How To File knife

C

Cody Rodgers

Joined
Oct 25, 2019
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I’m new here and haven’t made many knives. But I was wondering if there was a way to soften a file other than with a forge so it can be cold shaped. I recently bought several files and I stuck one in the oven on about 400°F and I’m able to file it now. I’m not sure if putting it in the oven is what made it soft or if it was already softened before. Any help would be appreciated
 
The process you are looking for is called annealing. Files are very hard, and have to be softened so the metal can be worked. Then they have to be re-hardened, but not as hard as they were, so the blade can hold an edge. That is my very poor layman’s understanding. There are plenty of people more knowledgeable here who can tell you a lot more than that. Look in the knifemaking subforum.

You might also take a look at Anza knives, which are made from files. The proprietor, Charlie Davis, should know a lot about the subject of heat-treating files for use as knives.
 
For a smaller file knife with a 3" blade or so you can heat it with a simple propane plumbing torch and stick it ingo bucket of cup of pearlite, it's that white stuff you put in plant soil flr nutrients.
Do this a couple times and it should be properly softened.

Of you think it may have been soft already ( did you buy cheap import files brand new ? Or old Nicholson...ect ? ) You need to test a piece of it.
Heat it white hot then quench it in water and see if it's gotten here enough to break when you hit it with a hammer.

Used every one of these methods when I made this one a few months back.

 
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