inexpensive way to cut a nail nick on a custom slipjoint pocket knife

After trying and failing miserably with a Dremel, and a 60 degree dovetail cutter in my milling attachment to cut decent nail nicks, here is what I came up with.
Caltoncutlery.com

[@ralphkessler8772]

So joe working on setup of abrasive wheel just like the one u use in video. Trying to dress the wheel?? The leading edge how sharp to get strong edge on nail nick???? I dressed the bottom but how wide or sharp the leading edge????😅

[@joecalton1449]

i think that is something that you just should play around with on a scrap piece of steel. i think the differences in different wheels and feed rate will let you know how thin and sharp that you can go. if you are cutting them in after heat treat, then I would practice on a scrap piece of heat treated steel of the same kind.

[@ralfkessler]

Hey joe why are u always cleaning the lenses of your canera

[@joecalton1449]

id say probably becuase I forgot to clean it before I started and noticed that it was dirty.

[@carmineredd1198]

why not stamp the nail nick into hot steel ?

[@caroleast9636]

Great ideas and definitely food for thought. Maybe a slight slope to the fixture so’s to present the blade to the cutting edge table a bit of an angle? A little bit of undercut in the nick…just a little.

[@joecalton1449]

ill have to play around with that, its a good idea

[@ralphkessler8772]

Could u b a little clearer on the shape of the wheel. What u use to and how you shape the wheel. I am useing same set up as you have. Thanks in advance.

[@joecalton1449]

the angle and general sharpness of the edge of the wheel will vary accorinding to your feed rate, the wheel itself, and the hardness of the steel you are cutting. you would just have to grab a scrap piece of steel and play around with it for awhile and see what you like the best

[@CamberLucyBella]

Nice...and of course you know I think it's fitting you had to build your own solution...it's just very you :).

[@joecalton1449]

thanks! well I tried the other methods I had seen and couldn't get them to work right..... so a guys gotta do what a guys gotta do :}

[@toddhatten354]

Thank you for this video.

[@joecalton1449]

thank you for watching!

[@ralfkessler]

Great great video

[@joecalton1449]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@harryvanniekerk7269]

Now that was mighty kind of you Joe to share with us your method. Thank you very much!😃

[@Speedsix13]

You know you made the nail nick upside down

[@msblades5382]

I have yet the make any sort of folder so I'm not entirely sure bu...... Never mind you had it right at the end. In my opinion and experience it would /should be more effective and accurate if you got yourself one of the angle grinder chop saw deals or make one. I have seen them on Amazon I think but I have certainly seen them on the You Tube.. Thanks for the great videos full of helpful information.... Martin

[@buckpence1]

I love this idea. I’ve got a cheat Harbor Freight chainsaw grinder and I’m going to look into making a fixture to cut nail nicks, as you spoke of. I’m stoked about this method. I just had another thought. Wouldn’t a thick wheel work because the smaller diameter of the dressed angle would only com in contact with the blade, if you cut the nick deeper. Thanks for posting!

[@joecalton1449]

sure you can use a thicker wheel. you would just have to play with the wheel and the dressing angle and a scrap piece of steel until you get the nail nick that you want. a chainsaw grinder could be cool if you could figure out how to mount the blade to be at 90 degrees to the wheel and keep the hinge.

[@jovonntrujillo1143]

Hey mr calton what about long pull for a nail nick? I don’t really like the common nail nicks but really enjoy long pull nail nicks.

[@joecalton1449]

you could do the long nail pulls with this set up. put a couple locator pins in the table so you keep a consistent depth of cut and then just run it back and forth until you get the nick that you want

[@simonnarbett361]

Sorry me again,great video,and definitely not too long.A better watch than any TV rubbish,keep them coming great work.

[@joecalton1449]

Thanks 👍

[@j.snyder4957]

I've been wondering for years how to cut a better nail nick than a straight slot with poorly finished ends using a dremel wheel - I tried it once & it came out ok, but as you say, just doesn't look nearly as nice as a crescent nail nick. I've thought a larger wheel might work, but never took it any further. REALLY appreciate you taking the time to show us how your grinding wheel and arbor system works. Tough part for me will be mounting the blade into a vice as I don't want to take the knife apart - I'll figure that part out. The application I'll be using involves the large frame case #54 trapper - I have a pile of these and can NOT stand the spey blade - the factory nail nick is too far forward to lop off the end & form it into a sheepsfoot or wharncliffe blade - now that I know how to create a proper nail nick, I'll be converting my trappers into sheepsfoot / wharncliffe trappers. Might even take on a few Case mini-trappers. Thanks so much - can't tell you how much I appreciate you posting this video !!!!!

[@joecalton1449]

thanks for the kind words, and I hope that your project goes well :}

[@TheScramble8]

Fantastic, definitely food for thought. Thanks 👍

[@johngilbert974]

Thanks !!!

[@SugarcreekForge]

That is a great trick, Joe! Thanks for sharing that 🙂

[@joecalton1449]

you are welcome, and thanks for your channel and your work! I just used this setup to cut about a dozen nail nicks this week and a couple things im not sure of that made it into the video, and that is some new disks dont cut as nice as an old one. not sure if thats a manufacture thing from the disk maker, or if the disk sort of settles down after you cut normal steel with it for awhile. just something to keep an eye out for if you try it :}

[@SugarcreekForge]

@@joecalton1449 That is really kind of you to say that, Joe. I have a batch of them to make soon, and you can bet I am going to follow your lead. I hope I can meet you in person sometime. I tracked you down on Instagram too 🙂

[@joecalton1449]

@@SugarcreekForge i followed you back on instagram also. we will probably see each other at a knife show or something sooner or later, and have to grab a cup of coffee or something :}

[@SugarcreekForge]

@@joecalton1449 I look forward to that, buddy!

[@This_Old_Man_68]

When you're dressing/sharpening the wheel, reverse how you are sharpening the wheel. Cut the angle downwards and you'll get the cresent shape you're looking for.

[@simonnarbett361]

Great video

[@joecalton1449]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@ralfkessler]

How do you make your bushings for your Blades. Ralph kessler

[@joecalton1449]

the bushings that go into the sides of the handle material instead of bolsters? I made a step cutter on the lathe to make a pocket in the handle material, then drill through the bushing material on the lathe, part it off, and then fit it in the handle and then grind flush.

[@davidparker3346]

this was 3 times longer than needed. get to the point .

[@carmineredd1198]

the point is use a stamp on hot metal prnt.sc/10z4gcv