Thickness of a Fixed Blade??

L6steel

L6steel

Joined
Sep 23, 1999
Messages
5,855
I have, for the most part, always used 1/4" or 3/16" steel to make my fixed blade knives. Since I've been coming to the foums, I have had a request for a 1/8" bowie and I have seen several makers who use 1/8" and 3/32". What thickness blades do you prefer in say.... a 5" drop point or trail point hunter?? Thanks for your input!!! Michael
God Bless America!<img src=http://members.aol.com/l6steel/ebay/flag.jpg>

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"Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!"
 
This is a great question! I have noticed myself that customers are asking for lighter and lighter knives. I have been using alot of 1/8 damascus for dropped hunters.
Rene
 
I use 3.3mm and 4.5mm steel for my knifes. I've made 6 inch blades in 3.3mm and 4 inchers in 4.5mm - it depends on what I feel like doing - for a 5 inch hunter I'd use 3.3mm 12C27 stainless.
View&u=9344&a=682802&p=12241887&Sequence=1

This 5 inch bowiestyle hunter has a 3.3mm blade.
 
I generally have been using stell of about 4mm thickness. Recently I've started working with thinner steel of 3.2mm. The thinner blades can be ground down for a thinner, sharper edge... but then they aren't as strong...

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www.wilkins-knives.com


 
Thanks for the input!! I tell ya, when you're used to working 1/4" or 3/16", its scarey workin 1/8". One slip and its in the Yogi wall. Guess I'll have to start practicing with thinner steel. Take care! Michael

P.K., did you get my email??? If it doesn't work, let me know and I'll help you figure it out or you can email me the pic and I'll post it in My Place for you.

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"Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!"
 
I am coming to the conclusion that 5/32" thickness is "just right" for a great many tasks we ask of our knives' nowadays.
I love 3/16" and 1/4" for the sheer brute strength, but I find my real cutting performers are coming from 5/32" and under.
This thickness (5/32") also gives some beef to play with without making the knife seem, well, fragile. Not too thick and not too thin.
I may get taken to the woodshed for thinking thinner is better, however, this is working for me and I intend on moving more toward the 5/32" and under thickness for my knife making projects.


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The individualist without strategy who takes opponents lightly will inevitably become the captive of others.


 
after a long period of trial and mostly error, ive decided upon .125 for folders, .160 &.187 for hunters, and .250 for combat knives...as for the millimeter crowd...i prefer 9mm for small bad guys and 10mm for the industrial sized crooks. 7.62 for the ones that are 500 meters away.

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http://www.mayoknives.com


 
Except for the sword I am currently working on the thickest I have gone is 5/32.
Depending on blade style.. over 6" - 5/32
under 6" 1/8
1/16" sucks... it is so thin I find it hard to grind and center the edge.

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There is no such thing as "good enough", either your work is good or it is not. How is your work?
 
I think many of you, if not most, make tapered tangs on your fixed blades. If you want your blades light, quick and solid at the same time, do the same with them. I work a distal taper into all of my blades, starting at the tang with about 1/8 to 5/32 for hunters and a minimum of 3/16 for bigger blades. And forge them!

Achim
 
Bighunter1.jpg

My customers pick up this knife and always comment how light it is!! It's just under 9" long with a 4" blade. About 10 years ago I picked up a hunter made my Ted Dowell. It was one of his regular knives, not one of the integral designs. I couldn't believe how well it felt in my hand!! Since then I've tried to build the same characteristics in my Big Hunter.
I use 1/8" D2 that is tapered down to about .025" at the end of the tang. There are 5, 7/16 holes through the tang also to reduce weight. Because the blade starts out as only 1/8" I only taper the blade slightly. The knife has a very thin edge and stays sharp because of the D2.
Unless a customer request it, I never put bolsters on the knife, again, trying to keep it as light as possible!
This knife will bend in arc from tip to tang!! It has a very flat handle profile.I feel that most hunting knives are "over built" and are much heavier than needed! This is a HUNTER, not a CAMP KNIFE!!!
I can make the same patern out of 3/16 A2 with a blade that's an inch and a half longer that's perfect for camp chores!
Neil

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http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/Meeting/5520/index.html


 
Neil< the knife is gorgeous! I would never have guessed it was 1/8" thick steel. What handle material is it?

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"Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!"
 
I exclusively use 1/8 or 5/32 inch stock for the hunting knives I make. Bear in mind that I flat grind. I believe that it would be very difficult to hollow a blade with this thickness unless a considerably large contact wheel is used.

C. Wilkins
 
Flat grind and the occassional sabre grind is what I like. By far, the flat grind though.

Dr. Lathe, That is one sweet piece!
Which wood did you use? It is downright stunning!

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The individualist without strategy who takes opponents lightly will inevitably become the captive of others.


 
Thickness should be determined by the use of the knife, blade geometry, all that. I think it tends more to be driven by who taught the knifemaker, and regional style.

Here in prairie Canada, the style is flat ground blades, usually in 1/8" stock for using knives. In British Columbia, some guys hollow grind, again largely in 1/8" stock. One of my material suppliers stocks no steel over 1/8" thick, in fact, he can't imagine what use anyone has for thicker.

This is for blades up to about 5" long. I use 3/16 and 1/4" for bowies. Right now I have a 10" fighting bowie in progress from 3/16" ATS 34. I expect it should be a pretty nimble blade.

As far as hollow grinding 1/8" stock goes, here is an example I ground with an 8" contact wheel. Unfortunately, the scan isn't great.

<img src=http://www.planet.eon.net/~matth/k_images/available/del_mic.jpg>

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www.planet.eon.net/~matth
matth@planet.eon.net

[This message has been edited by Matt Harildstad (edited 26 October 1999).]
 
Based on no particularly scientific method:

Fixed Blades-
<4": 1/8" or thinner
4"-5": 5/32" (a small range in length, but a large number of knives fall here)
5"-8": 3/16"
>8": 1/4"

I fully flat-grind most everything and I've actually stayed with 3/16" up to 15" blades with no trouble. I tend to think most production knives are too thick to best perform their jobs with reasonable strength.


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-Corduroy
"Why else would a bear want a pocket?"

Little Bear Knives
Drew Gleason:
adg@student.umass.edu
 
Thanks guys!
L6, the handle material is stabilized Box Elder.
Misque, that knife is hollow ground on an 8" contact wheel. I just finished making a 13" contact wheel that should just about give the same results as flat grinding.
I hope to be making and L6 steel camp knife for myself on it soon......L6.....!!!
Neil

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http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/Meeting/5520/index.html




[This message has been edited by Dr.Lathe (edited 27 October 1999).]
 
You guys are embarrasin' me with all these beautiful knife pix. I'm gonna have to get to it and make something to show off!! Beautiful blades!!! Take care! Michael

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"Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!"
 
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