Actually the word stainless must have been a marketing tool originally used to sell the first tools and knives made from them ( other than industrial applications) because many steels which are  technically stainless will still rust in salt water. However, most stainless steels do a good job in water other than salt water.
So, what makes a regular carbon steel which is 98+% Iron(Fe) and highly prone to rust, stainless.

In a few words it is the addition of an element called Chromium(Cr). I have never seen pure chromium, but I was once told by an electroplater that the chrome plating we all have on our vehicles is actually an electroplate coating of copper(Cu), followed by a shiny silvery metal called
nickel (Ni), covered by another electroplate coating of chrome. According to him, chrome is a clear coat, put on as a top coating because of its tremendous hardness and see thru colorless aspect. It's like a clearcoat paint coating on many automobiles.
You might ask how much chrome do we have to put in the mix to get a stainless steel. The accepted percentage is 13%, minimum. This amount was no doubt arrived at by much experimentation and testing, and we will learn that all the other elements that go into steel today to make all the various specialty steels were also arrived at by just plain hard work on the part of metallurgists.
It is also important to note that the Chromium doesn't just make the steel rust resistant, it also acts as a hardening agent by forming carbides with some of the carbon present in the steel matrix. These hardening agents are what give blade steels their edge holding ability..Other elements also form these carbides, and they all help to make the steel superior in edge holding and other aspects.

Some tool steels, like D2, come close to being stainless. In D2's case, it has about 12% Cr, and that 1% difference between 12 and 13% sure makes a difference. D2 will rust! You might well say, "why not just add some more Chromium and cover your bases". The answer to that question is probably best answered by a metallurgist, but I can take a stab at it and say that a small change in % of any of the alloying elements can make a big difference in properties and performance, and adding more in this case may degrade the purpose of the steel.

Someday I will try to publish a composite table of all the steels I can find along with all the alloying elements present, and their percentages. These tables are available now from several sources, and my job would be to combine them into one complete table. I bring this up because, when you see this table, you will marvel at the strange percentages (some well less than 1%) of some of the alloying elements, and the sheer number of them that are in some steels. It's actually more complicated than that, because some alloying elements actually enhance others that are already present!
We have come a long way from the first stainless steels which were noted for their "mushiness, poor workability, and poor edge holding ability. There are many stainless steels now with series names like 300 or 400 and others, all with specific formulations to perform well at specific tasks..

One of the most popular stainless steels for knife building in the past, and still used, is 440C. It has an astounding 18% chromium along with a few other alloy elements. It is a "high" carbon steel in its own right, and has more than enough chrome to make the stainless classification. It holds an edge well and can be used in salt water if rinsed off at the end of the day. I notice that some manufacturers still make these knives for us as boat or dive knives.

I will close by saying that the quest for the perfect knife steel is still going on, but has come much closer to reality these past few years, and that will be the topic for another discussion.

Dr. K.

For many years I believed that you started with a coarse or medium sharpening stone and then proceeded towards the finer stones until you had a razor edge. I faithfully used 4 different stones in many cases, culminating with an utra fine diamond pad or black hard arkansas stone.

However, I noticed I had a problem. The blade edge would be razor sharp, would cut paper like a straight razor, but it wouldn't really cut anything substantial like it did when it came from the factory. I sat down one day and pondered the problem and came to a strange conclusion. namely that I might actually be sharpening the edge too sharp and smooth.

Time passed, with me still wondering what to do about my apparent lack of sharpening prowess, until something happened that made the solution to my sharpening problem jump out at me.  I bought a knife. Not just any knife, but a David Boye dendritic cobalt boat knife. This knife is special in its own right, but what was really special to me were the sharpening instructions and explanation that came with the knife.

In his simple intructions he mentioned just using a medium stone to sharpen the knife, but his explanation of why to use only a medium stone was what turned on the lights. You have to understand that David Boye is concerned with crystal structure and alignment of cutting carbides. That is why he uses special alloys and casts all his blades (as far as I know). He is looking for a lot of sharp "micro teeth" that will all line up at the edge and do the cutting/ripping at a microscopic level.

He came to the same conclusion I had-that you could oversharpen a knife edge to the point that the carbides couldn't do their job because( in my words) the teeth were all smeared too close together from oversharpening. This was a breaktrough for me. It all made sense then, especially if you hold a brand new and sharp factory knife to the light and rotate it to see the fine grind and sharpening lines of a really well done edge that you know works. You will see all the ridges go right to the edge to form mini teeth.That also explains why I have felt the edge of a some new knives and didn't think they were too sharp, but they still cut extremely well.

What does this all mean? Well, I would recommend that you try using just a medium stone as your final stone on your next sharpening effort. And, don't drag the blade laterally across the stone. Keep the portion of the edge being sharpened perpendicular to the direction of travel down the stone. I guess this would tend to negate the use of ceramic rods for heavier cutting applications, and I'm sure I'll hear about this, but this is effectively what the factories do when they sharpen a new knife in my opinion.

Dr. K.

Now that I look back I realize I had no business buying blacked out, fixed blade combat knives or some of the bone handled hunting knives I acquired. I am neither a hunter nor a military man, and they weren't really of use for what I eventually decided was my passion in knives, which you will learn below. As a result I own more than a few knives which I should trade or sell outright. Many of these knives were quality pieces, with nice sheaths, but for me personally, that doesn't do it.
I understand know that I should have been smart enough to take a little time after the first few purchases and carefully consider where I was going with my mounting collection. What I would like to present below are a few thoughts you may wish to consider before buying your next knife.
First of all, no matter what type of hardware you choose to collect, don't buy because of cheap prices. I found this out very early. The knives looked good in the pictures, but when I opened the box I usually got a crudely made knife with ill fitting scales, rough action, and cheap steel that wouldn't take a good edge, let along hold it. In reality I had just purchased a hugely expensive knife because it was useless for cutting or display purposes or anything else.
Second, sit down and consider what you really like in knives. Is it the visual appeal, the mechanism, the blade and handle material, the style, the size, the possibility for customizing, the intended usage, the collector value, the brand name or maker, the historical value, or a combination of several things.  Sometimes you have to buy a knife for a given reason and then carry it or display it for awhile to see if it stands the old test of time. In other words after a few weeks of ownership does it still appeal to you and would you still buy it if you didn't already have it. This can be a little costly, but you should learn quickly what you do and don't like.
 I have read the average purchased knife only lasts two (2) years. That is amazing, but it it's true, they certainly haven't talked to me or seen my collection. True, I have lost a few folders many years ago to various seats and sofas somewhere, but the vast majority of my knives are still around and in good condition. Some I just display, some I use, and some I do both. A fellow collector once told me he pulls one knife per week from his collection to carry, and then goes back and gets another. (I liked that concept when I first heard it, and have roughly adopted the procedure as my own since.)  In other words you should expect to have your knives for a long time, so you should buy something that will please you to carry over and over.
Thirdly, this brings up the question of buying expensive knives. Obviously when something is expensive for a collector, he considers it a little longer than he normally would before buying, but maybe for the wrong reasons. I have a David Yellowhorse 3 blade folder with all kinds of etchings, an inlay, and a dynamite wood and glass display case that came with it. For me it was the most expensive knife I had ever purchased at the time. I used to get it out of the case and actually carry it, but then several years later when I saw what it was now selling for, I quietly cleaned it and put it back in the case. where it has remained. I can no longer bring myself to use it because of its worth. I mention this because I think it should be one of the big considerations on any expensive knife purchase.  Consider carefully what you intend to do with this knife. If it's for appreciation and display, fine, but if you had thoughts of actually using it, you better make sure you can justify it to yourself after the box is opened. Again, know what you are buying a knife for.
Fourth, read a little about the knife you have your eye on before you buy. Are there any reviews? What do different purveyors have to say, and what are their prices and service policies for customers. What is the reputation of the company or maker?. What about the blade steel?
Fifth(and last), if you're like me, you have multiple reasons for buying a knife. If so, try to maximize the number of reasons in a single knife purchase. In my case, I love it when I find a knife that has great blade steel, possibility of customizing( I make custom handles as a hobby), a strange and exotic mechanism, and uncommon handle and liner material! .It doesn't get any better than that for me.
I hope these thoughts at least cause you, the buyer, to pause and take a second breath before taking the plunge on a new piece of steel.

Dr. K

We go to Phoenix on a regular basis to visit our grandchildren, and usually end up on I-40 at least part of the way, which is a stretch from Albuquerque.,New Mexico to Holbrook, Arizona. We are usually traveling at 75mph as we go over the border from Nm to Az, but this time we actually were stopping at some of the indian trading posts. Just as we were cruising over the border into Az., there it was- a big yellow colored sign I hadn't noticed before- "Yellowhorse Trading Post". And under that, a small sign saying "David Yellowhorse knives".. Wow! I yanked the car onto the off ramp and there we were. There were several different trading posts all sharing space underneath a huge monolitic piece of red sandstone, with a huge painted scene on the rock. It was an amazing site, and I knew we had to be on Navajo land, because that would never be allowed otherwise.

I walked into the trading post and couldn't contain myself. I immediately asked if this was where David Yellowhorse worked, and the lady said "yes, would you like me to go get him?" I didn't know what to say for a moment, but recovered and said "sure". A few moments later a man in his late 40s or mid 50s came out from a back door and I knew who it was instantly. I told him I owned one of his knives and made a few myself and then to my utter amazement, in his soft spoken voice, he invited me into his shop. It was surreal for me, but moments later I was in a mobile trailer walking past two indian women working on two grinding/polishing machines that had rubber-like wheels cooled by water. I looked over and saw two trays of identical and spectacular knives, with the middle portions open, and ready to accept the final triangular pieces each of the girls was working on. We both started talking and I showed him a few of my custom knives I had in my pocket and then he asked me if I wanted to see a shipment of completed knives that was ready to go out that day. To see 5 trays of finished custom knifes, each tray different, was an experience I will never forget. I stood staring and then finally came to my senses and told him I would take one of each. He politely told me all his production was spoken for well into the future, that's why there were no knives for sale at the front counter. I laughed and said I had guessed that was the case.

We had been walking past some equipment when I came upon a small work bench which had what I had come to learn about and see---pieces of desert ironwood and pieces of silver and nickel silver. I stopped and finally blurted out, "how do you do this" as I pickd up a finished piiece of inlaid ironwood.. I expected a polite statement about proprietary secrets, but to my utter amazement, he said "Sure, here's what I do." A half hour later I felt like Knig Kong. I could do this! I promised him I would only use his technique for my own use and gifts for my friends, but he really never asked me to make that promise.

I suddenly realized I had taken almost an hour of this busy man's time, so I thanked him profusely and said my goodbyes. Here was a quiet and gentle man who was an expert in his craft, and yet he had taken time to talk to a stranger and provide him with invaluable knowledge, at no charge.

And to top it off, as I was walking out the door he sais. "Come back anytime." That blew me away and I mentally vowed to do something for him for the knidness he had shown me, but that's another story.

Dr. K

Future blogs will cover what equipment to get, where to purchase handle materials and fasteners, and above how how to do it. When I see the same knive advertised with different handle materials and look at the price differential between the materials, I just chuckle because I know what the "expenive" handle material costs, and it is surprising cheap. Once you get started you will quickly realize the possibilities.

Dr. K

Dremel miniature drill/sander/cutter- This has got to be one of the handiest tools around the home ever invented. Dremel is the name brand, and of course there are cheaper copies, but I like the multi speed Dremel because it is obviously well built and parts/accessories are available at most hardware and  home improvement stores. This tool has sanding drums in two sizes, diamond bits, cutting saw wheels, buffing attachments, and various other bits. It is small yet powerful and is just right for many knife handle finishing jobs. You can even get a drill press and router attachment for it, or a 3-4 foot cable extension. The extension allows you to hang the motor overhead and just work with the light cable and bit.

Jeweler's Saw and Dop - These, along with the Optivisor are found, I am certain, at thousands of jewelry workbenches around the world. The saw costs around $15 and is U shaped. The height of the U is about 5” and the length of the blades around that. The blades are extremely small and come in various tooth sizes. These saw blades are a marvel. They cut wood, recon stone, shell, and most metals. They are inexpensive, but you have to learn to use them so you don’t constantly break them. They attach to the saw with friction clamps and the whole frame slides with a friction clamp also. The dop ( I think that is the right name) is a very inexpensive and simple device made from plastic and hard fiber board. It has two identical pieces, hinged in the middle, with one end flat and the other round. It is basically a soft clamp, and holds a piece of work in either end by inserting the plastic wedge in the other end, causing a clamping action. This tool will save your fingers for sure and allows for many operations like sawing and sanding to be done by holding it in one hand and using a tool on the item at the other end.

Adhesives-There are basically two types of adhesives I use. My main adhesive is the Devcon 2 Ton, 30 minute,  2 part epoxy that mixes one to one. It is tough and  strong and you can get it in large plastic bottles or a two tube  push applicator.  There are variations of the basic 30 mintue working time 2 Ton blend, but you usually sacrifice some strength for setup speed. I also use Superglue sometimes for special applications and inlaying setup, but I like the epoxy because it fills all the spaces underneath or alongside adjacent pieces of handle and that keeps water and rust from becoming a problem later. If you make a custom handle for display only, the superglue has advantages in speed. Devcon and Superglue are cheap at wal-Mart.

Power sanding belt- I bought a $69, 4" x36" belt sander with a side disc attachement. This was a cheap version of some more expensive euipment, but I have used it for years so far, without any problems. It is great for rough finishing the ends of pieces sticking out in all directions that I invariably end up with when I glue everything together. It also does a fast job of getting all the pieces to be one flat surface. The only problem is oversanding and gouging parts you didn't wish to sand, so watch when  you get within 1/8" of where you want to be.
Granite block- If someone had told me I needed this when I first started, I would have looked at him a little strangely. However, it has turned out to be invaluable.. I bought a roughly 1 ft square by 4" deep chucnk that  had been surface milled to a fine tolerance. Granite is very dimensionally stable and is used for all kinds of machining applications, so it is a natural here also. It proivides a hard surface for pounding, a smooth surface for sanding pieces, and a nice surface for mixing epoxy. I paid $29 for mine from an internet tool catalog.  If you have some heavy smooth piece of steel or other material, use it by all means, but granite is still the best in my opinion.

Power buffer- You can always finish your knives by hand, but having a buffer helps. I have seen very inexpensive buffers at internet and local tool stores, but you can make your own also. I did that very thing by using two pillow bearing blocks I had, and old pulley, a piece of steel shaft, and an old washing machine motor and belt. Works great and I have multiple buffing wheels all on one shaft. There are various tapered and bolted attachments you can buy to fasten the bufiing wheels.
Vise with rubber plates- very handy for when you are using the  Dremel freehand. You can hold the Dremel with both hands then and not slip. I also use it for holding the knife when applying the handle material and epoxy in some cases.
Small steel ball hammer and files--These everyday tools help flatten metal spacers that I cut and use on my handles from big sheets. I buy brass, nickel silver, copper, and stainless sheets because they are so cheap that way, but I then have to use tin snips to cut rough pieces and pound/file them flat on the granite block..

Masking tape- You must mask off your knife before doing anything with it for two reasons. The obvious one is safety from being cut or pierced by the blade, and also to keep epoxy from flowing to where it shouldn't be. It is time consuming and hard to remove epoxy that has flowed thru some hole or around a corner. I ALWAYS mask the whole knife to the point that only the surface being worked on is exposed. This includes the opposite side handle area and the cavity for the blade. If there are holes from the handle surface to the interior, you must stuff tape of tissue into the  area to stop the epoxy flow. I have found thru long experience that when you are fitting the pieces of handle, epoxy gets all over the knife. It's so much easier to mask the knife first and then leave the masking off until it must be removed for some operation. SOmetimes I strip off the epoxy after I have sanded the applied material to almost finished  status, and  then hand sand to final dimensions. I then reapply tape fo some areas when I am buffing.
Cotton swabs/ small sticks, small pieces of wire, etc. - When you mix the epoxy you need some kind of small stick to mix and apply the epoxy, and you also need some small tool to push and align the pieces you have applied to the knife to get them aligned and centered.

Roll of paper towels neatly separated into a pile and Acetone- Working with epoxy is sometimes messy until you develop a routine. My routine is to have everything I need very handy and to clean up as soon as possible. I always need paper towels to wipe dripping epoxy and clean the granite, and acetone to get the epoxy off completely from where I have mixed it. My waste basket is right there also to drop the paper towels into.
Sandpaper – You will eventually go thru a lot of this.  I use, in addition to the power sander, 100,220,400, and 600 paper. The 600 is wet/dry and is the last step for me before buffing usually.
Safety equipment- You need these items!!  A pair of clear plastic safety glasses, and a simple sanding mask are inexpensive and save trips to the eye doctor and maybe eventually a medical doctor. Several woods are toxic when sanded, notable among them being cocobolo and desert ironwood, but there are others. It’s simply not worth it to not use a mask when power sanding for sure. There are also leather finger protectors that I should probably buy for use with the power sander, but haven’t yet.

I’ve probably missed something that I’ll remember after I post, but I will mention it in the future if I do. Again. many of these items are already around your workshop or are well worth having in any case. If you always cut your pieces close to final sizing you can delete the power sander, and  you can probably get by without the Dremel, but they make life easier.
Making custom knife handles is a lifelong hobby that can be pursued long after other hobbies have been abandoned, and the older you get, the better you get!  And even being in a wheelchair doesn’t hamper the effort.

Dr. K

Jantz Supply  –Knifemaking.com for a solid selection of knifemaking tools, recon stone, knife kits, and exotic woods, along with a huge selection of stabilized/laminated Dymondwood slabs.
Mother of Pearl Co – motherofpearl.net for everything you can think of related to shells, along with some exotic skins.
Masecraft Supply Company - masecraftsupply.com for the best selection of recon stone. anywhere.
Eline Merchandising - elinemerchandising.com for the best price on knives anywhere.

The Rio Grande Company - riogrande.com –This company is a huge supplier to the jewelry trade and is strategically located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The have three separate catalogs;
Gems and Findings, Display, and Tools which cover everything you could ever imagine or need if you were a jeweler. Of interest to us is their extensive stock of metal sheet and strips. You can get stainless steel, copper, gold, silver, and nickel silver in all kinds of sizes and thickness. If you are going to inlay semi-precious or precious stones into your handles they have every known stone on the planet, both real and synthetic, including diamonds and emeralds. They also have items I have never seen before, but which could be used for handle material. It’s mind boggling.

I buy sterling silver wire and sheet from them for spacers and inlays, and sometime copper and stainless and nickel silver sheets which I cut to suit. The word Findings includes this sheet and strip listings, so get the Gems and Findings catalog, or order direct online. You might also wish to purchase tools like the Optivisor or dop or some machinery. They have it all, including lapidary equipment.

Dr. K