Side projects- what else have you made with your knifemaking tools/skills?

pwheeler

pwheeler

Joined
Dec 30, 2013
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282
I needed a birthday present for a five year old, and although I thought about it, he's not quite ready for his first knife. So, I grabbed some leftover steel from making my grinder and a little blade steel, and some walnut left over from a bathroom remodel, and made this. Stock, receiver blocks, trigger and guard all made on the 2x72. The bolt and handle are made from bolts, I put them in a the cordless drill and spun them against a moving 1x30 belt to shape. Definitely could not have done the project to quite this level a few years ago without the skills from knifemaking. What have you guys cooked up?

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I make Jewlery. I made the metal flower that is my picture, and I make a fiar amount of wooden pendents and earings and the like for friends. All you need is a small cut off from a scale, cut a simple teardrop or other shape and profile the crives and polish it. They really look quite nice and I find its a great use of all my scraps
 
That's a sweet looking rifle! I have a son with a birthday coming up and I might give that a try. I usually use my grinder to fix other tools or make parts for other tools. I never knew how useful it would be.
 
hellspawn415 said:
I make Jewlery. I made the metal flower that is my picture, and I make a fiar amount of wooden pendents and earings and the like for friends. All you need is a small cut off from a scale, cut a simple teardrop or other shape and profile the crives and polish it. They really look quite nice and I find its a great use of all my scraps
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I've done a ton of those as well, pendants and earrings made from scale scraps, with mosaic pins in the middle. They take about 20 minutes, and make you look like a hero:-)
 
Neat rifle! I made a new stick for one of my rifles and also made a black powder pistol. I'll post pics later.
 
No major projects, but just an observation that I don't know how I ever got by without a 2x72 grinder!

I actually didn't build the grinder because I wanted to make knives... I started making knives after I began building the grinder... after watching a youtube video tour of Adam Savage (Myth Busters) home workshop, and him raving about his belt grinder, I started researching designs and discovered the world of knife making.

An engineer friend visiting recently was amazed at the versatility of it. I don't know how I managed without it for all these years!
 
I make knives, but I also restore vintage knives. In addition, I make some gun parts and springs, I make custom hand engraved belt buckles, bracelets and pendants, engrave gun parts, do machine engraving-lots of stuff.
 
I bought a big 8/4 slab of quilted maple a long time ago to make a new stock and fore grip for my browning citori. I bought the citori cheap because it had been heavily molested, with the plan of bringing it back to un-bubba-ed condition. The toy was good practice, I think I'll get another piece of walnut and do a stock for my 10/22, then attack the citori project. I've been hesitant to start, since the browning deserves some quality work.

Here's a jewelry piece from a while ago, for a chemistry teacher.

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Well, thanks to knifemaking, I have made over 400 forges, 500 burners, 20 stainless forges, but I'm more proud of the following:

2 of these:
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A pocket comb:
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A key
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I have come to believe that it's a certain type of person that makes a knife, the tools to make said knife, and the desire to just keep making new things. I'm willing to bet that I'm not the only one on here who makes beer or other beverages. I'm especially fond of this:
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I have come to believe that it's a certain type of person that makes a knife, the tools to make said knife, and the desire to just keep making new things. I'm willing to bet that I'm not the only one on here who makes beer or other beverages. I'm especially fond of this:
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your definatly right about a certain kind of person none of my friends or family are thats why forums like this one are so nice. Ive been interested in distilling for a long time but until the laws change its just not worth it to me. Now if i make anything beverage related ill probably try my hand at hard apple cider

anyways here are a couple of things ive made both for my fiance when bored in my shop
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lol oops didnt realize the picture was upside down
its made out of some mild steel i had around the shop it was rubbed down to 600 grit when i first finished it i definitely learned alot while making it.

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and here i wanted to play with engraving. so i ground down the tip of a round file and messed around for a while and this is what came of it i did a little file work on the top and peened in some copper wire into the top corners
on the right are my fiances initials (SF) and on the left our anniversary

i also hammered down a copper penny into a crescent moon for my fiance but that was misplaced before i ever got any pics of it im going to attempt it again when i start getting back out into my shop
 
Ah, but you'd be amazed how a first knife is so similar to a first distillation. You think it's great until you've done it for a few years. Then, you look back and it's garbage compared to what you're making now. And, much like most shows about knifemaking, after you become proficient you realize that moonshiners is talking total nonsense most of the time. You're friends all think everything you make is the greatest ever and you realize how much better the knife/drink you've made is than most anything you can buy in the store. Proper heat treat and good steel are synonymous with good cuts and produce a vastly superior product simply by using a different, non-factory method.
 
ah i wish i had the space etc for knife making and distilling :) so i am just messing around with leathercrafting. cool stuff you are showing guys, i like the combs, even though i have no use for them. :D
 
I love making stuff. Here is a list of them, off the top of my head...

Wands(Harry Potter type. I made a replica of the "Elder Wand".)
Walking sticks and canes
Jewelery(knecklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc...)
Copper stuff.(bowls, spoons, kicker panels for doors, range hoods, etc...)
Basic Blacksmithing stuff.(hooks, door knockers, cabinet hardware, hearth tools, hinges, etc..)
Aluminum swords, shields, armor and weapons for kids and some adult-kids.
Leather goods. I did this before I was a knifemaker but my metal working skills have added to it with hardware n stuff.

That is only a few things that come to mind. I have made countless "specialized tools" for local craftsmen, artists, farmers and businesses. Knives represent maybe 60% of what I do... but the skills I have learned from knifemaking made most of the other stuff possible.
 
Beautifully creative work everyone!

This is not my work(clearly), but as far as I'm concerned has to be the ultimate "side project".

Freedom's Steel Damascus Pistol made by ABS Master Smith Steve Culver.
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Chris
 
As for knife making, modding Becker knives and Cold Steel tomahawks provided the impetus to get started fabricating by hand. I now have a Wilmont grinder, good steel and have been drawing my knife designs. For many years I made custom rifle stocks and now in my late 60's will start to move forward with knives. The tomahawks were done by hand filing and sanding.







 
New rest for my small wheel arm when grinder is horizontal.
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Made it with my new Craigslist welder! First welded project (thank goodness for angle grinders). :)
 
Wood-carving adze forged from a masonry hammer....

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A little pendant-slash-key fob I carved from some scrap mild steel.

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Another Kokopelli with more of a modern look. Buddy challenged me to do something more curvy, so I thought I'd give it a whirl....

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I make homemade beer. I also make fishing poles. I dabble in carpentry, gunsmithing, audiophile loudspeaker restoration and mods. I also build my own computers, servers, Nas boxes and htpc boxes.
I have to agree my 2x72 is one of the handiest tools I own.
I really enjoy doing things myself if possible, you usually end up with a superior product, and there's nothing like the pride of knowing you built something with your hands.
 
Rick Marchand said:
I love making stuff. Here is a list of them, off the top of my head...

Wands(Harry Potter type. I made a replica of the "Elder Wand".)
Walking sticks and canes
Jewelery(knecklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc...)
Copper stuff.(bowls, spoons, kicker panels for doors, range hoods, etc...)
Basic Blacksmithing stuff.(hooks, door knockers, cabinet hardware, hearth tools, hinges, etc..)
Aluminum swords, shields, armor and weapons for kids and some adult-kids.
Leather goods. I did this before I was a knifemaker but my metal working skills have added to it with hardware n stuff.

That is only a few things that come to mind. I have made countless "specialized tools" for local craftsmen, artists, farmers and businesses. Knives represent maybe 60% of what I do... but the skills I have learned from knifemaking made most of the other stuff possible.
Click to expand...

I thought I was the only grown man who loves Harry Potter.
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