Made from Nicolson file found at a flea market for $2.50.
I've heard that Nicolson files use the best steel and decided to buy this to make a knife and test it out.
Blade length 2.6 inches, edge 2.3 inches, OAL 7 inches.
Differential hardened with the body and spine about R50c and the edge and tip over R65c (I only have Rockwell test files to test hardness with).
Etched the blade with hopes it would show a hamon, but it didn't work out very well that way. I started to just re belt it on the belt sander and polish the whole thing but the etched look sort of grew on me so I'm keeping it that way (made it as a throw away practice knife to test working with the steel anyway, with the remaining file what I intended to use for the knife I want to make). The knife actually looks much better in person than in my rather poor photography.
Convex grind with moderately polished edge, etched body, and very, very sharp - this steel really takes an edge. Only other file knife I've made was from a cheap HF file and it worked well but nowhere near like the Nicolson file steel does.
No sheath yet, debating my regular Kydex ones, maybe leather which I would prefer but I'm about as bad as it gets at leather work, or maybe a wooden one in a sort of Japanese mini saya style to go with the (Walnut Dymondwood) handle (not sure how to add a belt clip without ruining its look, or making sure it is secure in that type sheath with that short blade). Very open to suggestions about this.
-FWIW, Made it on a HF 1x30 belt grinder with a modified (longer) table, those are a rather good little machine tool and a great buy when on sale.-
I've heard that Nicolson files use the best steel and decided to buy this to make a knife and test it out.
Blade length 2.6 inches, edge 2.3 inches, OAL 7 inches.
Differential hardened with the body and spine about R50c and the edge and tip over R65c (I only have Rockwell test files to test hardness with).
Etched the blade with hopes it would show a hamon, but it didn't work out very well that way. I started to just re belt it on the belt sander and polish the whole thing but the etched look sort of grew on me so I'm keeping it that way (made it as a throw away practice knife to test working with the steel anyway, with the remaining file what I intended to use for the knife I want to make). The knife actually looks much better in person than in my rather poor photography.
Convex grind with moderately polished edge, etched body, and very, very sharp - this steel really takes an edge. Only other file knife I've made was from a cheap HF file and it worked well but nowhere near like the Nicolson file steel does.
No sheath yet, debating my regular Kydex ones, maybe leather which I would prefer but I'm about as bad as it gets at leather work, or maybe a wooden one in a sort of Japanese mini saya style to go with the (Walnut Dymondwood) handle (not sure how to add a belt clip without ruining its look, or making sure it is secure in that type sheath with that short blade). Very open to suggestions about this.
-FWIW, Made it on a HF 1x30 belt grinder with a modified (longer) table, those are a rather good little machine tool and a great buy when on sale.-
