Pocket knife serrations

[JonnyMac]

Ive got a nice little smith and wesson pocket knife that I want to have a go at putting a bit of a serrated edge on.
Any of you knife makers out there have a good summary of how to go about it.
My initial thought is grabbing a round file and working a couple of grooves in but if there is a better technique I'm all ears. ..
Cheers

 

[Kevin54]

You can do it with a small round needle file, but you better have steady hands. Then how will you sharpen it when you need to sharpen it?

 

[JonnyMac]

Well I was going to attack it from a shallow angle to try and keep an edge, not straight across at a right angle... but yes, sharpening is an issue for a serrated edge.

 

[n8n]

I'd just buy a part serrated knife. Can get a decent-ish one for under $50 I bet if you look around. Look at Kershaw, Benchmade, etc. SOG is OK too but they use softer steel (AUS-8) than other mfgrs (my EDC BM Griptilian is 154CM) but if you don't use it often SOG is probably a good bargain pick.

There's a guy over on bladeforums that will sharpen for $1/inch plus shipping, slightly more for serrated/part serrated, I had him do all of mine a while back, did a better job that I ever could and even with 5-6 knives the investment in equipment to really put a sharp edge on all of them would be way more than that cost.

 

[JonnyMac]

Buying something is way too easy! Im just keen on getting the knowledge...

 

[exmaxima1]

I'd just buy a part serrated knife. Can get a decent-ish one for under $50 I bet if you look around.

Absolutely. S&W knives are low end, and cost about $30-50 most anywhere. Just buy the model you like with serrations.

http://www2.knifecenter.com/kc_new/...nd Wesson Products&cat=sm&k=spec&series=1424&

But if you must DIY, use a Dremel tool. Or a diamond file. Blade steel is too hard for simple files. Personally, I HATE serrated edges as they are hard to sharpen and are not useful for my needs. But good luck.

 

[n8n]

Absolutely. S&W knives are low end, and cost about $30-50 most anywhere. Just buy the model you like with serrations.

http://www2.knifecenter.com/kc_new/...nd Wesson Products&cat=sm&k=spec&series=1424&

But if you must DIY, use a Dremel tool. Or a diamond file. Blade steel is too hard for simple files. Personally, I HATE serrated edges as they are hard to sharpen and are not useful for my needs. But good luck.

I don't particularly like them either, but if you work with a lot of ropes/rigging, they can be very helpful in that respect. All about fitting the tool to your needs.

If I needed a part serrated blade, I would probably look at something like this

http://www.rei.com/product/737700/benchmade-556-mini-griptilian-serrated-locking-knife-black

simply because I really like the Axis lock, and the action is super smooth. But that is a little over the budget that I threw out there.

I have an older version of this that was given to me by a friend, it lives in my "emergency bag" in the trunk of my car, just in case I get caught out without a knife and need one. This you can probably get for under $50, and still is likely better quality than a S&W branded knife.

http://www.sogknives.com/flash-ii-partially-serrated.html

Check your local laws though, the assisted opening might be a no-no.

 

[zkling]

When I was doing them I used a special made jig and a round file with a depth stop collar to keep size consistent since the file is tapered. The jig was just to help index and keep spacing consistent. Then sharpen at an angle with a round stone in place of the file. They are a PITA and I am not a fan but I would do them on occasion. I believe they are done commercially all at once on a custom graded grinding wheel. They were cut before heat treat and sharpened after.

You can do it with a small round needle file, but you better have steady hands. Then how will you sharpen it when you need to sharpen it?

Round die stone if you really care, soft buffing wheel with compound if it is a hard user.

 

[mjb]

They make wheels for grinding serrations in all sorts of patterns. They are not cheap and not for a one time thing.

Some knife makers use a modified Harbor freight chainsaw sharpener to cut the serrations one at a time.

 

[CoyoteKyle]

You can do it with a small round needle file, but you better have steady hands. Then how will you sharpen it when you need to sharpen it?

Lansky makes some nice systems for sharpening your serrated knifes once you get a general edge. This one is more of a field sharpener, and they do have others.
I might try this tonight too... a little project to consume my time, and we all have junk knives laying around!

 

[89GLH]

http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=77

This is what I use, works perfectly on my serrated and non-serated knives. Scissors, finfernail clippers, hell anything that should need to be sharpened.

 

[rlitman]

I was going to mention this. The Spydero triangle stones are the BEST on serrated knives.

You could probably cut your own serrations with a chainsaw file. If you use a chainsaw filing jig to keep the cuts straight, and figure out a way to index it so they stay even, you could get something that looked like it was made in China, rather than made by a caveman.

 

[Richard D]

you could get something that looked like it was made in China, rather than made by a caveman.

I think I'd prefer something made by a caveman, the quality would be better...

 

[exmaxima1]

I think I'd prefer something made by a caveman, the quality would be better...

Is that something that all Texans say? I think if you ever ventured out of the country and into China, you'd be amazed at the quality they can provide if their customers ask for it (and are willing to pay for it).

 

[JonnyMac]

Those SOG knives look awesome, cant really justify one though.
Just ordered a few diamond die grinders 6mm diameter, gonna see if they can create what im after..

Just on the china discussion. Theres 2 distinct levels of chinese made, one for the Chinese market and the other for export. If you think the chinese made gear you are getting is low quality you should see the made FOR china its absolute junk!

 

[exmaxima1]

Just on the china discussion. Theres 2 distinct levels of chinese made, one for the Chinese market and the other for export. If you think the chinese made gear you are getting is low quality you should see the made FOR china its absolute junk!

I've traveled thru China many times for business, and worked with many Chinese businessmen. I recall several years ago my driver picked me up in what I thought was a new Audi---it was gorgeous: perfect paint, perfect interior, everything fit perfect. It turned out it was a BUICK built in China for the Chinese market. It was meant to compete against Audi/VW/BMW for the home market and it absolutely does. If that is what China intends to import to the USA, our car industry is doomed.

 

[n8n]

I've traveled thru China many times for business, and worked with many Chinese businessmen. I recall several years ago my driver picked me up in what I thought was a new Audi---it was gorgeous: perfect paint, perfect interior, everything fit perfect. It turned out it was a BUICK built in China for the Chinese market. It was meant to compete against Audi/VW/BMW for the home market and it absolutely does. If that is what China intends to import to the USA, our car industry is doomed.

I think the issue is that US consumers aren't that discriminating but shop on price. Few are willing to pay for the fit and finish of BMW, Snap-On, whatever. We don't as a rule save up for a purchase of "lifetime quality" but instead ***** and moan that the stuff at Wal-Mart is too expensive.

As a person who grew up in Pennsylvania in a family of German heritage (that is, the old saying about "use it up, wear it out" definitely applies... my grandmother used an old Maytag hand wringer machine well into the current century) I find that troubling. I prefer to spend more money and buy stuff that I know I can rely on, rather than planning on just replacing it in a few years when it's worthless and broken.

 

[exmaxima1]

I think the issue is that US consumers aren't that discriminating but shop on price. Few are willing to pay for the fit and finish of BMW, Snap-On, whatever. We don't as a rule save up for a purchase of "lifetime quality" but instead ***** and moan that the stuff at Wal-Mart is too expensive.

As a person who grew up in Pennsylvania in a family of German heritage (that is, the old saying about "use it up, wear it out" definitely applies... my grandmother used an old Maytag hand wringer machine well into the current century) I find that troubling. I prefer to spend more money and buy stuff that I know I can rely on, rather than planning on just replacing it in a few years when it's worthless and broken.

You hit it right on the head. Middle class Chinese definitely are willing to pay for quality, and are more aligned with the European perspective. My son married a Chinese woman he met while studying abroad in HK, and her parents are financially very comfortable. When I visited them recently, they were proud of their new home that had----wait for it---KOHLER bath fixtures. I can't confirm COO for Kohler sold in China, but the point is that they are very brand conscience are are willing to pay more for higher quality. In contrast, many of my neighbors buy the cheapest tv's/stereos/furniture and just throw it away when it breaks in a few years (if they are lucky).

 

[JonnyMac]

I've traveled thru China many times for business, and worked with many Chinese businessmen. I recall several years ago my driver picked me up in what I thought was a new Audi---it was gorgeous: perfect paint, perfect interior, everything fit perfect. It turned out it was a BUICK built in China for the Chinese market. It was meant to compete against Audi/VW/BMW for the home market and it absolutely does. If that is what China intends to import to the USA, our car industry is doomed.

Its the law in china that every foreign car maker must have a chinese partner. The intention is that they are an independent company but inevitably they are government owned.

So you end up with all sorts of strange models which are Chinese only products. They otherwise thing that noted is the foreign owned party cannot take money out of the country so the large profits get reinvested! so the facilities are awesome however the one saving grace for the rest of the development and research world (which is where i live) is their psychological make up is not suited to being adaptable engineers. They have a culture of being sacked immediately if they make a mistake due to the huge amount of people waiting to take their job. I've had a few visit for training and they are all smart guy's but in the event that they need to independently make a deposit that they have not been taught or seen written down then they will just stand there not doing anything for fear of making the wrong decision! its quite different from the Japanese or Korean mentality.
They also have a bizarre attitude to quality, if it LOOKS the ssme as the product being copied then that is perfect in their opinion!