Homemade Knife

wildcat6 · #1 11/09/11, 10:10 AM

Does anyone in here ever make their own knives? I am thinking about trying to make one from an old file but I have never tried to do this before, just merely interested. Anyone have any tips or advice?

unioncreek · #2 11/09/11, 12:05 PM

I've make quite a few from old files. You want to make sure the the file is actually a high carbon steel. Hold it against a grinding wheel and if it has bright stars that fly off in all directions then it's good for a knife. I usually grind my with a belt grinder, it has a two inch belt, but you could use one with a small belt. I alternate sides and grind off the same amount of each side. After you get the shape you want polish it good and bright and then heat it until a magnet will not stick to it. Then stick it immediately in old motor oil. It will be very brittle then. You then need to shine up several spots on the blade and then heat it slowly up until the shiny spots get a straw yellow and then allow it to cool slowly, I put mine in vermiculite. You have to play around with the tempering until you get it right, but you can keep redoing a blade until it's right. It's not a one shot deal. Google knife building there's a lot of info out there.

Bob

wildcat6 · #3 11/09/11, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unioncreek

I've make quite a few from old files. You want to make sure the the file is actually a high carbon steel. Hold it against a grinding wheel and if it has bright stars that fly off in all directions then it's good for a knife. I usually grind my with a belt grinder, it has a two inch belt, but you could use one with a small belt. I alternate sides and grind off the same amount of each side. After you get the shape you want polish it good and bright and then heat it until a magnet will not stick to it. Then stick it immediately in old motor oil. It will be very brittle then. You then need to shine up several spots on the blade and then heat it slowly up until the shiny spots get a straw yellow and then allow it to cool slowly, I put mine in vermiculite. You have to play around with the tempering until you get it right, but you can keep redoing a blade until it's right. It's not a one shot deal. Google knife building there's a lot of info out there.

Bob

I appreciate you sharing that with me. Never heard of using the motor oil to cool with. Is it better to use that than water? What do you regarding a handle for it? Again, thanks...

unioncreek · #4 11/09/11, 04:58 PM

The motor oil slows the cooling of the steel and you will get a more even temper. I usually use the base of an antler, sometimes with a brass finger guard sometimes not. I roughen up the tang on the file by grinding notches into it. Then drill a hole into the antler so that you can slide the antler up against the brass finger guard. You will probably have to do some fitting to get it to fit right. Sometimes you have to drive the antler on to get a tight fit, but a tight fit is not necessary. I use Brownell's Accuglass for bedding rifles to fill the hole in the antler and then slide the two parts together. I use a big rubber band made from a tire inner tube, put it around the ends of the antler and around the tip of the knife to hold it together. I usually put a piece of rubber hose on the tip of the blade to keep it from cutting through the inner tube.

bob

Mallory · #5 11/09/11, 07:40 PM

I know it isn't quite what you are asking, but my boys make some pretty useful knives out of wood.

They pick nice hardwood sticks, pretty green, and end up with knives that look a lot like these- http://portersworkshop.files.wordpre..._knife_800.jpg

Sometimes they add a strip of superglue to the cutting surface and sharpen it with sandpaper. That makes a knife that holds it's edge better.

Sure they won't cut everything, but there are plenty of things they work just fine on. And they love giving them out for gifts!

Snowfan · #6 11/09/11, 07:50 PM

Wildcat6, there are a couple of good books you may want to check out. One is called "Custom Knifemaking" by Tim McCreight. The other is called, I think, The 50$ Knife Book. That second book is somewhere in my room. Both of them informative. I've made several knifes using the information in them.

mplatt4 · #7 11/09/11, 08:25 PM

I was thinking of trying to make some out of the old blades from my Dewalt chop saw has anyone tried to make one from those blades?

wildcat6 · #8 11/10/11, 06:57 AM

I appreciate everyone's advice. I have never tried anything like this, I have just watched some youtube video's about it. I just thought it looked interesting and would like to try it. Again, thanks...

wildcat6 · #9 11/10/11, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mplatt4

I was thinking of trying to make some out of the old blades from my Dewalt chop saw has anyone tried to make one from those blades?

I watched a youtube video on it and it looks very useful. You should check it out.

unioncreek · #10 11/10/11, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mplatt4

I was thinking of trying to make some out of the old blades from my Dewalt chop saw has anyone tried to make one from those blades?

Those blades are not high enough in carbon to make a good knife blade. The only saw blades that are any good are old circular sawmill blades and some of the newer sawmill bandsaw blades. But, you need to check the carbon content on the new bandsaw blades.

Bob

Survival Bill · #11 11/10/11, 08:18 PM

I make lots of knives from OF steel thats old files they work great and are cheep and yes I also use oil seems to work the best and does not stress the steel like water does...
saw blades don't bother with them the steel in them are junk specially if you get the ones that have carbide tips put on them....
here are a few of the ones I have made you get better over time too...
http://www.bushcraft.survivalbill.ca/?cat=12

wildcat6 · #12 11/11/11, 09:30 AM

Come to think of it; I believe it was an older saw in the video I watched. I just didn't pay any attention to it. Here is the link to it if anyone is interested.

Griggs knives · #13 12/15/11, 01:58 PM

I have been making knives since 1999. I love helping other begining knifemakers
out. feel free to contact me with any problems or questions you may have. I make both
forged and stock removal blades, from both stainless and carbon steels. The second book that Snowfan was refering to above was, The $50 Knife Shop by Wayne Goddard,
which I highly recomend for a begining knifemaker.

DavidUnderwood · #14 12/15/11, 06:23 PM

wes917 · #15 12/15/11, 07:35 PM

I have been considering this hobby for awhile as I have a nice bench mounted belt sander and access twosome nice bench grinders. I didn't even think of old files. I have a few of those I could make some small pocket knives out of. Gonna have to check out that book you guys listed.

SteveD(TX) · #16 12/16/11, 10:55 AM

My most treasured items are knives that my father made. He was quite a knife maker, and could have sold them for quite a bit if he wanted. But he gave most of them away to friends and family. He even made some pocket knives.

allisonhome · #17 12/16/11, 12:12 PM

Haven't made one. I thought it's not possible. LOL. I'm gonna give this a try.

DavidUnderwood · #18 12/16/11, 05:45 PM

I've made a few hundred. Never sold one. Give
them all to trappers orgs, or traded to folks for
stuff they made. I both forge and grind blades.
In my opinion, a file is much too hard unless you
have a forge. Band saw blades work real good
for me. The ones I get are 40 ft long and 8 to 10
inches wide.