Leather "Round" Knife...first one

samuraistuart

samuraistuart

Joined
Dec 21, 2006
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This was a fun project. A friend who is quite talented in leather working asked to make him a round knife. Confession...I had not heard of a "round knife" until he asked! The design is from "Leather Wranglers", the steel is 1/16" O-1, and the handle is ebony with white/black G10 liners, SS pins. The bevel is a gentle arc from the grind line to the edge, and is quite thin to allow for easy cutting into leather. Thank you for checking it out!

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Stuart Davenport Knives
samuraistuart.wixsite.com/knives
samuraistuart@yahoo.com
 
Interesting and very well done. I'd be very interested in how the knife performs in leather. My best (in terms of performance) custom round knives all started out at about .041 to .045 thickness so 1/16" seems pretty hefty to me.

I now have kind of an accidental collection of 10 round knives, only one of which would be considered "factory", a C S Osborne. Steels that have really performed well for me are M4, A-EBL, and L6.

Paul
 
I went with 1/16" for my first try. I've seen some online way thicker than that even! As thin as the edge geometry is on the one I made...I think the difference of .020" on the spine is going to be negligible, being the grind is thinned out to zero before the edge bevel was applied. M4 is a favorite, as well as AEBL. As a matter of fact, those are the only two steels I've used besides the regular carbon and low alloy 1080+, 1084, 1095, W2, CFV, O1, O7, Blue 2.
 
Stuart, for me the extra .020 at the spine does make a significant negative difference. I have a couple that are slightly thicker and can compare the cutting (precision cutting) as apples to apples and the .041/.045 wins by a mile on my bench.

There is also something to be said about being used to and tuned in on the thinner blades. If I had starred out with thicker, I might not notice the difference. Making Saddles and heavier work is done with thicker leathers so the thicker blades can get their "thickness" exposed more in the leather depth and I experience some drag. My thinner blades perform regardless of leather thickness.

Any way you did a really fine job on that knife and I hope to see you making more, especially since we are nearly neighbors.

Paul
 
samuraistuart said:
I went with 1/16" for my first try. I've seen some online way thicker than that even! As thin as the edge geometry is on the one I made...I think the difference of .020" on the spine is going to be negligible, being the grind is thinned out to zero before the edge bevel was applied. M4 is a favorite, as well as AEBL. As a matter of fact, those are the only two steels I've used besides the regular carbon and low alloy 1080+, 1084, 1095, W2, CFV, O1, O7, Blue 2.
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good looking round knife Stuart.
I think there is a noticeable difference in .02 on cutting tests I've done and I would encourage you to give it a try.
Particularly on material such as leather which doesn't "move" out of the way.
For example, even on a simple utility knife, try it with a spine of .125 and one of .105. There is quite a difference IMO

regards
Harbeer
 
I will most certainly keep that in mind for the next one! I will try .040". Thanks for the additional info and help, Paul and Harbeer.

Dave...thank you too!
 
You're welcome. I'm a big proponent of thin too. Just measured my current roundknife I'm using right now (one of my own) and if my old eyes are reading my even older dial mic right I'm coming up with .030 in front of the bolster. I really need to get a digital one.
 
.030" at the bolster? Wow. That is way thin. I've never made a round knife before (Didn't know exactly what it was used for....when he said round knife...I immediately thought, "He wants an Alaskan Ulu"). So I did a little research online....found that 1/16" was maybe a little thicker than most, not as thick as others. Definitely....next time I will go .040" for sure. And I really, really do appreciate that input. Geometry is king to me. HT second. Steel selection third.

Paul, I just saw a reply you made on Knife Dogs.....0.042". I will be taking your advice in the future. Just for reference, right now I mic'd the actual steel thickness (after it's all said and done), and it is 0.055" (not a true .063"), and my primary bevel begins 0.666" from the edge, down to zero with a micro bevel applied.
 
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OK, one quick question for you guys. The only steel that I can find under 1/16" is O1 from Flatground. Chuck at AKS has 52100 in .052 (I really like this option....he even has some in the right width. In my shop I have this steel in .052", but it's 2" wide...not wide enough for round knife. I use it for paring knives).

Where are you sourcing .040"? I would love to get my hands on CPM M4 in that thickness. Thanks for the help!
 
Thats one of the reasons I went to AEB-L, ya can get it thnner. Peters ht at 63 and they will cut and cut and cut......
 
The late Joe Kious made my custom M4 round knife. I believe he sourced it from Crucible in Dallas working with their very friendly and well known Rep (whose name I cannot recall right now) He selected the thinnest they had available in the suitable width and then ran it through a surface grinder (Mill? I'm not a knife maker or machinist so my ignorance is in full bloom!) Any way he took it down to the required thickness and went from there.

I have one I have used for years that was made from old used L6 circular saw blades, by Danny Marlin of Blanket, Tx. It was whatever the original thickness of that blade was less what came off during production. It has proven to be a very good blade.

I think that sourcing materials already at or about ,.040/.045 will be a real chore and will probably have to start a little thicker and be milled, or surface ground down, but once again I don't really know what I'm talking about for sure. I just know that my finished knives turned out at .041/.045 and I love them.

Joshua Fields of Weatherford, TX uses 01 and AEB-L and apparently they come in thinner stock, because I have couple from him and they are about the thickness I like.

Paul
 
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Stuart, didn't you just buy a fancy grinder? :D A few minutes, and you will be at 0.040 even starting with 0.080" stock. :thumbup:
 
Paul, thanks for sharing this. I watched your videos and could never cut thick leather like you do as my knives drag through the cut, no matter how much I sharpen them. This explains a lot (aside from being a noob at leather work :o)
 
Duh! Warren....why didn't I think of that? You're exactly right. I should be able to thin stock out quite effectively when that thing arrives! Thank you! Chuck has AEB-L in .078" and Aldo has it .070". I can thin that for sure!
 
Watch out for AEB-L though, it really really wants to cup on the surface grinder, even with coolant and a light feed. Just so you know.
 
sheathmaker said:
The late Joe Kious made my custom M4 round knife. I believe he sourced it from Crucible in Dallas working with their very friendly and well known Rep (whose name I cannot recall right now) He selected the thinnest they had available in the suitable width and then ran it through a surface grinder (Mill? I'm not a knife maker or machinist so my ignorance is in full bloom!) Any way he took it down to the required thickness and went from there.
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Scott Devanna.....hell of a guy!

I don't like carbon steels for a round knife AT all!!....leather is highly abrasive and also loaded with chrome salt in some cases(clothing more than saddle/sheath leather) and the edge needs to be hard and abrasion resistant.

I saw one of Terry Knipshield's knives and asked Paul about it, he recommended the "Chan Geer" knife and that's what I have. It's ATS-34 that starts out at 1/16" stock and Terry thins it down to practically a zero edge from the bolster on. AEB-L would be excellent as well.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Regarding carbon steels for round knives.........I would agree with STeven for the VERY causal leather crafter. A person who may only pick up his round knife every month or so, but in my shop the knife or knives gets almost daily use and hence maintenance literally on a daily basis. Therefore, my knives, (the carbon steel versions) some of which are 10/20 years old have yet to display any rust or significant tarnish so for me the use of carbon steel is a non issue.

The chemical salts and residues he references are primarily found in chrome tanned leather which is more for garments etc. and is not normally cut with the round knives any way. However the daily maintenance trumps any damage which might occur if chrome tan leather is cut.

Round knives can be expensive and if they are treated with the respect that an expensive tool should be treated they will last a lifetime.

Paul
 
I've got two started now, one in 52100, and another in S35VN. I want to try AEB-L, but I'm out until my next order.
 
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