$0.75 Start to finish bushcraft knife in less time then it takes to get a pizza.

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This was my first knife. I made the handle and pin materials. I heat treated it in a small forge that I built.

VUNq1QY.jpg


The tang is tapered and it has white liners.

I used a hf 1x30, files and lots of sandpaper. Took far longer than most makers take to make 10 knives, but though it's not perfect, I tried to keep quality a priority. It has held a fantastic edge. 1084 really surprised me as I thought it would be a fair bit lower in edge retention than 1095,but I haven't seen any significant difference. The edge is super acute. Can't baton with it though! ;)
 
Very nice job on the knife it turned out awesome how did you make the handle material? epoxy?

I know I am probably not the best at testing knives first one I have made so I did my best. I do not say you should batton with a knife but its what everyone seams to use a benchmark. I made a quick video earlier testing the knife so far. If you feel like checking it out. I actually tried to hurt it and anyone doing more then that in the woods deserves a medal I think I went overkill and next one I do is going to be thinner. I still have work to do on the handle once I figure out what I want to do with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYOl8nGNkMk
 
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Thanks, it's just burlap, dye and resin. My only point was that you can turn out good work for little investment, just takes some time and tenacity.

A lot of bushcraft knives are 1/8"-5/32". If I can break 1/8" I'm doing it wrong. I like to play with knives on the rare occasions when I can break away from town. I have a beater 1/4" survival type knife and it's fun, but far from practical.

Whatever happens, enjoy your craft. Doesn't matter if anyone besides you is happy with the results. :)
 
You are giving me ideas for what I can do with the file knife do you think if I made resin scales for the side I could turn the knife itself into the mold so the resin could harden into the seams of the file itself so I could keep the texture under it? Possibly put BBB on the file itself and then resin coat the side so it would show through it. I like the way you did yours love the burlap great use of materials.
 
Hankins said:
Inquiring minds want to know: Brian what steel would you suggest in the 1/16" - 3/32" thick range?
Would be helpful to all I'm certain.
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A2, O1, 52100, 1095, 15N20, who cares, pick one. Forget about heat treating it yourself. You have more important things, like ergonomics and geometry to worry about first.

Any known blade steel is going to make a decent knife, given proper heat treat and geometry.

Personally, I like all the steels I listed. I've been using A2 and 52100 most though. CPM20CV or S35VN for stainless.
 
Brian.Evans said:
A2, O1, 52100, 1095, 15N20, who cares, pick one. Forget about heat treating it yourself. You have more important things, like ergonomics and geometry to worry about first.

Any known blade steel is going to make a decent knife, given proper heat treat and geometry.

Personally, I like all the steels I listed. I've been using A2 and 52100 most though. CPM20CV or S35VN for stainless.
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Hello. Brian,
How are you doing? I agree that CPM-S35VN is an excellent stainless steel I use it on several of my culinary & camp/Hunters.

Another stainless that I would suggest for our restricted budget new friend BBB is good ole 440C Great for learning how to grind and low cost along with everyone that Heat Treats stainless can do it. Some of my current 7-11" chef knives are in 440C and chefs love the corrosion resistance along with the slightly toothy edge that can keep cutting those meats & vegetables etc..
 
Eh, I dunno man. I just make mine like anyone else, mix the resin & dye then soak the burlap (or denim, whatever) and press it between plates in the vise. I'm sure what you are asking about could be done, but it is probably biting off more than you can chew. Maybe something like clear bar-top resin would work to dome the tang, but for now I'd just spend the time learning about steel, heat treat (I don't see any reason why you can't do eutectoid steel eg 1080/1084 yourself), geometry, sharpening, handle design and every other million things there are to learn.

No reason why you can't make your own handle materials, in fact, I always encourage trying things for yourself, but probably best to keep it separate from your knife grinding and design for now.

Good luck brother. So much to learn (of which I know relatively little), but it's a really fun thing to concern yourself with. Just don't start playing with leather! That's a whole different ball of wax! ;)
 
I was thinking of doing stainless blades if I were to suggest actually buying materials for knife making. Is it any different to work with besides not rusting? Any more heat issues I would have to deal with? Do I leave all knives dull before heat treating? Sorry for asking questions still looking through the information Count posted in my off time.
 
My file blade is done. I shaped the whole blade on my emery wheel and will finish with 320 w/d SP.
The handle will be wrapped in twine and epoxy soaked.
Pix will come asap.
Thanks, bigboy.
rolf
 
Awesome thats an excelent idea as well I have epoxy here and was thinking of cutting the handle down removing the ruff edges and wrapping paracord around it and then dunking it in resin and letting it harden. I am glad I can inspire at least one person to give it a shot I did my job then :)
 
Unless you want an ugly and uncomfortable handle, don't wrap with paracord and dunk in epoxy.

To do a paracord wrap, do the wrap style you want ( re-wrap it several times if needed until it is right), and when it is good, clamp the blade in a vise or tape to a board with the handle sticking out. Mix up some slow set epoxy...not 5 minute stuff.... and use a flux brush to brush it on lightly. It will soak in as it is applied. When the surface just starts to look slightly "wet", wrap the handle in an old tee shirt or towel and squeeze hard. Unwrap, re-wrap, and squeeze again. Unwrap and check that all is right. If it still looks too wet, wrap and squeeze again. Let it cure for 24 hours, but check in about 5-10 minutes for any drips. The wet epoxy look will disappear almost immediately, but don't apply more. When fully cured a day later, the handle will look like plain paracord, but be firm and solid.

The BF search engine will give you lots of info on paracord wrapping and many really nice styles.
https://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=011197018607028182644:qfobr3dlcra
 
Awesome thank you for the info I need to bring the handle part of this down width wise before I worry about wrapping it and it would be after heat treat.
 
bigboysbushcraft said:
I was thinking of doing stainless blades if I were to suggest actually buying materials for knife making. Is it any different to work with besides not rusting? Any more heat issues I would have to deal with? Do I leave all knives dull before heat treating? Sorry for asking questions still looking through the information Count posted in my off time.
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You will have to send stainless off for heat treat as it requires specific controls and I believe cryo. I've done several in stainless. Very easy to work with pre heat treat. I took my all the way to a nearly ready to sharpen edge. After heat treat, they just needed to scale removal and sharpening.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
The wet epoxy look will disappear almost immediately, but don't apply more. When fully cured a day later, the handle will look like plain paracord, but be firm and solid.

The BF search engine will give you lots of info on paracord wrapping and many really nice styles.
https://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=011197018607028182644:qfobr3dlcra
Click to expand...

I needed the buildup for these throwing knives.....mixed, dunked the cord in and wrapped with gloves on....This is Pop's 30 minute cure Epoxy....one with the handle to the right is my first attempt, the other is the last....I did five of them:
rs7fa0.jpg

We were out in the middle of the desert, and I was teaching beginners.....the brighter and more idiot proof the knife, the better the chance of recovering "mis" throws.
Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Those look awesome yeah that is what I tell people about lighters in the woods not a bright idea to carry a black green or brown lighter into the woods. Some people think its cool to have a camo lighter till they lose it lol.
 
Okey figured out my main issue with the knife besides lack of knowledge. I never annealed the file at all it was still rock hard which also explains why it was hard to work with and did not bend. I annealed the handle portion of the knife and I am now working on shaping it. I am probably going to do a hardwood handle pinned on it.
SUNP0099.jpg
 
Grinding 440C CPM-154stainless has a different feel that most carbon steels. Stainless has an added abrasive resistance along with the corrosion resistance that comes with the addition of Chromium and other elements..

It will also be a little harder to sharpen and on the same note the edge will last longer.

I make mostly culinary and the majority of my customers prefer a stainless steel. Also my little shop in about three blocks from the ocean and when I started making knives I could literally watch the O1 and 1095 rust while I worked on it with the salt air blowing down the alley and into my shop. It made a Stainless devote out of me pretty quick!

Others prefer to use carbon steels that don't have the added Chromium for a variety of reasons.

Each to his own!

You can send any knife grade air hardening stainless steel to the folks at Buck knives.
I have used them for years. Read down at the bottom of this link.
http://www.buckknives.com/about/the-people-behind-buck/?event=bio.paulBos

Their consistency & dedication to the art/science of heat treating knives is unrivaled IMHO.

They will HT one blade for you too.
 
You would be surprised at how the cord feels with the method I gave. It will be a solid as the thrower handles shown...just much better looking. The epoxy fills the cord pores and spaces, but does not "coat" it. The result is a solid as rock handle. The grip is excellent, as there is no resin coating to make it slippery, and the spacing between the wraps is deeper.
 
Think I should just round the edges of the handle and smooth it out to be more comfortable and wrap it? I was thinking of doing that because it is about the right size and just does not need to be much thicker.
 
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