My first knife

G

gilligan61710

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Jan 9, 2017
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19
My first go at making my own blade. Any information and or ideas would be appreciated.
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Well, you made the first choice correctly, which is "use this lump of metal I found or good known steel."
 
Without trying to be funny, I am in a similar boat as you except I am working on the second knife.
My advices will be based on my research and that first experience so may be different from more experienced people who may have forgotten a bit the beginnning
1) do you research, lots of free resources online both in forum and youtube, based on the steel you selected I think you did that
2) don't know what else you have been making with you hands but if your shop is not well equipped or doesn't exist don't worry I made my first knife on a desk corner with a few files a small vice sand paper and a hacksaw
3) if you go the file way (as opposed to some kind of grinder/sander) look up filing jigs related videos in particular that frough Gough custom. It's great, however expect your fist knife to take way way way more time to grind a nice bevel than what he mentions.

4) be proud of the result and share it.

To encourage you I'll post some pictures of what were the next steps for me based on where you are and the result (and because of 4)
after going through the steel with a hacksaw

after cleaning up the profile with a file

after grinding the bevel using a jig

after file work on the spine (optional but its fun and the results amaze everybody)

after heat treating on my driveway and kitchen oven

after cleaning up

building the handle

handle shaped, almost finished, just need wood finish



finally done



I use it to eat everytime we have steak and I am working on the next one to make a set of 4 so all of us have one, they'll have the same general shapes and different handles
 
I'm thinkin a camp design but still unsure... I want a pretty versatile knife. One I'll carry everyday

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terrinecold, i wouldn't have guessed that was your first.
 
Last edited:
Quick Tip:

I can't fully make it out but it looks like it's O1. Plan everything out before you heat it up for hardening. O1 will harden on its own to a certain extent and will be difficult to work with afterwards.
 
duurza said:
Quick Tip:

I can't fully make it out but it looks like it's O1. Plan everything out before you heat it up for hardening. O1 will harden on its own to a certain extent and will be difficult to work with afterwards.
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Yes it is 01, from what info I have gathered I got lucky there!!! Thanks for the tip!!!

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This is my first I ever made. I used O1 and heat treated in a brake drum forge I made and quenched in some old motor oil. Also pretty much no bevel but I was learning. But is shave sharp and have skinned a whole deer with no problem. It is crazy to see how far I have come in a year. But my process is cut out the shape, grind in the bevel leave the edge a dime thickness, heat treat, quench, temper and then glue on some handles and sand down and put an edge on it.

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Find a pattern you like, and print it out at the actual size you want your knife to be, then glue that Image onto your piece of steel. For a first knife I'd try and make one like Terrinecold shows as it doesn't require cutting a lot away from your starting piece of steel. 1st I would rough cut out your knife using a disc grinder and a cutting disc, or even a hack saw--then smooth out the lines out with either the disc grinder with a flap wheel or all the above with a belt sander if you have access to one. Next up figure out your pin size(s) and drill the holes in the blade for them now. Next fit your handles up and drill through them matching the holes in your blade and then finish your handle pieces before hand so they will be ready to glue up and pin onto your knife blade once you have hardened it and finish ground/sanded it. Pay close attention to what will be the front part of your handle pieces because they are not very accessible once mounted to your blade.

Good luck--this is just meant to be a quick overview--there are plenty of good ones if you search here on BF's and on You Tube--one of my favorite You Tubers is a fellow named Walter Sorrels.
 
Well, I kinda think I found a basic pattern.... still needs a few modifications, any insights?
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Fish30114 said:
Find a pattern you like, and print it out at the actual size you want your knife to be, then glue that Image onto your piece of steel. For a first knife I'd try and make one like Terrinecold shows as it doesn't require cutting a lot away from your starting piece of steel. 1st I would rough cut out your knife using a disc grinder and a cutting disc, or even a hack saw--then smooth out the lines out with either the disc grinder with a flap wheel or all the above with a belt sander if you have access to one. Next up figure out your pin size(s) and drill the holes in the blade for them now. Next fit your handles up and drill through them matching the holes in your blade and then finish your handle pieces before hand so they will be ready to glue up and pin onto your knife blade once you have hardened it and finish ground/sanded it. Pay close attention to what will be the front part of your handle pieces because they are not very accessible once mounted to your blade.

Good luck--this is just meant to be a quick overview--there are plenty of good ones if you search here on BF's and on You Tube--one of my favorite You Tubers is a fellow named Walter Sorrels.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info Fish! As I said this will be my very first knife so any ideas and/or insights are greatly appreciated

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Keep the first ones shape simple the less curves you have the less you have to cut a way


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