Solid state processing of hand-held knife blades to improve blade performance

1. A method for creating a metallic blade for a hand-held knife, said method comprising the steps of:

1) providing a high melting temperature metallic workpiece that is to be formed into a hand-held knife blade;

2) providing a friction stir processing tool that includes a higher melting temperature material than the base material on a portion thereof; and

3) friction stir processing at least a portion of the workpiece using the tool to thereby modify characteristics thereof, wherein the friction stir processing includes modifying a microstructure of the workpiece and friction stir mixing diamond particles into the workpiece to produce a friction stir processed region; and

4) forming the blade of the hand-held knife blade from the workpiece, such that a cutting edge of the blade is formed within the friction stir processed region of the workpiece such that the edge will resist fracturing on the edge after repeated impacts thereon while also retaining a shaving sharpness, and wherein the edge will retain these characteristics longer than an edge on a conventional blade unmodified by friction stir processing which exhibits an inverse relationship between impact resistance and toughness in comparison to wear resistance and hardness.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of causing a substantially solid state transformation without passing through a liquid state of the base material.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of providing the high melting temperature base material includes selecting the high melting temperature base material from the group of high melting temperature materials including ferrous alloys, non-ferrous materials, superalloys, titanium, cobalt alloys typically used for hard-facing, and air hardened or high speed steels.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of synthesizing a new material from solid state processing of the workpiece, wherein the new material has characteristics that are advantageous to a hand-held knife blade.

5. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of modifying a macrostructure of the workpiece.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the step of modifying the microstructure includes increasing toughness of the base material.

7. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the step of modifying the microstructure includes increasing or decreasing hardness of the base material.

8. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the step of modifying the microstructure includes increasing or decreasing strength of the workpiece.

9. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the step of modifying the microstructure includes friction stir processing the workpiece to thereby obtain superior edge retention on the hand-held knife blade that is formed therefrom.

10. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the step of modifying the microstructure includes friction stir processing the workpiece to thereby obtain superior resistance to chipping on the hand-held knife blade that is formed therefrom.

11. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of providing the friction stir processing tool further includes the step of providing the friction stir processing tool having a shank, a shoulder and a pin.

12. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the step of providing the friction stir processing tool having a shank, a shoulder and a pin further comprises the step of including a superabrasive material.

13. A method for creating a metallic blade for a hand-held knife, said method comprising the steps of:

1) providing a high melting temperature metallic workpiece that is to be formed into a hand-held knife blade;

2) providing a friction stir processing tool that includes a higher melting temperature material than the base material on a portion thereof, the friction stir processing tool having a shank, a shoulder and a pin;

3) friction stir processing using the tool to thereby modify characteristics thereof using a surface area of the pin to process at least a portion of the surface of the workpiece without plunging the pin into the workpiece; and

4) forming the blade of the hand-held knife blade from the workpiece, such that an edge of the blade is formed in the at least a portion of the workpiece that has been friction stir processed such that the edge will resist fracturing on the edge after repeated impacts thereon while also retaining a shaving sharpness, and wherein the ‘edge will retain these characteristics longer than an edge on a conventional blade that is not modified using friction stir processing.

14. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of providing the friction stir processing tool further includes the step of providing the friction stir processing tool having a shank and a shoulder.

15. The method as defined in claim 13 wherein the method further comprises the step of causing a substantially solid state transformation without passing though a liquid state of the base material.

16. The method as defined in claim 13 wherein the step of providing the high melting temperature base material includes selecting the high melting temperature base material from the group of high melting temperature materials including ferrous alloys, non-ferrous materials, superalloys, titanium, cobalt alloys typically used for hard-facing, and air hardened or high speed steels.

17. The method as defined in claim 13 wherein the method further comprises the step of synthesizing a new material from solid state processing of the workpiece, wherein the new material has characteristics that are advantageous to a hand-held knife blade.

18. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein friction stir mixing diamond particles into the workpiece to produce a friction stir processed region further comprises mixing carbide powder into the workpiece.