Knife making anyone?

[Monkey Mark]

I often check the likes of gumtree. On a recent perusal I saw someone selling a knife making set up.

I beleive some on here have made their own tools, so wondered if anyone had had a go at knives?

The one being sold had a nice jig to hold the blank in place and ensure a smooth accurate arc to the cutting edge. Looked interesting.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I'd go for it if reasonably priced. I've done a damascus blade - quite fascinating. I had hoped to get an anvil and forge when I moved house, but losing £40,000 put paid to that.

 

[Monkey Mark]

I'd go for it if reasonably priced. I've done a damascus blade - quite fascinating. I had hoped to get an anvil and forge when I moved house, but losing £40,000 put paid to that.

40k? Wow, that must have been one massive sofa!

 

[monkeybiter]

I bought a Damascus steel Kukri blade from a knife blade/kit supplier and made a Walnut handle and Oak box for it as a present for my son. I do fancy doing another knife, possibly more practical this time.

 

[Racers]

I have knocked up a few in my time, I need to get some time to make more!
Have a look at my avatar its two kitchen knives I made and hardened in the barbecue.

Pete

 

[Monkey Mark]

I have knocked up a few in my time, I need to get some time to make more!
Have a look at my avatar its two kitchen knives I made and hardened in the barbecue.

Pete

Nice looking knives there. Is it tool steel you use?

 

[Racers]

Yep, cut out by hand and the bevels hand filed.
Bubinga scales with brass rivets and epoxy.





Pete

 

[Monkey Mark]

Yep, cut out by hand and the bevels hand filed.
Bubinga scales with brass rivets and epoxy.





Pete

Very nice.

Hmmm, think I'm going to look into this a bit, Could be a nice little project.

 

[Racers]

Lots of filing lots of sanding through the grades lots of heat, sharp stuff, sticky stuff etc but fun to do.

Pete

 

[ayuce]

Just check out britishblades.com. Lots of info there. If you make knife by stock removal and get it heat treated by a professional shop, you don t need much investment in tools.

 

[paulm]

I did a weekend knife making course with blacksmith Dave Budd a year or two ago.

It was good fun, used hand bellowed Anglo Saxon type forges in the middle of his ten acre wood, so quite a slow process. We started with a round bar of steel and basically forged it to shape, tapering the blade from top to bottom too and creating the stick tang. Heat treatment was done the old fashioned way in the forge and finally quenching in an oil bath, and then drilling and burning a handle to fit and shaping the handle and lastly sharpening the blade.

Quite an, ahem, rustic knife, but very satisfying to go through the whole process in a lovely woodland setting too

I've also handled other stick tang blades at home and rescaled swiss army knives just for fun, I just like shiny sharp tools I think whether for woodworking, turning, carving or pocket duty

Cheers, Paul

 

[Mike.S]

There's some excellent video tutorials on knife making by forum member Aaron Gough.

Gough Custom website

Gough Custom on YouTube

 

[Monkey Mark]

There's some excellent video tutorials on knife making by forum member Aaron Gough.

Gough Custom website

Gough Custom on YouTube

Some nice videos there.

I like the sharpening jig. Simple yet effective. Where would I purchase a file like he uses in the jig?

And would have thought a home forge would be so simple! Another project to add to the to do list

 

[Racers]

I use Dreadnought files from carboot sales, they work very well, and make lovely curly swarf when you draw file with them.

Pete

 

[Benchwayze]

I am a knife enthusiast myself. These days it's best not to carry one of any sort. I almost had my 'Guinness' key-ring knife confiscated, when I forgot about it, when attending Court as a witness. The blade was about 25mm long, and 3mm wide. I suppose it was a blade though, so fair-play. Fortunately someone I was with took it away to his car, so I didn't lose it.

I have dabbled with the idea of making a marking knife, like the ones we had at my school 65 years ago! A used 1" wide machine hacksaw blade would be ideal, but I don't know anyone who has one for disposal. To buy a new blade would defeat the object of making my own knife, and in any case I think the drilling and shaping would defeat me.

I suppose I will end up buying one, when I can source some. (hammer)

John

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Pick up a half decent kitchen knife for pence at a car boot and cut/grind it to the size and shape you want. While you're looking, old sharpening steels make useful drawbore pins as well.

 

[Benchwayze]

I found some home-made 1" chisels in my shop. Don't know where they came from! However, they are just the right size for a marking knife, so they are destined to be converted!

I agree about sharpening steels. Only snag was, SWMBO caught me using it! :mrgreen:
Thanks folks

John