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Thread: Spine work

  1. #1
    Shaves like a pirate jockeys's Avatar
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    Default Spine work

    for all you resto buffs out there:

    I have an old Permedge 4/8 spike point I've been slowly bringing up to speed; truing the blade, honing, cleaning handles, polishing blade, etc.

    Unlike my other razor, this one has a smooth tang. (that is, no grip grooves on the top and bottom of the tang adjacent to the blade)

    I prefer the grooves, is there anything that would prevent me from just grabbing a small triangular rattail file and making grooves myself?

    Also, can I use a half round file to shape the spine a bit?

  2. #2
    Heat it and beat it Bruno's Avatar
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    Not unless you have diamond or ceramic files.

    The steel is almost as hard as the file itself, so it would take ages to achieve anything.
    I have a small triangular file that I use for cleaning the grooves on the tang.
    I can really do a lot of filing to get rid of dirt without leaving visible damage.

    A set of small diamond coated files should solve your problems, and they are not too expensive. Ok at 60 or so euros for a set they don't come cheap, but they are affordable.

    If you want to work on the spine, I'd use a dremel and a drum wheel.
    It's what I use for turning square points into spanish points or notch points.
    And for making grooves you can use a dremel and a cutting wheel. That's what I use for taking a damaged toe off a razor.
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    The knife guys call this "file work" and seem to prefer to do it before they heat treat a blade because it is easier. The dremel appears to be the alternative tools but you have to be careful of overheating the steel.

    I found a tutorial online that I intend to give a try with one of my cheap blades:

    http://beknivessite2.homestead.com/v...ework~ns4.html

    another

    http://gbrannon.bizhat.com/#filework
    Last edited by RobertFontaine; 01-23-2008 at 02:00 PM.

  4. #4
    Heat it and beat it Bruno's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RobertFontaine View Post
    The dremel appears to be the alternative tools but you have to be careful of overheating the steel.
    It is not so difficult actually. I was afraid of this as wel, but if you use ceramic disc for cutting, and fresh drumwheels for the grinding then the heat should not be much of a problem.
    Til shade is gone, til water is gone, Into the shadow with teeth bared, screaming defiance with the last breath.
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  5. #5
    Senior Member Kyle76's Avatar
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    I have a friend who is a knifemaker, and I watched him do some filework one night with triangular and round files. It looked pretty easy to make a fairly intricate pattern just by alternating round and triangular down both sides of the knife spine. From the ease with which the files cut, I assume the knife had not yet been tempered.

  6. #6
    Knife & Razor Maker Joe Chandler's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kyle76 View Post
    I have a friend who is a knifemaker, and I watched him do some filework one night with triangular and round files. It looked pretty easy to make a fairly intricate pattern just by alternating round and triangular down both sides of the knife spine. From the ease with which the files cut, I assume the knife had not yet been tempered.
    If he was cutting with standard files, you can be sure it hadn't been tempered.

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