Wednesday, May 29, 2013

All on the EDGE! - Edge durability

 On my last post of "All on the EDGE!" I have concluded that "don't get bothered with sharpness of a knife that much!". If the sharpness is not that important, then what should we look for in the knife???


 When I pick up a knife, I usually check how it feels in my hand, the length, shape of blade, the make/finish, blade geometry and steel. Then if the knife is mine to do what ever, I will put it to some test.
 Many of those I have mentioned are simply for my preferences. Like feels, length, shape and finish, all of these are for comfort and everyone has own opinion on it and has nothing to do with the edge or most importantly with the quality of the edge.

 Quality of the edge... on the other word, the "Edge Durability" and this "Edge Durability" is the most important in any knife and should look for when picking one.



What is the Edge Durability?
 The edge durability is simply how tough the edge is, in other words, "How long it will retain the cutting edge".
 What it meas is that from the moment of completed sharpening, use it for some length of cutting task and see how much job does it get done before it requires the resharpening.

 Here is an extreme case as an example:
a tuna can knife V.S. an Axe. Both did cut the paper well but what happens if continue cutting?


 As you can see, the tuna can blade is already struggling on the second cut and not able to cut paper after from the third cuts. On the contrast, the axe goes on cutting for.... well that will take too much work to find out.
what if I put those blades to wood cutting test? I think the results are obvious, axe will fell few trees easily and the tuna can even have problem making decent shaving on a stick.



How to check the durability?
 For quite sometime, I was wondering how to test the durability in comparable measure. and here is a method I came up and have been using it called "Durability scale"


> Take Deer antler and start making approximately 1 cm length shavings with the knife under testing.
> The each cut is made using exactly same section of the knife.
> Count the number of shavings the knife can make before it dulls.
> Repeat this with three different sections of the knife. (if the knife is larger than about 15cm, do on 4 - 5 different sections.)
> Take average of counts from all tested sections and divide by 10 is the Durability scale.
 --- Note: ---
 - I usually stop cutting when the count reaches 100. If the blade still can go on after 100, the result will marked as 10+
 - It is also important to observed the condition of damage.

Example:
Name of Blade
Scored 
 Damage 
Blade made from tuna can
0
Edge rolled badly.
YP puukko
5
Edge rolled. Easy to restore with fine grid.
Svord peasant knife
10+
No damage
Victorinox
10+
No damadge
 Opinel No.9 (with modified to convex cutting edge)
10+
10+ but little dulls

!! Note !!
The test is performed with default / factory edge (if not specified  and the edge angle and geometry does affect the result. Use this information as reference to the original edge geometry of each blades.


Where the Edge Durability comes from?
 There are three elements affects to the edge durability.
1- Material
2- Manufacturing.
3- Edge angle

 Above these three, Manufacturing is the one user can not do anything about it. it is totally up to makers' hand and is very difficult to manipulate or see. It is basically how correctly forged and/or heat treated.

 Material, is also difficult to change as a user, but has choice of selecting what material being used. Different steel has different characteristics. one can be harder or springy than others.
Harder the steel, easy to achieve thin / sharp edge but prone to chipping. More springy, difficult to achieve sharp edge and prone to roll / bent but the edge does holed longer time.


 Material and Manufacturing will set the base durability of the knives' edge. The material will determine the theoretical characteristics of edge can be achieved and the manufacturing will make steel close as possible to that theoretical characteristics.

But there are some case, the manufacturing skill has made characteristics of steel exceeding the theoretical characteristics.  This done by the thing often referred  as "smith manipulating the steel grain". Basically it means that by forging well, the grain of steel sifts around to line up in such that best suited to be an edge.  this level of manufacturing only comes with master smith level of skill and hard to come by in current popularity on Stock and Removal custom knife making and mass-manufacturing of knives.


On the steel and manufacturing, there are not much room for user to make change in edge durability, but with the Edge angle, user can easily manipulate it by grinding and sharpening.

Generally, larger the angle, durable the edge is, but compromising the cutting ability, because there is more resistance when cutting in.


 Lets talk more about the angle, since this is the one user can do.
Giving the same condition of material and structure of steel, difference of the edge angle determines the durability of the edge.
 The theory is very simple. thicker the material, stronger the structure. if the edge angle is bigger, naturally there are more materials supports the cutting edge, means stronger edge. But we must remember, "Thinner edge is sharper edge", so need to keep this angle within the resealable range.

Larger angle has more materials (red area) behind the cutting edge(the tip point of angle) .

as for the reference, here are the approximate "cutting edge" angle of the knives used on durability test.
Name of Blade
Cutting edge angle
YP puukko
19.5
Svord peasant knife
35
Victorinox
40
 Opinel No.9 (with modified to convex cutting edge)
20


Now keeping this in mind and think of Puukko. In-general, puukko has about 20 degrees or less angle on cutting edge, while others have generally30 - 40 degrees. But puukko can withstand the use on material like wood and so on. This means, to make usable puukko, the smith need to lean some level of decent knife making skills. if not, the edge will chip out or roll up very soon when user cut in to wood. Or, cutting in to antler without any damage on edge would be impossible...



Why  "Edge Durability" is most important?
 Combining all these three elements, can get / manipulate the edge to needed durability. But why is it so important?

 In elementary level, edge durability is needed, because cannot make cutting edge without it.
other than that, more durable the edge is, longer time you can go on working without fixing the edge. Also, it gives a knife capability of cutting varieties of materials like paper to antler. This is important especially if the intendid use of the knife is utility knife or camp knife. Because for the utility usage, the maker and the user do not know in advance, what the knife will be cutting.

 Other than the practical importance, I think the durability of the edge can tell us the skill of the maker. If putting the edge angle a side, only the maker can manipulate the durability. so, if the the knife has got appropriate edge durability, then the skill of the maker is surely skilled. And if it is consistent between different pieces he/she makes, then it is a trustable craftsmanship.

So, more durable the better blade?
The answer is NO! If you are talking only utility knife, then perhaps it is. But if talking about all knids of blades / knives, then there are so many different blades designed to do very specific tasks. Some are purely after the best possible sharpness. to achieve it, the blade needs to be as hard as it possible can.
on other case, the durability is more important than having sharp edge. On this case, the  blade is not hardened much. in fact it is quite soft that can even file it with metal file.

On the end, it is a tool, it need to do what its intended to do. So, choose well what we / you want from knife. there is no such knife as "One does it all".






Monday, May 27, 2013

一歩進んでニ歩前進中

前回の記事で「頼まれ物1本、自分用2本」と書きましたが、意外とあっさり自分用一本は完成!頼まれ物も亀の歩みで前進中、そして自分用2本目は冬眠から覚めて荒削りほぼ完了。


まずは自分用一本目から。


はい、またフックナイフです・・・が、深めのククサ削り用に、今までの物より長く作ってあります。刃の曲がりは前回作った物と同じ。そしてベベルは内側。モラの物などは外側にベベルが付いていて研ぎやすいのですが、材に当たる側がフラットな方が削りやすく、綺麗に削れます。ので、私の作るフックナイフはベベル内側です。ナイフの横に写っているのは専用の研ぎ棒。竹を半円の棒に削り、これに耐水サンドペーパーを巻き付けて研ぎます。仕上げは棒に研磨剤塗って磨きます。
一本3役(丸砥、平砥、革砥)の優れものです。


そして頼まれ物一本。


これはブッシュクラフト仲間から頼まれた物。昨年作ったマキリ・ネックナイフを見て、「オラにも一本作ってケレ!!」と言うので「OK!」。ただ、ネックナイフ使用の大きさのままベルトキャリーにしてくれとのことなので、ベルトループどうしよう???いかにも日本らしい感じでお任せ!と言うことなので、とりあえず根付の方向で攻めてみることにしました。写真中の銅の円盤がその下地。始めは鹿角で作ろうかと思っていたのだけど、せっかくなので依頼主の個性を反映した特別な物をね・・・・って。予定期間内に仕上げられるかかなり心配ですw



そして最後は自分用の2本目。鍛造は3月に終っていたのですが、そのまま手をつけずにいた物です。


マキリ・ネックナイフの切っ先側がものすごく便利で使いやすかったので、ネックサイズでなくフルサイズで作ってみてます。感じとしてはデフォルメ短刀と小型レウクの折衷。シース+ハンドルはまだ迷って入るのですが、プーッコとマキリの折衷で作る予定でいます。上手くいくのか???







Thursday, May 23, 2013

作業テーブルを改善

撮影したいビデオ5本、編集途中1本、アップ予定ブログのシリーズ記事一稿、頼まれ物ナイフ1本、自分用2本・・・やること多いのにぜんぜん進まない。

夜、子供が寝た後やっと時間が取れても、作業テーブルに向かうとグワーって感じでやる気消沈。昨夜は、今夜こそ!と作りかけナイフを手にした物の、テーブルの上が道具と紙やすりの山。作業スペースが埋まってるw


元々後片付けが嫌いな性格なのでこうなる。良く言うと『片付ける時間が有ったら作業する』性格。しかしこの状態は作業出来ない域まで行ってしまったので、気合入れて掃除開始!

掃除がほぼ完了するころ、作業テーブルの改善案が浮かんだので早速行動開始。今まで使っていた作業用テーブルアッタッチメントを強化し、取り外し可能だが、ほぼ据え置き状態にすることにした。

で、完成したのがこれ。

1>すり板
2>彫り作業エリア
3>ツールブロック

一枚の板の上にすり板、彫り作業エリア、ツールブロックを付け、Cクランプでメインの作業台に固定してあります。

以前作ったすり板は、すこし安定性に欠けたので厚めの板で新調。そしてカスガイにて台に固定。このために彫り作業する場所が少し狭くなりましたが、元々それほど広い必要は無かったのでOK。

ツールブロック、これは今回加えた新顔。角材をサイズに切ってネジ止め。後は必要に応じてドリルで穴を開けてよく使う道具を刺すだけです。これで細々したヤスリなどの道具が、すぐに手が届く場所に整理できるようになりました。

もう一つ変更した点は、すり板がテーブルの左角に来る様にしたこと。今までこの作業台は、テーブルの真ん中にクランプして使っていたのですが、すり板を使う時に横に回りこめないため、無理な角度から作業する事がありました。テーブルの角に持ってきたことで、キャスター付き椅子に座ったままグルーっと回り込むことが出来ます。

このテーブルもだんだんとそれらしくなって来ました。後は照明の改善とヤニ台の入手だな。




Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Latest haul from flea market

 I have posted about the flea market event happens twice a year in Tampere several times on this blog. well, the first of of this year was held last week end and of cause, I was there digging in try to fish out some nice items.


every time when I visit place like this, I am after some old wood working tools and blacksmith tools I could use. also I am after some nice vintage axe, knives and camping equipment which I can use and/or for collection.

as for the trend in second hand markets around Tampere, the items sold are shifting more to clothing and baby/kids products and this flea market event is not different so it seems and I am able to haul less and less items of my liking...

How ever, I still have managed to pick up some toys keeps me happy for some time.

hare are all I picked this time. a old and unusable Puukko, broken chisel, almost new condition knives from Retki and Victorinox, Danish made key chain knife, three Sheffield knives and one large folding knife made in Germany.



all the folders were sold as a set and I feel have paid little too much for it, but SAK and Retki (the lady bug looking one) were never re-sharpened and have original sharpness, no scratches, so I think those itself do pay off what I paid for. Three Sheffield knives are well used and fitting is loos. all are the same models, but seems from different era, well I need to look in to that some how, but those gives me fun of restoring to working condition.

The tiniest one is made in Denmark and it is kind of souvenir knife and has stainless blade. but it looks pretty and has good quality crafted.

The most interesting ones are the chisel and puukko, which I have picked up from other seller.

The chisel, I picked it so I will use it as a knife making material, but when I got home and carefully inspected, it turned out that is made by Hackman. This is something you do not come by that often. so lets see, if I can somehow restore this as a chisel. if not, then will make puukko out of it.

And the puukko, First I thought this is worthless to get it, but i quickly realized that the blade has not be worn out much, bolster is still fixable and and pommel is has only scratches. the only issue is the bent tang, but that is not much of problem to fix once I managed to take the handle out, so, this good old puukko can be restored to almost original condition.

Other thing interests me was the bolster part. Seems it had some traditional decorative chisel carving on. It is badly faded, but still have trace of it left. I think, with enough research, I could come-up with good guess of how it was.

part of traditional decorative chisel carving work visible. 

One more thing makes me excite of restoring this is that this type of puukko was often fitted with  sandwich construction sheath which I have been wanting the chance of making one.

Well, lets see, these are going to be long slow progress side projects... if i ever managed to find time for it :)




Thursday, May 2, 2013

Walk in the forest - May Day

I have just realized that my last post on blog was 2 weeks ago.... and not even a single upload on You tube during this time ether... this is not good...

One reason is that I really did not have out time, not even with dog walk in the nearby woods. So, the month have changed and May Day in Finland was a holiday and the grand parents have offered us to babysit the granddaughters, so, me and my wife decided to get out of house and do a bit of forest walk.


Sun shining nice day, bit cold wind blowing and the lakes in the forest was still frozen, but was wonderful short get away. also dogs have enjoyed very much.

Made short video of footage, hope you like it.



"When you are mentally tired, drop everything and get out to woods. It will save you great deal!"