So if I want to make a few practice layouts what material?

Y

yocan

Joined
Apr 18, 2007
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This isn't the long-term plan but I'm not paying people to build me 7-12 generations of a knife to get it right for what I want. I have a pretty good general idea of what I want. (3" spear point 1/8" thickness everyone making similar is 5/32 and they are just a touch heavy with a less meaty grip than typical so arguably a little more strength than normally expected in in the tang while hoping to stay under 2.75 ounces)

So if I want it to be sorta viable at least to play with for a few days before I put it aside and make another variant whats my best way to go? If I really like this I might end up making a good one for carry long-term or hiring it out but right now I'm going for ease of making one. I'm thinking angle grinders then bench grinder and then belt grinders down and if I want in later generations maybe a heat treat to actually see how my wrist likes using it.

The final one (or two) will probably end up with the edge removed and painted blue, hopefully they come out well enough to make sense for that.

If you have a few videos to go "here watch this to start your learning process" that would help. I'm unsure of what size belt sanders I should order high end belts for.

Side note if a blank company exists that hasn't cut out the grips yet and the edge is hardened (and has a lightweight 3" spearpoint) I might just buy 6-10 of those but everything I see already has holes cut in for standard grip panels which my knife will not have I want to be able to put my grip screws where I want.
 
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There are many suppliers who sell pre-hardened and sharpened blade blanks. Search online for "Knife Supplies and Blades".

1/4" is very thick. I recommend 1/8".

If you want to make prototype shapes to see how they look and feel, use thin plywood from the hobby store or Amazon. It is called "Baltic Birch Craft Plywood". All you will need is a file and sandpaper.

If making from metal but not planning on hardening the knife, yiou can use the welding steel sold at the hardware store.

If you plan on making an actual knife with a hardened blade and edge, look in the Stickys. There is a thread called, "How to Instructions for Making a Knife". You tube had a million videos.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
There are many suppliers who sell pre-hardened and sharpened blade blanks. Search online for "Knife Supplies and Blades".

1/4" is very thick. I recommend 1/8".

If you want to make prototype shapes to see how they look and feel, use thin plywood from the hobby store or Amazon. It is called "Baltic Birch Craft Plywood". All you will need is a file and sandpaper.

If making from metal but not planning on hardening the knife, yiou can use the welding steel sold at the hardware store.

If you plan on making an actual knife with a hardened blade and edge, look in the Stickys. There is a thread called, "How to Instructions for Making a Knife". You tube had a million videos.
Click to expand...
my brain got stuck all the "close" knifes I've seen are 5/32 and I wanted thinner to yes 1/8 not 1/4 long day.
 
I’ve always used thick cardboard to test new patterns. I don’t want to waste steel in this case. I’ll cut out my new patterns on thick cardboard and just play with it to see how it feels in my hand….how’s the handle fit? Feel good in the hand? Needs more length? Less length? Finger grooves? How about the blade? Length good? Needs more belly? Tip shape? Too pointy? Wrong profile? More or less width? Thinking a trailing edge might look better? Clip point? Redraw on another piece of cardboard if something needs to be added rather than ground down. Decisions like that…that approach is terribly unscientific, but it’s worked for me for 40+ years.

As I narrow things down, I’ll hold it in my hand while driving to the gym… probably a fifth or sixth iteration of the original idea. Then a few more changes, if needed and I’ll try out a blade or two at that point. Then I’ll let my son mess with it, as he’s my biggest critic, always wanting to see if he can mess with me.

I’ve always experimented with new/different grinds as well. I learned a trick from two ABS Mastersmiths for shortening my learning curve: cut your pattern to grind using a wooden paint stirrer, the size used for five gallon buckets of paint. They are thicker. Then practice grinding on your regular grinder….mess up? Kindling for the fireplace. Go work with another wooden “blade” till you get it right. Again, terribly simplistic approach but it works.

Good luck with your project.
 
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godogs57 said:
I’ve always used thick cardboard to test new patterns. I don’t want to waste steel in this case. I’ll cut out my new patterns on thick cardboard and just play with it to see how it feels in my hand….how’s the handle fit? Feel good in the hand? Needs more length? Less length? Finger grooves? How about the blade? Length good? Needs more belly? Tip shape? Too pointy? Wrong profile? More or less width? Thinking a trailing edge might look better? Clip point? Redraw on another piece of cardboard if something needs to be added rather than ground down. Decisions like that…that approach is terribly unscientific, but it’s worked for me for 40+ years.

As I narrow things down, I’ll hold it in my hand while driving to the gym… probably a fifth or sixth iteration of the original idea. Then a few more changes, if needed and I’ll try out a blade or two at that point. Then I’ll let my son mess with it, as he’s my biggest critic, always wanting to see if he can mess with me.

I’ve always experimented with new/different grinds as well. I learned a trick from two ABS Mastersmiths for shortening my learning curve: cut your pattern to grind using a wooden paint stirrer, the size used for five gallon buckets of paint. They are thicker. Then practice grinding on your regular grinder….mess up? Kindling for the fireplace. Go work with another wooden “blade” till you get it right. Again, terribly simplistic approach but it works.

Good luck with your project.
Click to expand...
thats probably a wise first step for me. Got a bunch of scrap small pieces of oak in the shop which would probably hold up well to make it even simpler. Run a flap disc and get it close in a very short period of time.
 
It won't be a 1:1 for weight, but a lot of makers are using 3d printers to print prototypes of their models. Printers have gotten pretty dang inexpensive, plus they're useful for all sorts of other projects.
 
I started with tagboard and cardboard.
Mild steel is good.
Lately I've been using .250" thick lexan sheet.
 
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