How Hard to ReWork an Old Hickory Knife??

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Nalapombu

Joined
Oct 26, 2001
Messages
303
Hey all,

Not long ago I seen a pretty nice looking hunting knife and found out that it started life as an Old Hickory Butcher knife that the maker had reworked and put a new handle on. I was impressed at how it turned out. Naturally it got me thinking.

I have always wanted to try and make a knife or 2, but never have took the plunge. This would seem like a good way to get my feet wet in the knife making world. I have been thinking about it on and off since I first seen it.

It looks like it wouldn't be all that hard to do.

Has anyone else done this? I'd like to know what I'd be up against in this project. Is there anything that would be particularly difficult in doing this type of "custom?"

I'd like to hear your thoughts, both pro and con. How hard would it be? What can I expect to have when I'm done?

Thanks for your time and help.

BD
 
There are many knife kits on the market. They allow you to do basically the same thing.
It's not hard. You need files, sandpaper, handle material, and lots of hard work. Power tools are optional.
 
Nalapombu said:
What can I expect to have when I'm done?
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A re-worked kitchen knife. ;) Old Hickory's are good knives, but the newer ones have thinner steel, IIRC. If you have a dremel, files, a little creativity, and time, you could modify it into any design you want. They're still made of good high carbon steel, I think, so they would make great skinners & hunters. I wouldn't use it for chopping, though.

Back home (in NC) OH's were used for everything from kitchen knives to hog butchering knives to garden knives to pruners to . . . the uses were endless. They looked horrible after a couple of years, but they lasted for decades.

Good luck -

thx - cpr
 
Ive rehandled a couple, they make decent beater blades.

If I recall correctly, the middle pin hole in the butcher knives is slightly larger then the other two.

I never got into "reshaping" the blades.
 
Nalapombu said:
I have always wanted to try and make a knife or 2, but never have took the plunge. This would seem like a good way to get my feet wet in the knife making world.
Click to expand...

Excellent way to get started. There is at least one maker on the Forums that got started using Old Hickory, and probably more than one.

Nalapombu said:
How hard would it be? What can I expect to have when I'm done?
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The two links that Matt321 posted are good ones and you can go from there.

You'll have a good workable blade of your own design as long as you keep that steel cool when you cut and an idea what goes into fit and finish.

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