what can i make into knives

A

ajcz

Joined
Oct 14, 2005
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what are some things around the house with minial tool use and wouldnt need heat treating or if it does how could i do it cheaply (mind you i am 16).
 
Wood. metal- take your pick. If you've got scrap barstock, you can simply file or grind it down down to the shape you want, put an edge on it, and then you're set. No metal requires heat treating, but for a good balance or spring, flex, hardness, and edge retainging ability you will need to HT.

All that a basic stock removal knife takes is a drill, file, hacksaw, and sandpaper.

There are also knife kits.
 
could i possibly draw a pattern onto a old saw blade and cut it out and make wood grips out of some lumber? the saw blade is a 10" chromes nickel steel if i would mace a small knife with it would i have to heat treat it to make it stay sharp longer? also what would i need to make it ie. what kind of grinders,saws,drills/drill bits?
 
That is pretty much how many of us made our first knife when we were kids (it is exactly how Bill Moran made his first knife).The problems are dealing with a hardened saw blade.Cutting it will be impossible with a hacksaw.You can use a dremmel and score the profile lines in (leave a good bit of extra) with a mini cut-off wheel.Then break off the metal along the scoring with a pair of vise grips.Take little bites and nibble away around the profile.Then you can grind or file to shape.If grinding, don't let it get too hot or the temper will be ruined,and the blade won't stay sharp.Dunk in a bucket of water whenever it is too hot to hold in your bare hands.Finish with files and sandpaper.Attach a handle and you are done.If putting holes in the tang for rivets,you will have to use a carbide bit to drill the hardened steel.For a simple saw knife,just epoxying the handle scales on will work.
 
Sure- that's similar to my stock- removal knife.

Take the blade and draw an outline on it- don't forget the tang. Then take a drill and drill around the outline of the blade (don't forget to have it clamped down!), take the hacksaw and cut out the the blade blank now. Then, file off the rough bits left from the drill holes, file the bevels, and take sandpaper to finish it off and give it an edge. I found this on a tutorial floating around the web. The only difference is that I had a drill press.

If you have a grinder then you don't need the file or sandpaper.

Heat treating will make it last longer, but on your first knife it's not necessary. The edge may last a few weeks- my knife lasted for one before it broke- don't expect a long life out of your first on if it is a bare minimum project.

If you do want heat treatment- there are all sorts of tutorials on the web about heat treating blades by yourself- just google it. These guys here also more experience than I do on this subject, so they will be more help too.
 
Peter_E_Ryt said:
Take the blade and draw an outline on it- don't forget the tang. Then take a drill and drill around the outline of the blade (don't forget to have it clamped down!), take the hacksaw and cut out the the blade blank now. Then, file off the rough bits left from the drill holes, file the bevels, and take sandpaper to finish it off and give it an edge. I found this on a tutorial floating around the web. The only difference is that I had a drill press.
Click to expand...
i dont undestand what you mean by this please exlain it easier?
 
Greg- that was the tutorial which got me started- thanks for finding it! Stacy was right about the saw blades being hardened though, so you might want to find some softer stock (metal) to make your blanks out of.
 
Does anyone my age use capital letters anymore? They actually do help ya know... oh well.
Bar stock can be found anywhere- mine was some 1/8 scrap from my dad's shop. While I wouldn't worry about tempering your first knife- there are all sorts of reliable distributers of temperable steel on the web. While I have yet to temper a blade- they say that 5160 is forgiving, so you might wanna give that a go.
 
yea i would want to temper my first knife because i will be using my knife ALOT beacuse i am a boy scout and i will want it to hold an edge well and i would not want it to break in the middle of a feild..... also where would i go about getting meatl to make knives (i have several knive designs i would love to make a reality.
 
You might consider using a pre-made blade from one of the knife supply companies.They also sell them as kits.The blade will be pre-hardened and tempered.You will need to attach the handle and finish the knife.This is a good way to get started.Also tell us where you are so some local maker can offer to help you learn.
 
I have a few knives which I consider my first but at various stages of life. 16 was 30 years ago. I found a large nail that brick layers use. It is about 6 inches long and has the end spread out like a spear point. I sharpened one side with a hand wound grind wheel we had but you could use some emery paper. I wrapped string around the back shank to make the handle.

I don't remember how long it kept an edge but it is the first I remember at that age.

To get steel for my first stock removal knife I went to a car spring repairer/maker.

I asked for an off cut about an inch (25mm) wide and 3/16 (5mm) thick.
The bloke gave it to me but it is not expensive to buy. The spring was annealed and soft to work.

Just a tip for you younger guys still at school don't be tempted to take your new work to school or mall to show your mates. Teachers and police have a habit of seeing it in a different perspective. I lost a nice pocket knife to a teacher. My mum got it back but it was a pest.
 
i know what you mean i lost my nice SAK but my dad got it back for me i had it in my coat along with my flint bar because i am a boy scout my dad got it back and he knows i am responsble with my blades and i had to buy a new flint bar but i atleast have my SAK.
 
Yes,the torch will heat the metal hot enough to anneal it.Assuming you know how to anneal steel.Again,If you read up on this you will know how to anneal,and then will know what type of heat source will work.Every question you have asked will be in any knifemaking book.Wayne Goddard's,"The $50 knife shop " is a good starter book for those on a budget.
The only questions still unanswered are where you are (city,state,country) and how old you really are (13,15,16?).
 
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