#2. It developes LOTS of static electricity!
I'm making my first file knife and have the basic shape done. I went down the mountain to Boise today and picked up some polishing sticks. Came home and went to work. Didn't take me long to figure out those two items! Yikes!
After I got the hang of things, it went much better. I'm going to laminate the slabs together and take a band saw to them and rough cut finger grooves in them and screw a piece of 1 1/4" brass round stock on the end and shape it into a pommel. After getting the handle finished, I'll slip the blade back in, fasten it with epoxy and three cutlery rivets and do the finish sanding and polishing.
Of course, this will all be done after the final hardening and anealing. This is one heck of an adventure....and my first. Fun stuff.
