I've got a design...now what?

T

task force k

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Feb 10, 2007
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I've designed my dream knife and came across a good thick piece of O-1 in my garage. Any thoughts on how I can cut it to shape with one hand and simple hand tools? Alternately, does anybody know any steel cutters in the Cincinnati area that can do this "on the cheap"...things are a bit tight right now.

Any thoughts will be appreciated.
J
 
It'll take a while but you can do it with a vice, hacksaw, and angle grinder. Add a half round file or dremel for finger grooves/choils.
 
You could take it to a metal workingshop and they can do it on a bandsaw. You CAN do it with a hacksaw, bastard mill file, and half round rasp file. But an angle grinder w/ cutoff wheels makes things SO much easier. Just make sure not to harden the steel by getting it too hot. Use a wet towel to keep it cool. Dremels are good for cleaning up the profile, but if you don't have one you don't need one (yet).
 
I've cut out entire blades with the cutout disks on a dremel. The hunters hatchet took 6 hours but it will work. If you want you can also drill a series of holes around the edge of your design and cut them out with a hacksaw. Both ways are slow but work.
 
I have seen people drill lots of holes around the knife's perimeter then connect them with a hacksaw. I don't see this as being much faster than just cutting it out fully with a hacksaw.

I have been making knives with a hack saw, vise, angle grinder, and files. It can take a little longer, but it cheap and easy to do.
 
All great suggestons and ordinarily they're exactly what I would do but right now I'm having to make do with just one functioning arm. Some suggestions on another thread got me to thinking that I better get off my butt and do something...anything. I'm sure I could do it with hacksaws and files but it would take forever without being able to put the weight and strength of a second arm out front. I may do it anyway...I've got the time.
 
well if you only have one arm an angle grinder is out of the question. Drilling holes around the profile and connecting it with a hacksaw is a good option. You don't need to put much force on it, certainly not with another arm. After that you'll have a good time draw filing the groves from whats left of the holes out, which will be hard with one hand. Maybe getting it cut out at a metal shop on a band saw will save you some grief, but to be honest making you're first knife is more fun if it's hard.
 
The cheapest metal working shops around my area are the local high school or college. Especially at the high school they are always looking for project work. Might even get it cut out for free, of course you are taking a chance that the kid will completely screw it up.

David
 
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