Thinking about making a knife seeking advice

M

mocaba

Joined
Oct 13, 2012
Messages
87
Hello, I have always loved all Kinds of blades, weapons, and tools. I know I'm a noob, and I'm not asking for the ins and outs of becoming a master blacksmith. I was just curious if anyone had any knowledge of where I could get cheap materials for making a knife. I had several ideas about recycling old circular saw blades and turning it into a kind of cleaver of sorts, also turning Large construction nails into bo shuriken, I was just wondering if anyone had any advice or ideas for little projects like these so I could start to grow my skills at making stuff like this.

Eventually I am going to try to make a knife out of metal doing all the work. Forging it hammering it grinding it everything about it carving or forming the sheath and the handle. So also if I could get some information on a good place or what I could use for the material to make blanks so i can form a knife out of them, and where I could get materials for handles and sheaths. I live in Pa, so if anyone has any knowledge of how I could acquire these things I would appreciate it.

Thank your for your time, and god bless.
 
I am not a knife maker. I sure do like owning them though, lots of em. My advise is: Make your design on cardboard. Find a piece of the proper steel. Take it to someone who has a water-jet machine or a plasma cutting machine & have them cut it out. Then find someone to put the grind you want on it. Then have it professionally heat treated. Depending on how it turns out, you kinda know where to start. Or you could start cutting your own out of sawb lades & such. Just my .02c.
 
AKC is right, head over to shoptalk, read the stickies, every question you asked is answered there, and answers to questions you didn't know to ask yet.

But, because I know some people don't venture out of certain forums I will give some advice here. I make knives, straight razors, miniature knives and tools.

Design. Don't be tempted to go with some radical, huge, wild design for your first knife. Keep it small, 2.5" - 4" blade. A simple drop point is nice. An easy design will let you focus on the more technical aspects like creating even bevels, edge thickness and such. It also takes less time so you get quicker gratification.

Tools, if you have a fully stocked metal working shop that's great, but chances are you don't have a knifemaking shop. The basics are files, 8-10" bastard, 8-10 half round bastard, 6-10" smooth cut, 1/4" rat tail or chainsaw file and a selection of needle files is nice, but not needed. High tension hack saw with good quality blades, like Lenox bi-metal in 24tpi or higher. A drill press is the first power tool any aspiring knife maker should buy. A cordless drill will work, but you get truly straight holes with a press. C-clamps for holding the blade down while drilling or filing. A bench vise and a 2x4. Put the 2x4 in the vise and clamp the blade to it for filing bevels. Sandpaper in grits from 120 to 1000 (120,220,400,600,800,1000) and higher if you want.

Make your pattern from paint stir sticks or cardboard to test for comfort. Transfer you pattern to the steel. If you don't want to be cutting forever, drill a series of small holes around the profile and play connect the dots with the saw. Search youtube to learn how to drawfile correctly, it goes very quick. Smooth out your profile. Mark and drill your pin holes now. Then mark your bevels and start filing. Once you have the bevels roughed in start sanding to 400 grit. It will save time after heat treat.

Steel, 1080 or 1084 is the best choice for beginers because it is so easy to work nd heat treat, not because it is inferior. I love it and use it a ton. Get it in 1/8" thick for a knife of that size, it will save time from filing on huge thick steel.

For supplies Jantz has everything, but customer service isn't that great. There is a huge suppliers section in the stickies in shoptalk. For steel, since your on the east coast, Aldo Bruno might be a great choice. Njsteelbron.com. give him a call, he's a first rate guy.

This is the abridged version, but gives you somewhere to start looking.

See you in shoptalk!

Welcome to BFC!


-Xander
 
I just made my first knife out of an old steel file. Its a lot of fun watching it take shape. Just try to get a good image in your mind of how you want it to look and take your time.

2012-10-06_19-11-35_753.jpg

2012-10-06_20-05-06_885.jpg
 
its funny but leaving the file faces on it actually makes it look really unique i like it good work, hope to post some of my own knives here in the future. Now to buy some tools and play around with different things I got laying around the garage.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top