Military Surplus Cutlery = Good Picks?

by **DemoBreacher** » 20 Sep 2006 22:04

Ok I have a ton of these Military Knives and Forks will they make good picks? I attached some pics could someone tell me before I waste time on grinding.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-9/1 ... ure002.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-9/1 ... ure003.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-9/1 ... ure004.jpg

by **DemoBreacher** » 20 Sep 2006 22:07

sorry about the pics if you type the URL it should work

by **Shrub** » 20 Sep 2006 22:09

Ive fixed your links for you :wink:

The knives may be somthign you could work with but i think you may be better selling them all and with the money buy a commercial set of picks to be honest.

by **DemoBreacher** » 20 Sep 2006 22:13

Why is that? I would like to make my own. I think doing a craft with somethng that you made makes you love the craft even more...

And thanks for fixing my links

by **Shrub** » 20 Sep 2006 22:15

Ok fair enough then,

Grab yourself some hacksaw blades, i dont think anything in those pics is quite suitable for pick making, i say that because to thin the knives down will over heat them and be a pain unless you have good equipment but sure anything can be used to make picks from in well skilled hands,

by **Romstar** » 20 Sep 2006 22:17

It kinda looks like grade cheap ass steel. Possibly some sort of mild stainless.

The forks are most likely next to useless for pick tools, but I didn't think too hard on it.
The knives maybe, but can you bend the knives?

If you can bend it and it stays that way they aren't going to be much good to you unles you want to harden and temper the steel after you shape it. Depending on what kind of steel they are, it could be a bit more than your propane torch and a tub of oil are up to.

Romstar

by **DemoBreacher** » 20 Sep 2006 22:23

ok the steel is stiff/flexable it does not stay after I bend it goes back to its shape. but I does take a little bit to bend it. What doe sthat mean. And its US Military Steel=lowest bidder

by **SFGOON** » 20 Sep 2006 23:32

No. Just flat out no. Get some wiper inserts. Picks from that stock will take forever to make and they'll break quickly, taking your heart with them. :lol:

by **Romstar** » 21 Sep 2006 0:28

DemoBreacher wrote:ok the steel is stiff/flexable it does not stay after I bend it goes back to its shape. but I does take a little bit to bend it. What doe sthat mean. And its US Military Steel=lowest bidder

Yeah, lowest bidder. Means its not that great, probably recycled at the foundry.

In any case, if it takes a fair effort to bend it, then its probably thick and that doesn't make good picks. Ideally your picks should be .025' - .015" anything thinner than that will fold like foil. Because thats pretty much what you have when you get that thin.

In any case, it would mean a lot of cutting, grinding and sanding.

Not to mention that the steel could be crap and just break once you get the picks made.

I recomend unloading those somewhere and using the proceeds to get some better material.

Romstar

by **cL4y** » 21 Sep 2006 4:28

I'd go with what GOON said,wiper blade picks and wrenches are very strong,thin,and with some heat shrink tubing,they are comfortable on the hands.

I know from Bud Wiser,knives can work quite well indeed,but..

Has anyone used forks?

by **Aqua** » 21 Sep 2006 7:04

cL4y wrote:Has anyone used forks?

Actually, yes. A member called Jason13 has made some tension wrenches out of forks... But I wouldn't take that as a concrete refference.
THIS was the thread it was discussed in.

by **DemoBreacher** » 21 Sep 2006 14:56

Thanks alot guys, I went out and picked up some hacksaw blades and a file-I already have the bench grinder---My question is how do I use this file to make my picks lol---Dumb Question? I have read a lot of threads on here and the guys are using files to make there picks. Thanks all of you for your help. I will try to make these picks today and get some pics up.

by **Romstar** » 21 Sep 2006 16:12

DemoBreacher wrote:Thanks alot guys, I went out and picked up some hacksaw blades and a file-I already have the bench grinder---My question is how do I use this file to make my picks lol---Dumb Question? I have read a lot of threads on here and the guys are using files to make there picks. Thanks all of you for your help. I will try to make these picks today and get some pics up.

If thats an honest question you have to tell us what kind of file you got.

Actually, you should have several small files, but you have to start somewhere.

Romstar

by **Shrub** » 21 Sep 2006 18:05

You will need to heat your blade up to bright red and then let it cool in air for as long as it takes, you should then be able to file your blade to shape,

Once finished you then need to heat the pick up to bright red again and then dunk it in a bucket of clean cold water and stirr it until cold,

You then need to polish your pick until its steel colour and no black left on it,

You then need to carefully heat it up until the steel turns a straw colour, this come fast and even faster with a lot of heat so be ready for it, dont get it blue,

Dunk it in to the bucket of water agin and then polish to finish,

by **DemoBreacher** » 21 Sep 2006 19:21

ok the file I have is 10in all purpose file, big ole boy----and thanks shrub ill give'er a shot

Military Surplus Cutlery = Good Picks?

Military Surplus Cutlery = Good Picks?

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