my first knife finally done (pic)

M

muskrat man

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My first knife is finally done, made from a file, made specifically for mushroom hunting. I had planned on putting curly walnut, or osage scales on the knife, but seeing as how I can't afford a drill press, my knives will just have to be cord wrapped for now I guess. I kind of like the cord on this knife though, it gives it a good feel. It will shave hair. I hardened and tempered it after sanding all the scratches from the blade. I took it out mushroom hunting today (it's towards the middle of the season now). and found a few, here is the best pic of the day, with a nice yellow morel. It slides through them likethey are not there.So, what do you guys think? I can still use Plenty of improvement, and I plan on putting some really nice handles on them when I can get enough money saved for a drill press, it will be a while though.
M_M

 
MM,
Looks nice, especially for the first one. I find that I learn something every time I make a new knife. By now I have made between 3 & 4 dozen knives and I still learn something every time I make one.

You might look for a used drill press, though I doubt you can drill the files as they are too hard. I haven't had any luck drilling tangs on the knife blanks I buy. I had to get a carbide rasp to enlarge an existing hole in a tang so I could put a brass thong liner through it. Carbide is very brittle so make sure that you get a vise for your drill press, because any vibration will cause the carbide to chip. Mine chipped in spite of the vise. I found a new drill press at Sears for about $100. I couldn't find a used one. I was able to find a used ban saw though.

It takes time and a bit of money to build up your equipment. Your knife looks good, and is a lot of work, especially by hand. If you are like me, you now have a new appreciation for the prices a hand maker charges for his knives. By the time you buy the supplies & equipment you have quite a bit invested. Then when you consider the cost of a good blank and the handle material and the labor that has to go into the knife, $300 seems real reasonable for a handmade knife!

Keep up the good work and keep showing us pictures!
Dale
 
thanks dale, I have tried finding a used one, but these 2x42" sander belts are eating my funds alive. I plan to buy a different belt sander, as I can get 1x42 belts for .50 a piece compared to $9 for 3. so I can get 18 belts for what I pay for three of these belts. You have more control wit hthe 1x42" aswell. I anneal the files, before I work on them so, it should'nt be as hard to drill it with it being annealed. I have gained a high respect for custom knife makers, 'cause this stuff ain't easy, but it is fun!M_M
 
Nice going my man! I like the style, and yep, perfect for mushrooming. Keep up the fine work, keep us posted.
Phil
 
I like it MM! You don't have to own a drill press to do the handles, just know someone who has one!

Codger
 
Looks nice, MM. I've never attempted to make a knife but your post intrigues me. How long did it take to make? Can anyone recommend a good book for getting started?

John
 
Pmazzei said:
Looks nice, MM. I've never attempted to make a knife but your post intrigues me. How long did it take to make? Can anyone recommend a good book for getting started?

John
Click to expand...

I got started by ordering a kit from Jantz Supply http://www.jantzsupply.com/
It will give yo everything you need and the instructions also. It is really simple. I don't think I did the whole knife the way they suggested, I started making my own improvements on the first kit. You can get everything you need for the knife, for under $25.

Please post a picture and show us how it comes out.

Dale
 
Nice job, MM! You have taken things further than I could, doing your own tempering and all.

I have a bit set made by Rodman, one of those "this will drill through anything" type of drill bits. They actually work, although I use a cutting oil with them for drilling through knife blanks.

I'm jealous, you actually have time to make knives...

Glenn
 
hey muskrat and others,

it looks really fun makin your own knife and i was thinkin about tryin the stock removal method from an old file.
i was wondering though.. what does that involve in relation to annealing or tempering?
isnt a file very hard and brittle?
if you do have to anneal it first.. can you just do it with a blowtorch if i dont have a forge or oven?
how hot do you need to get it.. can you tell from color or like some say.. when magnets dont stick to it anymore?
once youve annealed and shaped the blade.. do you need to retemper the edge?
how do you retemper the edge.. can you just reheat the blade and pour water just over the cutting edge and leave the spine of the blade softer so the entire blade isnt overly brittle again?

sorry for so many questions guys but i really dont have any idea and id like to start. i dont have any forging equipment either so i was just going to have a go with an old file and my bench grinder.

any help would be appreciated.. thanks.

Dan
 
"Mr." Muskrat Man ...Thats cool , and for the out doors the cord on the handle could some day come in handy. You know times have really changed you used to be able to get 2 holes drilled at a sheet metal,or machine shop for a couple bucks.....sometimes for free. Exspecially if you had it layed out and center punched befor you got there.Worth a try on your next one? I still like the cord on this knife,it gets muddy around your 10th mushroom,cord will give you good grip. NICE JOB>>KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK......Michael
 
Hey..Gshock...sounds like to me you need to send a message to the Muskrat Man...You can also go to the Makers section of the Forum and ask .... Michael
 
It seems to me that the basics of knife making, like the basics of the game of chess, are not overly complicated. Yet to be good at it requires a lot of talent and hard work.

MM, that's nice, you may consider using epoxy to hold wood handles on knives, works better for hidden tangs though.

See here for some nice cord wrapped handles.

Luis
 
THANKS ALOT FOR ALL THE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS GUYS! First off, John I didn't really pay attention to the time it took to make the knife becuase I layed it out over a period of around a month, but all working hours combined maybe a day and a couple hours.

Don,
If you do not anneal the files and re-temper them your knife will be hard to make, and will be hard and brittle like you said. I annealed this small (6") file with a single propane torch. Heat the entire file until it runs through the spectrum of colors and ends up at a steel gray. Let the file air cool. It will be easier to grind now. When you get your knife profiled and the bevels in and all the cosmetic work you want done (including pin holes, much easier to drill the pin holes while it is soft) you need to harden it, to do so heat it up to a red (or non-magnetic) and dip it in oil or water (different brands of files need different ways of hardening or so I hear). Then I used a single propane torch to temper it. Heat the steel evenly and stay away from the tip as it will heat up quicker and you will loose the temper and hardening as it will go back to a steel gray, the softest point. anyway, I draw mine back to a dark blue, first will come a straw color, then a voilet, dark blue, light blue, then gray. A dark blue gives a knife that is easy to sharpen but holds an edge well. I (and my father) temper the whole blade evenly, the whole blade should be a dark blue, when it hits that point dip it in water to quench it. I do this three consecutive times to make sure the temper is right. I have learned all of my knowledge as of yet, from my father, he makes simple knives, but they take and hold edges very well and look good too.

Don, thanks for the link, I use devcon 2 ton and 5 minute epoxy all the times for my many other crafts, and that is all my father has ever used for securing his knife handles (the 2 ton stuff), it is truly great stuff! I make guitar picks, jewelery (mt. man/indian style jewelery) and whatever else might cross my mind as fun or challenging. I also repair vintage crosman air guns and love doing that, takes time but it is fun to bring a 50+ year old gun back to life after being sentanced to life in a closet or attic.

Ya'll take care of yourselves, and hope this answered most of your questions.
M_M
 
this is another mushroom style kife that I recently made. I made it from very thin sawblade. takes a shaving edge. I wrapped some cord around it to give it a good grip while I sharpened it but plan on adding some nice osage orange handle slabs when I get around to getting some holes drilled. It was so thin I wasn't able to even put a grind line in, kind of aggravates me still, as it looks funky without a grind line, but everyone around here (my home town) seems to think it looks good so i'll leave well enough alone. This thing cuts like crazy. I may make another out of some thicker saw steel so I can put in a grind line like i had origionally planned, but the thinner stock gives little resistance against the mushroom. Working on a couple clip blades right now, but they are't working out as planned so I have set them aside , I have a design for a small drop point skinner with slab handles, would work good as a palm knife, may work on that.
M_M

 
I just got a new book in the mail today. I ordered it earlier this month at the OKCA show. The title is "Wayne Goddard's $50 Knife Shop Revised", by Wayne Goddard of course. It is published by Krause Publications. Ph # (800) 258-0929. This is the new revised version with color pictures and cost $20 when I ordered it at the show. Wayne signed my copy and mailed it to me, as he was waiting for the shipment to come in.

I haven't read it yet but he talks all about how to start making knives with very little capitol outlay ($50). I looks like a great book.

I hope this is helpful,
Dale
 
I have read wane's book and it is very informative, good book and some great ideas in there, my father agrees (or is it I that agree with him? :))
 
MM you are a young man of many talents! Again, keep up the great work and keep your friends here up to date on what you are doing.
Phil
 
thanks guys, i'll keep ya'll posted on up coming projects :). I took a step in the right direction this morning at a yard sale. Got a like new delta scroll saw for $12 now, lets see if I can find a drill press too! :)
M_M
 
If you want to buy a drill press all you have to do is dry some of those morels and sell them to me !
I drop several hundred a year on morels... :cool:
 
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