Milling in knifemaking

Troy H

Troy H

I'm always like this.
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Nathan the Machinist said:
I mill a lot and often only use a grinder for finishing.
Click to expand...

This comment caught my eye in another thread. I can see milling for some things, handles and flats for instance or for superficial notches etc, but can a mill limit the use of the grinder that much? Can you do primary grinds on a mill? Does this require a CNC?

How do you folks use your mills in knifemaking?

Thanks :thumbup:
 
You have to put this in context. Nathan is an excellent machinist with some very good CNC mills. Most of us only use mills for minor work. Not 90% like Nathan
 
Depending on your skill and tooling it is possible to do just about all of the shaping on a mill. I prefer a hammer followed by a grinder, My mill sucks, and I am not that good with it.

-Page
 
I don't think it's really fair to compare Nathan and someone like Todd Begg's use of a mill to most makers.
 
Even if all I had was a manual Bridgeport, I'd still use it to rough my profile and rough my bevels. I know of no better way to get your edge straight and bevels started in even. Generally speaking, material removal rates on a mill are faster than a grinder, there is no risk of excessive heat, there is no dust, and it is safer than grinding. I have found that endmills are cheaper than belts, especially when you have a lot of "past their prime" endmills that are still good for rough non precision work like roughing in a blade. So it works for me.

We all approach this craft from a different point of view. I'm grateful for the comradery and acceptance I've enjoyed on this forum despite being a machinist rather than a conventional knifemaker.

So, I'm not saying this is a better way, but it works for me.

For an explanation of milling and a knifemaking process I use, this is a WIP I did a while back (I updated it to move the pictures):

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=569950

However, there are several other approaches that can be taken, and I've developed a few techniques that aren't in that WIP. I'll do another one some day when I get more time.
 
For myself the mill cuts slots in guards, prepares finished blades to recieve guards, cuts pockets in handle materials to insert silver insets, removes excess material from 5/8" stock when making integrals, cuts pockets in handle areas of integrals to insert handle material.

The mill helps greatly making jigs and fixtures to hold knives and handle materials during drilling operations.

Folders require the lock area to be cut with a 1/16" mill and framelocks require the lock pivot point to be relieved to allow the lock to be moved to release the lock. Counterboring screw seats also are possible with the mill but a drill press is easier to do that job with.

If you are into slotted or grooved handle details on folders some type of mill is essential.

Blood grooves in fixed blades are very difficult to make with out a mill.

My particular mill can be adjusted to be used as a surface grinder, almost essential in folder work in conjunction with a magnetic chuck.

Other than that it is not very useful in making knives.

George
 
i use my manual milling machine,,, alot,,,, when i first started,, too much ,, now that my grinding is catching up with my machinst side,, i use it to rough in bevels but, dont look at as a crutch like i used too,,,
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
Even if all I had was a manual Bridgeport, I'd still use it to rough my profile and rough my bevels. I know of no better way to get your edge straight and bevels started in even. Generally speaking, material removal rates on a mill are faster than a grinder, there is no risk of excessive heat, there is no dust, and it is safer than grinding. I have found that endmills are cheaper than belts, especially when you have a lot of "past their prime" endmills that are still good for rough non precision work like roughing in a blade. So it works for me.

We all approach this craft from a different point of view. I'm grateful for the comradery and acceptance I've enjoyed on this forum despite being a machinist rather than a conventional knifemaker.


So, I'm not saying this is a better way, but it works for me.

For an explanation of milling and a knifemaking process I use, this is a WIP I did a while back (I updated it to move the pictures):

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=569950

However, there are several other approaches that can be taken, and I've developed a few techniques that aren't in that WIP. I'll do another one some day when I get more time.
Click to expand...

X2! I have used a mill before to achieve a flat grind with great results!
 
I have just picked up a piece of D2 of ebay that is 1x2x12 and the plan is to mill out a integral dagger. I just want this job to be over so I can go home and be a knife maker instead of a piping superintendent.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
Even if all I had was a manual Bridgeport, I'd still use it to rough my profile and rough my bevels. I know of no better way to get your edge straight and bevels started in even. Generally speaking, material removal rates on a mill are faster than a grinder, there is no risk of excessive heat, there is no dust, and it is safer than grinding. I have found that endmills are cheaper than belts, especially when you have a lot of "past their prime" endmills that are still good for rough non precision work like roughing in a blade. So it works for me.
Click to expand...

Nathan, you nailed my thoughts. Theres little that a milll cant do. Specially after you get a lathe setup for it. Finising and polishing come to mind, but in terms of shaping.. mills are very useful for just about any project.
 
I believe Edmund Davidson uses a hand mill among other things to create his works of art. Pretty shure he profiles the blade out in his mill then rounds out the pommel/guard by grinding.

Jason
 
It very hard to make a integrals without a mill. Both Edmund and Ron Best rough out their knives on mills. (Jan, 09 Blade Magazine) I have made two integrals and used a mill to rough out handles and the blades.
When making your guards and hilt? Make sure they are not parallel. I made mine 4 degrees off. so I had a wedge like this / \ that way you don't under cut your scale you start to fit it. I redesign my knife around this thought. Just the thought of throwing away 30 dollars worth of scale because I made one too many strokes with a file.
 
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Thanks all for the great information. Nathan, amazing tour of your process. Your work is fantastic!

I would love to see the jigs that you all have made to help support your work on the mill. Would anyone be willing to show them? I can think of a couple ways to support the work until machining the second primary grind. It just seems like it would be very unstable at that point.

Jeremy, you state that you used to use the mill as a 'crutch'. Do you feel that your work has gained something since you've drawn away from using your mill as much? That seems counter-intuitive. Machining is precise, grinding can be close, but isn't.

BlackToe, great suggestion with fitting integral handles. That makes so much sense.

Thanks again all!
 
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