No bladesmith....but I want to make a knife...

W

Wes_Tulsa

Joined
Apr 11, 2003
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2
I am by no means a bladesmith, but I'd like to make my own hunting knife. I probably don't have all the necessary tools to do this, but I'd like to give it a try. I've drawn out several designs of my own, but never pursued their creation. I thought, since I have the ability to fully dimensionalize (is that a word?) my drawing, I'd have the blade laser cut from a piece of tool steel like D2. I think with the right wheels on my bench grinder I can grind the blade and then have it heat treated. I don't expect to create a masterpiece just a functional knife that I created.

Does anyone have some thoughts on this? Do's and don't? Tips?

Wes
 
Welcome to the forums!

I'd recommend using files and maybe somethign a little easier to file, but if you are up for the work, D2 will be fine. Choose a design with simple lines, it will make your work much easier. Get the blank laser cut, or you can take a stock piece of steel, mark out your design, use a drill press to make a series of holes around your design, and then "connect the dots" with a hack saw and/or Dremel type tool with rotary cutter. Then mybe use your bench grinder to clean up the profile a bit, and then the file in a draw filing motion to get it just right. Finally, drill any holes necessary for pins and such.

Once your blank is ready, use a nice sharp coarse file and file the profile! A 3-4" hunter type shoudl take a few hours and lots fo elbow grease. make sure you use a file card to clean the file every few strokes. A coarse and a fine file will get things ready for 180 or 220 grit sandpaper. Use wed/dry sandpaper backed by somethign ahrd to sand the bevel and flats of your knife. Proceed through 320 and 400 grit paper. At this point, heat treat the blade, clean it up with sand paper, and attach your handle! You'll need pin stock if you are doing it that way: go to a hobby store that sells models and stuff and you'll be able to find brass rods. There is lots of handle material you can choose from all over the place!

All a guy needs to make a knife is 2 files, sandpaper and handle materials, really. Go at it, ask questions when you get stuck, and you'll end up with a great piece.
 
Might suggest you start with 1/8" thick stock for the first project as d2 will be some work by hand. Try not to heat the blade too much while grinding. If it turns colors or burns your bare hand dip it in a bucket of water.
Use Paul Bos for your HT and you will be fine. Be sure to get all the holes etc right BEFORE you have it HT. Meantime go to the local Bookstore or Library and get a book on knifemaking, it will help.
 
Yup, what Crayola and Blinker said.

Do you have a hacksaw? A regular one with a bi-metal blade or better yet a high tension one is really fast with 1/8" steel. My first knifes were D2. I cut them out with a hacksaw.

Making a knife with a files is faster than you think. Crayola is right. The Loveless book and a few others give tips on how to do it. Order the steel and jump in.

One suggestion is skip the laser cut, not worth the $$ for a single blade. Use the hacksaw and clean it up with the grinder. Then use a file to make the bevels.

Enjoy,

Steve
 
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