Thank you for the reply. I understand that for my first project it was bad but I did say I used the hole thing as a learning tool. Something to mess with as I have never done anything like this before. And as I said the wood was just to learn from to. It was something I had at hand when I decided to make a handle and sheath. Yes it is a hunk of junk and not even in the same universe as anything in this forum understood. But yes I do want to learn. As far as the blade. If one was to look past the BIG mess up by the handle the blade shape is not bad for a first. Most of the shape in the upper blade was done with a file and sandpaper. And still not finished but like I said it was all just something to learn from as I had no books on the subject and at the time had no computer to get information from. I had hoped to make a good one in the future. But originaly I wanted to get a design or an idea for the steal I have now and try to make a good knife or sword with the material I have. Thank you for the reply. John
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Advice on making a blade sword or knife.
- Thread starter johnggrg
- Start date
Did you heat treat it?? Anyway I like the scabbard, at least your trying and you should learn a few things from this project. I am working on a double edged sword(21-22" blade, 5160) I have only used a file and angle grinder so far(forged to rough shape), and done all the finishing by hand. by the end of the week I should have something to photograph. I'ts pritty rough, and I struggled big time with the whole double edged thing.
as a newb myself, I have always wanted to do bigger blades, and I think I am slowly getting away from that and into more practical blades that I can actually use and carry.
as a newb myself, I have always wanted to do bigger blades, and I think I am slowly getting away from that and into more practical blades that I can actually use and carry.
John0270 thanks for the reply. No I didn't heat treat it. Don't really know how. Like I said it was all just to learn from. What to do and what not to do. The handle and sheath I used what I had on hand at the time. I like the handle but not the sheath. Handle is really tuff but I was told I used the wrong wood for that? Like I had said it was just to kearn from. It was only my second blade that I had made and well the first one really isn't worth talking about so you could say it was my first. As for the carving work it was my first time even trying to carve anything other then my name in a tree. But now I would like to learn more and for my next project try and make a real blade the right way. I had thought of trying the two sided blade but now I think I will just make a knife blade instead. Post some pics of yours when you can it would be nice to see. Thanks again. John
You are trying to fly before you can crawl. Making a double edged sword or dagger is a pretty advanced project and pulling it off so it looks half decent and is usable as a knife requires alot of basic as well as advanced knowledge and skills that you dont have at this point.
You have alot of reading to do before you attempt your next knife. Read the sticky labeled "newbies good info here" at the top of the forum as already suggested, thats a good starting point but by no means the end of your quest for knowledge. Read thru the threads in the bladesmith questions and answers area, the questions you are going to ask have probably been asked 100 times before. If you get stumpped and can't find the answer then by all means ask, there are alot of people here that are more than willing to help and you will find they are alot more willing to help if you do some research before hand.
There is a whole lot more to making a knife than shaping a piece of steel to resemble one. One of the more important steps you missed was heat treating the blade. Without the heat treating, you might just have well used an old chunk of plain flat bar, you ended up with the same properties in the steel. Any knife you make without the blade being heat treated will be weak and not hold an edge.
I'm not trying to shoot you down or discourage you from making knives, quite the contrary. If you want to make knives put in the time and effort to do it and end up with a usable product for your effort. An ugly knife that is properly heat treated is still a usable knife. A pretty knife that isn't heat treated is not very useful at all other than a wall hanger.
Your first efforts should be a 2-4 inch knife. Concentrate on proper design, heat treating, edge geometry, fit, and finish. Complete the knife 100% and then move on to the next one. One you have smaller knives mastered, then move up in size, maybe a small hunter or bowie.
It is much easier to learn on small blades than large ones. If you screw up a 2 inch blade and have 2 days into it filing and sanding it's alot less discouraging to junk it than if you have a 36 in katana that youve had to file and sand for weeks to get to the same point where you screwed up.
Good luck and happy reading.
Brad
www.andersonknives.ca
You have alot of reading to do before you attempt your next knife. Read the sticky labeled "newbies good info here" at the top of the forum as already suggested, thats a good starting point but by no means the end of your quest for knowledge. Read thru the threads in the bladesmith questions and answers area, the questions you are going to ask have probably been asked 100 times before. If you get stumpped and can't find the answer then by all means ask, there are alot of people here that are more than willing to help and you will find they are alot more willing to help if you do some research before hand.
There is a whole lot more to making a knife than shaping a piece of steel to resemble one. One of the more important steps you missed was heat treating the blade. Without the heat treating, you might just have well used an old chunk of plain flat bar, you ended up with the same properties in the steel. Any knife you make without the blade being heat treated will be weak and not hold an edge.
I'm not trying to shoot you down or discourage you from making knives, quite the contrary. If you want to make knives put in the time and effort to do it and end up with a usable product for your effort. An ugly knife that is properly heat treated is still a usable knife. A pretty knife that isn't heat treated is not very useful at all other than a wall hanger.
Your first efforts should be a 2-4 inch knife. Concentrate on proper design, heat treating, edge geometry, fit, and finish. Complete the knife 100% and then move on to the next one. One you have smaller knives mastered, then move up in size, maybe a small hunter or bowie.
It is much easier to learn on small blades than large ones. If you screw up a 2 inch blade and have 2 days into it filing and sanding it's alot less discouraging to junk it than if you have a 36 in katana that youve had to file and sand for weeks to get to the same point where you screwed up.
Good luck and happy reading.
Brad
www.andersonknives.ca
Teknition thanks for the reply. All I have been doing since I found this forum is read read read. I am glad I found it. Like I had said it was only a couple days ago I found the forum. Now I can't seem to stop reading it. I did learn alot from the last project. What to do and not to do as far as material removal. Now I am going to keep reading and give it some time before I start again. But I don't want to learn this craft to make money some day. I just want to learn it for myself. I have always thought it was an art more then a craft. I will admit some of the terms used in the tuterials are unfamiliar to me so I find myself reading them twice. One of the links didn't work. the one to find a knife maker in your area. I didn't see one on starting a project to finishing a project unless I missed it. I thought one that would start as a blank and move forward to cutting out the design to finishing it would be nice. Like I said maybe I missed it. But I am not going anywhere so I will keep reading hope to learn more as time goes by. I was hoping to find a use for the stock I have as a future project. A design for it I should say. But I don't think that is going to happen here. Thanks for the input. I will keep reading but if you have any particular tuterials you think would help more then others please let me know. Forging is not going to happen any time in the near future or milling. File and sanding seem to be the tools I will end up using for now. Thanks again. John
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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John,
On your first several knives, use files and sandpaper. Forging and power grinding are good, but you first need to learn the shaping skills slowly.
Draw out your knife project on cardboard or thin wood. Cut it out and see how it feels in the hand. Change it as much as is needed to get it right. When you have a template that you like, use it to mark the steel for the actual blade. Cut the excess steel away with a hacksaw ( preferably a high tension hand held hacksaw - $25) and then use a mill bastard file to shape the profile. Mark where the plunge line will be, and start the filing about 1/4" from that spot ( it will creep up the blade as you file). Rough shape the bevels, and then refine then with a smoother file. Don't let the edge get any thinner than the thickness of a nickel. After all the filing is done, switch to sandpaper with a hardwood block backing it. Sand the blade with 100 grit wet-or-dry, then 220 grit, then 400 grit. Once the blade is scratch free and done to 400 grit it is time for heat treating the blade to make it hard. Get with someone to do it for you, or send it to a heat treater company.
That should get you started.
Stacy
On your first several knives, use files and sandpaper. Forging and power grinding are good, but you first need to learn the shaping skills slowly.
Draw out your knife project on cardboard or thin wood. Cut it out and see how it feels in the hand. Change it as much as is needed to get it right. When you have a template that you like, use it to mark the steel for the actual blade. Cut the excess steel away with a hacksaw ( preferably a high tension hand held hacksaw - $25) and then use a mill bastard file to shape the profile. Mark where the plunge line will be, and start the filing about 1/4" from that spot ( it will creep up the blade as you file). Rough shape the bevels, and then refine then with a smoother file. Don't let the edge get any thinner than the thickness of a nickel. After all the filing is done, switch to sandpaper with a hardwood block backing it. Sand the blade with 100 grit wet-or-dry, then 220 grit, then 400 grit. Once the blade is scratch free and done to 400 grit it is time for heat treating the blade to make it hard. Get with someone to do it for you, or send it to a heat treater company.
That should get you started.
Stacy
Stacy thank you for the information. I planned on sticking to the file and paper for now anyway. I have been reading the sticky for newbs there are a few links in there that don't work and alot on forging but alot of other information thats good to. Just didn't find but one that took you threw the steps of a knife being made except one "the 60 minute knife". Not that I would want to make one that quick but it was a step by step article and that was a nice read. Wish there was more like that. Maybe a step by step on differant knifes. But thanks again for the information it is much apreciated.
john0270. That really looks nice. I think I will stick to a one sided blade until I get better. But a two sided blade is comming down the road I hope. Thank you for sharing your work and taking the time to post some pictures I like it. John
john0270. That really looks nice. I think I will stick to a one sided blade until I get better. But a two sided blade is comming down the road I hope. Thank you for sharing your work and taking the time to post some pictures I like it. John
John,
Keep looking thru these threads. Your hidden treasure is in here hiding, waiting for you to discover it.... like this thread you haven't found yet.........
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=658617
Nothing comes to mind at the moment as far as complete tutorials, but they ARE out there. Look for WIP or Work In Progress threads.
Brad
www.andersonknives.ca
Keep looking thru these threads. Your hidden treasure is in here hiding, waiting for you to discover it.... like this thread you haven't found yet.........
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=658617
Nothing comes to mind at the moment as far as complete tutorials, but they ARE out there. Look for WIP or Work In Progress threads.
Brad
www.andersonknives.ca