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[69_knives]

Hi all,

I've been long time members of other forums and recently bacame interested in knife making so I thought 'I wonder if there are knife making forums... and here you are. I've been interested in knife making and knives in general since I was a kid but just this past weekend took the plunge and made my first knife.

Technically, I suppose you could say my first knife was one of those toy comb switchblade knives that I took the comb out of and glued in a sharpened up hacksaw blade. Something my friend referred to as a 'shank'.

My interest in knifemaking is partly due to my belief that rudimentary toolmaking may become an essential life skill at some point in the future and partly because I just think they're cool.

This first knife is made from a Husky brand file and let me tell you why...

I purchased a package of Husky files because I felt I needed them and a couple of weeks later learned that a file could be used to make a knife blade so, I set out to 'Princess Auto' (a place like Harbour Freight) to buy a cheap file that I would use to make a knife.

Upon examining and comparing the Husky and PA files, the Husky was a better shape (more rectangular, not rounded) so thinking I didn't want to use the 'good' file, I tested them against each other and the cheap PA file kicked the Husky file's butt.

The Husky file was so soft I didn't even have to anneal it to work it. I was very careful not to overheat it and if it got hot enough that I couldn't keep my finger opposite the area being ground I would cool it in water.

Anyway, this knife went from concept to completion in 4 days using a bench grinder to do the shaping with final shaping and lacquering of the handle taking up the last two days.

In just a few minutes of looking through posts here I can see that I have a lot to learn and there are some very useful techniques I've seen so far. Looking forward to making more knives for sure.

Here's some pics; oh, the handle is oak with the soft pulp areas burned with a torch.

it makes quick work of a piece of paper; maybe I'll call it 'the shredder'.

 

[michdad]

Welcome!, and NICE pics. No advice offered here, still trying to learn myself, evidently behind your learning curve. Lots of cool people here, and an immeasurable wealth of knowledge.

Matt

 

[69_knives]

Thanks!

I did ask myself one question when this knife was completed and that was; 'does a knife maker judge his success by the number of cuts he has when he has completed a knife?'

 

[panch0]

Thanks!

I did ask myself one question when this knife was completed and that was; 'does a knife maker judge his success by the number of cuts he has when he has completed a knife?'

If thats true then I am a master. Welcome to Blade forums BTW.

 

[ddavelarsen]

Welcome to the forum, you'll find a wealth of good humor and ideas here. This is the place I learned what little I know too. You will never find a more helpful and constructive bunch of folks. We are lucky to have this forum.

I like your first knife! You bit off quite a chew with that one! It's nice to see it cutting like that too. Keep up the good work. I would recommend in future that you match up your guard and handle scales. But I'm really pleased with your first knife.

Rather than using files you can buy barstock of virtually all kinds of knife steel. You can learn to heat treat simple steels yourself with little cost, and send stainless out to many reputable heat treaters. Give that a try! You will be able to shape your knife without worrying about the HT.

Be warned: Once you get hooked, it's too late. Then you'll get a "tool" habit, and then a "handle material" habit and then... It never ends.

Check out the "newbies" sticky up top too. Have fun and good luck!

 

[J.S. Carter]

Welcome, nice file knife,the original bucks were made out of files too. Your grinds, and overall shape look very promising! The Guard is a tad big but asthetics and flow will come. Great job!

 

[Big Smitty]

Welcome, I am fairly new to knife making also. Nice first knife, the grinds look good! You will really like this site, it has a ton of good information and good people.

 

[george tichbourne]

Welcome to the community. There is a lot to be learned here and many friends to be made.

George

 

[sharpeknives]

Welcome, Nice start on the knifemaking road. I like the blade design. Guard seems a little big. Fit and finish will all come with time. The thing about this forum is if you have a thick skin and hang in there. There is a wealth of info and good people here.

 

[Will Leavitt]

Thanks!

I did ask myself one question when this knife was completed and that was; 'does a knife maker judge his success by the number of cuts he has when he has completed a knife?'

Nice knife! much better than my first attempts at blade shaped objects

The answer to your question is it depends I have a "reference" knife that I use to judge new heat treatments and steel melts against. So if I make a similar knife with same process and it performs more cuts then it is a "better" steel or whatever you want to judge.

You need to have a standard by which you judge what is acceptable performance for you and your knives. Find a repeatable cutting medium (cardboard, rope, paper, wood, whatever) to test your knives against. When you get ready to finish a knife, test it, does it pass your cutting standard? Then it's ready, if not, then find out why and fix the problem.

 

[69_knives]

I would recommend in future that you match up your guard and handle scales. But I'm really pleased with your first knife.

If you're talking about the gap between the scales and the guard; I know, totally my fault.. it wasn't supposed to be like that.

I welded two tabs onto the guard big enough just to get the first bolt through them. I filed the welds so they wouldn't interfere with the scales, then soldered the assembly to the blade.

My first DOH was not bending the guard first as the thinned welds broke when I bent it. No biggie really except that when I welded it back onto the tabs it moved out of position. I really wanted to get the scales mounted that night so I left it.

Rather than using files you can buy barstock of virtually all kinds of knife steel. You can learn to heat treat simple steels yourself with little cost, and send stainless out to many reputable heat treaters. Give that a try! You will be able to shape your knife without worrying about the HT.

That is good to know. I read about a lot of people using leaf springs or circular blades and thought that would limit you to the shape and thickness with the saw blade or have a lot of grinding to do with a leaf spring.

 

[69_knives]

You need to have a standard by which you judge what is acceptable performance for you and your knives. Find a repeatable cutting medium (cardboard, rope, paper, wood, whatever) to test your knives against. When you get ready to finish a knife, test it, does it pass your cutting standard? Then it's ready, if not, then find out why and fix the problem.

I will definitely have to have to read up on that. I've only tested sharpness by how easily it will cut paper by holding the paper between thumb and forefinger and slicing at the edge of the paper. This knife performs the best of any knife I've had, though I haven't had 'that' many knives.