Non-steel Knife Ideas

peter nap

peter nap

Joined
Nov 27, 1999
Messages
3,745
I want to try something different. I want to build a knife with no steel at all. I have no idea if you can grind ceramic blades and where you would get the material. If anyone knows please share.

I've tried several glass/plastic combos but there is always enough flex to crack the glass.

Ideas please.:confused:
 
If you feel like pressing your luck, make one out of carbon fiber. Aside from not holding an edge worth beans and possibly imbedding particles into your lungs, it should work great! :cool:

-Jason
 
I saw one made out of G10, had a serrated edge that was very sharp and agressive. Wish I could spell. And it was light and "tactical" in that it was a dark grey color. Seemed tough as all get out too.

Dave
 
Hmm, for the handle there are enough materials anyway.

For the blade:

1. hard blades
glass
stone (any kind)
ceramics (use old blade or make one from an old good quality plate)
stellite / talonite
inconel (!)
tungsten carbide

2. medium blades
bronze (very classic!!! has to be work hardened!)
silver (classic on fruit knives! work harden!)
brass (work harden!)
titanium
niobium
copper-beryllium alloy (expensive, very tough, springy! looks like gold!)
meteorite (it is iron/nickel, but NOT steel!)

3. soft blades, bad choice
wood
any kind of plastic
G10
carbon fiber plates
micarta

Maybe i forgot some

Achim
 
I've forged a few out of bronze that were a lot of fun to make. Like Achim said, they need to be work-hardened. Use one in the kitchen occasionally, doesn't work too bad.:)
 
I guess I posed it incorrectly. I have made blades from non-steel including Bronze and talonite. I also tried Micarta and Corian and G10. I'm trying to come up with a non detectable knife and Laurance even if I sold knives I agree with you, I wouldn't sell them. This is just a project.Anyway thanks for all the suggestions. AchimW, the idea of an old plate maybe stabalized, is interesting. Terry, I've tried flint and I ain't got the touch.:o
 
While I was reading here, an idea occurred:

How about laminating some pyro-ceram between a couple of sheets of g-10 or micarta. This is the stuff that alot are facing platens with right now. Alot stronger than glass, it is a high-tech clear ceramic that can be slowly worked with zirconia and other ceramic belts without alot of chipping. I went to a 150 grit belt to radius the piece for my second platen and didn't get any chipping at all. Might give a pretty good edge. Jade when worked with the right tools has been used to make some knives, too.

I have three of the Kyocera ceramic blades in the kitchen. They cut like mad, stay pretty sharp (sorta like Talonite), but chip way easy. Further, it is not workable with normal shop tools, needs diamond.

Bottom line is, if there were an adequate non-metallic alternative to make knives out of it would be out there for folks to carry on airplanes! :D The glass impregnated-nylon piece of doodoo I bought for $5 years ago was just as described.

Good luck. Can be a very interesting pursuit, please keep us informed!
 
i hear there's a way to make 24k gold hard enough for tableware: nitriding in ammonia at 500 degrees C and at a pressure of 5 atmospheres.
 
I feel there should be some way to make a good aluminum blade. Aluminum Oxide is a VERY hard substance so why couldn't a thick layer of the stuff be grown (which is what's done in anodizing) and then sharpened? Something to think about anyway.

I've made a copper blade and I also have a large chunk of bronze that will become a knife one of these days.
 
I saw an episode of CSI where someone made bullets out of frozen raw ground beef. It may work for a knife, and if you had to get rid of the knife quickly, you could eat it. -chris
 
Thanks Chris....That would make a great companion to my Ice Bullets. They are handy because They leave no evidence.:rolleyes:
 
I've seen primitive knives made with sharks teeth imbedded in wood and flint chips in the same manner. If one was creative and used a piece of micarta and end milled a slot on the edge and then spalled off pieces of glass and resin epoxyed them into the slot you could possibly have a knife that would make devestating cuts.
 
That's an interesting idea BB. I've already tried milling a slot in some G10 and have tried several replacable inserts. One that has a lot of promise is PVC mixed with ground glass. Another is spider wire strands embedded in Resin and a third was glass heated in the forge and the edge drawn out. So far it's been fun but I have to admit I worry about grinding glass even with full equipment on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top