive Cold Steel for leaving it soft to prevent the tip from snapping off.

It's SK-5 steel (similar to 1080 used in handsaws) so Deutscher can temper it harder after forging.

 

[Randall Slemp]

Looking forward to seeing your work on that knife. I have one that my son gave to me a few years back which I keep in my emergency kit. A useful tool.

 

[fatboy]

should be interesting to see

 

[BigDeutscher]

I just finished cutting the handle in half
That steel is tough,It was very hard to cut,
and took quite some time .I used a Dremel tool with a metal cutting disk
Now out to my shop and fire up the forge.
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[fatboy]

what type forge are you using

 

[BigDeutscher]

gas.... the only way to go!
I worked as the Blacksmith for Old City Park in Dallas Texas for 4 years, came home dirty every day.Nose full of black stuff...... nasty
Now its just a match away from red heat and pounding steel.dont have to drag around 100Lb bags of coal.
Deutsch

 

[Stumpkiller]

Hey, look! There are two patch knives hiding in the remaining piece! ;-)

 

[BigDeutscher]

I saw that to .waist not want not 2 patch knives will be started soon..I ran out of gas for the forge
Got done what I needed too, and will post soon
Had a very old file marked soligen so I made it into a knife also.
Deutsch

 

[BigDeutscher]

Boy it felt good to get back in the forge
My new to me 350 Lb anvil rings nice
I dont think the folks in the neighborhood like it to well .I got to get a place in the country.

 

[BigDeutscher]

I have the shape I want now
I have always used copper to pin on my scales
But trying to go back in time alittle ,folks have said to use iron .like some nails.
So how big of nails do I use?
How do you peen them without cracking the wood?
Or do you epoxy and pin and not worrie about peening ? how do you spell peen?
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[lonehunter]

Or do you epoxy and pin and not worrie about peening

:thumbsup: Yep, Thats the way I do it. Nails, Drill rod, about 1/8" will work fine!

 

[BigDeutscher]

so here it is so far cut and filed
now after some answers from you all I will drill for pins then back to the forge to re-heat and harden.

Its Comin along,I have a piece of curly maple that should work for the scales just fine.
Deutsch

 

[bowkill]

WOW looking good.....

 

[BigDeutscher]

For all blacksmiths.......
This blade is made out of very good spring steel
should I harden by magnet or cook it off in oil like a spring? per Kit R. may he rest in peace.
Deutsch

 

[Stumpkiller]

I used 7d nails hacksawed straight on each end to make pins and pre-drilled the scales (or antler). Leave the nails about 1/16" proud on either side and peen them down.

I understand older knives had smaller pins.

I lay one side of the knife on a piece of railroad track and peen the top with a one-pound ball-peen hammer. On a flat scale you might want to use a proper sized drift punch to set them flush.

Sorry, hard to see in this image.

 

[BigDeutscher]

All Right fellas this is what I have done for years and will try again.These instructions in spring makeing came from Mr Kit Ravenshear,
Many many years ago.
First form your spring in the shape you want
Main spring ,Bayonet,knife,sear spring ,whatever.....
Now heat your metal to a fire extinguisher red
which is around 1500 degrees.Depending on you light situation it is very hard to tell so.. get a common magnet and keep it handy,you will use this magnet to determine this correct {red} known as critical point.When the magnet falls off you have the perfect temp and now you quench it in oil!
plain old 30 weight moter oil ...new// used, it does not matter.for a good size knife you will need a container made of metal IE bakeing pan //bread pan
you get the idea.
move it around so it cools rapidly.It is now hard and BRITTLE ..be careful do not drop it
The next step is to get out the hardness and put the spring back in it.
you got to get it to a low temp around 700 degrees and hold it there for alittle
get out your bread pan again .WARNING DO NOT use your wifes favorite anything! If you find it near the top in the kitchen cabinet LEAVE it.Go to Good Will or the Salvation Army store.And buy a junk one.Just a little suggestion from , Deutsch.
Just cover the metal with oil 3 to 5 oz is plenty.
Do this out side not near anything you love or want to keep.Put container on some kind of trivet
and heat with a propane torch from the out side
at 700 degrees oil WILL FLAME AND SPUTTER
OIL WILL SMOKE AND FLAME AND JUMP DO NOT BURN DOWN YOUR HOUSE YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!

WARNING !!-Do NOT use Oxy-Acetylene burning oil mixed with oxygen is EXPLOSIVE! WARNING!

IT smokes it flames and when it all is burned up, you have a Spring!!! .Again do this out side use as little oil as possible.Spring makeing is fun and dirty and smelly and smokey and flamey .
I have made hundreds of springs over the years and these instructions have always worked for me
Enjoy and good luck
Deutsch

 

[LRB]

The method described might make a spring, but would be a little soft for a knife. Steel loses magnetic attraction at 1414°, not 1500°. However, 1475° to 1500°is the temp range you would want in either case, so you need to go a bit above non-magnetic temp. Assuming you get a good hardness quenching in motor oil, you would do better on a knife blade by baking it in your oven at 425° to 450°, using a separate oven thermometer to set the heat level. I would suggest washing off any oil in hot soapy water if you want to keep the smell down. Warmed canola oil would give you a better quench, and not smell near as bad. Here's a tip, if you can put it to use in this. Common table salt melts at 1474°.