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making a scandi style knife on the cheap...
- Thread starter siguy
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2005
- Messages
- 3,516
Awesome, I was just in the shed making a convex bushcrafter, using an angle grinder and a 40 grit 1x30 belt grinder. I used a dremel with the sanding drum to smooth out the handle shape and flatten the spine, worked awesome.
I am having trouble getting the angle down thin, I thought it was good until I compared it to my fox river, not even close. It seems to be as thick as the F1 I used to have, though.
Sorry to derail, just adding that it's pretty easy on the cheap, I used some steel from a big saw blade that was about 3 feet across, not sure what type of steel it was, I annealed it in the woodstove, fired 2 pieces in and let it cool in the ashes overnight.
I woke up the next morning and of course my dad was cleaning out the ashes, I ran downstairs and stopped him from tossing them out, he was pretty confused!
Does anyone have a link to Breedens propane forge?
I am having trouble getting the angle down thin, I thought it was good until I compared it to my fox river, not even close. It seems to be as thick as the F1 I used to have, though.
Sorry to derail, just adding that it's pretty easy on the cheap, I used some steel from a big saw blade that was about 3 feet across, not sure what type of steel it was, I annealed it in the woodstove, fired 2 pieces in and let it cool in the ashes overnight.
I woke up the next morning and of course my dad was cleaning out the ashes, I ran downstairs and stopped him from tossing them out, he was pretty confused!
Does anyone have a link to Breedens propane forge?
liam, i use the dremel with the sanding drum all the time for smoothing out handle contours, really awesome tool.
i know what you mean about getting the angle down thin enough. i usually grind the edge down until it is final thickness, but with about a 60 degree angle on it. then i find it easier to lay the bevel back from there. working with the hardened file in this case was nice, because i could thin the edge all the way down right off the bat, and then lay the bevels back. normally i can only take the edge down to about a penny thick, since they have to be heat treated afterwards.
i know what you mean about getting the angle down thin enough. i usually grind the edge down until it is final thickness, but with about a 60 degree angle on it. then i find it easier to lay the bevel back from there. working with the hardened file in this case was nice, because i could thin the edge all the way down right off the bat, and then lay the bevels back. normally i can only take the edge down to about a penny thick, since they have to be heat treated afterwards.
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2007
- Messages
- 2,685
Really cool mate.
I do similiar little projects, with old kitchen knives.
Just learning how to grind as I am going to try an start making my own blades soon.
I do similiar little projects, with old kitchen knives.
Just learning how to grind as I am going to try an start making my own blades soon.
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2008
- Messages
- 1,093
It will be heading your way after this weekend - after one more try on the other project.
I have a Black Canvas Micarta Block that was sent to me by mistake when I ordered White Paper Micarta Scales (easy to mix those up I guess
). I was not charged for the block so it was "free" and would qualify for the project if you wanted to "go synthetic."
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2008
- Messages
- 45
I'm new to this and im just wondering, With a tang like that do you just pound it into a handle or do you need an end cap? I always assumed that I would need way more stuff to make my own blade. Cheap might as well be my middle name, every thing I own is cheap. Thanks for the posts fellas.
Nate
Nate
hitman, i will take pics and explain the process as i finish the knife, so i will explain more then...
but with a tang like this it is normal to drill a hole in a block of wood that fits the tang closely, and then use a piece of metal or antler on the butt of the handle to act as the support for the end of the tang. peen over the end of the tang to make a sort of rivet that will hold the handle on tightly.
but with a tang like this it is normal to drill a hole in a block of wood that fits the tang closely, and then use a piece of metal or antler on the butt of the handle to act as the support for the end of the tang. peen over the end of the tang to make a sort of rivet that will hold the handle on tightly.
Have you read that book by Ed Fowler--"The 50$ Knife Shop"? It has some great info on building a small forge. Ive got it and will drop it off next time I go by if you want. I might also be able to help with the firebrick.---Would your cool/water grinding method work on some blades made out of that buzz saw blade?---Call if you want the book--Keith
here we go with another installment:
i finally got around to working on this some more. JeffH very generously sent me some nice black walnut (i think) burl along with some other goodies (thanks very much Jeff!!!) and i am using a set of scales for the handle on this knife.
since i just about ruined one of the blocks trying to drill it out for the tang, i decided to go with my fall-back for hidden tangs.
in my case the wood was free. if you don't have people dropping wood in the mail to you all the time
then you can ask at a lumber mill if you can take a look through their scrap bin for hardwood bits. the plainer the better for shaping and working it, but highly figured woods will look prettier once they are done...up to you. if you don't have a lumber mill nearby, you can try the local highschool woodshop or even a hardware store that stocks lumber. if it comes down to it, you could even cut a block out of a standing dead tree in the woods...
so anyways, now that i have my blocks of wood, i start by sanding the mating surfaces flat with a piece of 40 grit sandpaper:
then after i traced the tang onto the scales i used a Dremel (any rotary tool will work fine) with various cutting bits to carve out the channels for the tang.
if you don't have a rotary tool, you can have at it with small chisels like i had to before i found the Dremel hiding in a corner...harder but if you are careful the results will be just as good, maybe even better since it takes longer to mess up
after i have the channels fitting well, i cut some pieces from a brass sheet. i don't remember the exact cost on the sheet, i think it was around $7 at the local Ace. if you don't have the $ or a nearby source, you can scrounge for old brass hinges or other sources of brass. you might even be able to forge out some old belt buckles or something...
i finally got around to working on this some more. JeffH very generously sent me some nice black walnut (i think) burl along with some other goodies (thanks very much Jeff!!!) and i am using a set of scales for the handle on this knife.
since i just about ruined one of the blocks trying to drill it out for the tang, i decided to go with my fall-back for hidden tangs.
in my case the wood was free. if you don't have people dropping wood in the mail to you all the time
then you can ask at a lumber mill if you can take a look through their scrap bin for hardwood bits. the plainer the better for shaping and working it, but highly figured woods will look prettier once they are done...up to you. if you don't have a lumber mill nearby, you can try the local highschool woodshop or even a hardware store that stocks lumber. if it comes down to it, you could even cut a block out of a standing dead tree in the woods...so anyways, now that i have my blocks of wood, i start by sanding the mating surfaces flat with a piece of 40 grit sandpaper:
then after i traced the tang onto the scales i used a Dremel (any rotary tool will work fine) with various cutting bits to carve out the channels for the tang.
if you don't have a rotary tool, you can have at it with small chisels like i had to before i found the Dremel hiding in a corner...harder but if you are careful the results will be just as good, maybe even better since it takes longer to mess up
after i have the channels fitting well, i cut some pieces from a brass sheet. i don't remember the exact cost on the sheet, i think it was around $7 at the local Ace. if you don't have the $ or a nearby source, you can scrounge for old brass hinges or other sources of brass. you might even be able to forge out some old belt buckles or something...
i again used the dremel to drill the holes in the faceplace and notch it out to fit the blade. if you don't have the dremel, you can use a drill and some needle files, but it will take some time.
you also want to make a piece that will fit over the end of the tang and hold the whole assembly nice and tight. i just drilled a hole ever so slightly larger than the end of the tang. you want to sand the visible faces of the brass to their final grit before putting everything together, it will make it much easier later on.
do a dry fit to make sure everything fits well. if anything doesn't fit quite right, take it apart and adjust until it works. trust me, you don't want to ignore little problems. they have a way of becoming big problems later on...
once everything is looking ship-shape, take it apart and degrease the parts with acetone or the like
mix up a good amount of slow set epoxy. here i'm using 3 hour set, to give me plenty of time to work.
start spreading the goop! this stuff is messy, and tough to clean up, so i use a board on my work desk, and wear gloves. if you are doing this in the kitchen or something, make sure you lay down plenty of wax paper or newspaper...
stick it all together, making sure you don't forget any parts. i use spring clamps to hold it all together, because they apply a good amount of pressure without squeezing out all of the epoxy. any reasonable clamp will work fine. i've even used a bunch of rubber bands before, bound up tight.
you also want to make a piece that will fit over the end of the tang and hold the whole assembly nice and tight. i just drilled a hole ever so slightly larger than the end of the tang. you want to sand the visible faces of the brass to their final grit before putting everything together, it will make it much easier later on.
do a dry fit to make sure everything fits well. if anything doesn't fit quite right, take it apart and adjust until it works. trust me, you don't want to ignore little problems. they have a way of becoming big problems later on...
once everything is looking ship-shape, take it apart and degrease the parts with acetone or the like
mix up a good amount of slow set epoxy. here i'm using 3 hour set, to give me plenty of time to work.
start spreading the goop! this stuff is messy, and tough to clean up, so i use a board on my work desk, and wear gloves. if you are doing this in the kitchen or something, make sure you lay down plenty of wax paper or newspaper...
stick it all together, making sure you don't forget any parts. i use spring clamps to hold it all together, because they apply a good amount of pressure without squeezing out all of the epoxy. any reasonable clamp will work fine. i've even used a bunch of rubber bands before, bound up tight.
once the parts are all fitted together, i stick the tip of the knife in a scrap board and place the last piece of brass over the tang. hammer away! to form a rivetted tang end to hold everything tight together. if you want, you could cut the tang shorter and forgoe this part, having a fully encapsulated tang.
try to wipe out the epoxy here, it will be tough to get out once it is dried. you can use a stick with a bit of acetone soaked cloth over it.
here it is right now
one of the hardest parts of the process for me, having to wait 24 hours for it to be all cured up and ready for me to proceed. next up, is shaping and finishing of the handle, and then hopefully a sheath!
i didn't keep track of my time, so can't add on to that. if you count how much of the brass i used for this knife, that adds up to about $1. if you count the whole sheet then it brings up the additional money spent to $7. if you are a really good scrounger/begger, you might be able to get some pieces off of a local metal processing shop (i didn't think to check in at the local welder's shop until it was too late...) for free.
so total cost so far is either
$2
or $8
try to wipe out the epoxy here, it will be tough to get out once it is dried. you can use a stick with a bit of acetone soaked cloth over it.
here it is right now
one of the hardest parts of the process for me, having to wait 24 hours for it to be all cured up and ready for me to proceed. next up, is shaping and finishing of the handle, and then hopefully a sheath!
i didn't keep track of my time, so can't add on to that. if you count how much of the brass i used for this knife, that adds up to about $1. if you count the whole sheet then it brings up the additional money spent to $7. if you are a really good scrounger/begger, you might be able to get some pieces off of a local metal processing shop (i didn't think to check in at the local welder's shop until it was too late...) for free.
so total cost so far is either
$2
or $8
