Guest Scuba1 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 (edited) There was a thread here on THL somewhere about knives and what to buy and I cant find it any more, So I had a go at making my own. Cost next to nothing if you have some circular saw blades sleeping in the garage and an angle grinder, some charcoal and a few other odds and sods. Its a nice way to pass some time in the shed on a rainy day and we did have enough of them this summer. So here it goes. Mark the rough outline on the bit of carbon steel of your choice. and cut out the rough shape. Then drill the tang for the studs that you'll need to put the grips on. You'll have to do this before you harden the steel. Now grind a taper on both rides of the blade to be. Make sure you do this nice and even on both sides. After hardening the knife, a bit more detailed grinding is called for. While I was at it, I riveted the grips into place as well, Using some large brass wood screws that I put in a drill chuck and filed into a cylindrical shape, I made those rivets. The grips are made out of some wood that was left over after lightening the stock of Bubbleducks WH100 and those made he knife a bit heavy but looked ok to me. So this is he rough shape of it so far. What you can't see as yet is, that I ground a groove into the blade before hardening and filled that groove with stainless steel by welding spots using an stainless steel electrode. But not right down to the cutting edge as stainless is softer then carbon steel and would not hold an edge as well. After grinding the weld down, and hardening the blade. I was not into the final stages of finishing the knife. I sanded the blade with fine paper and did the same with the grips after giving them their final shape on a belt sander. I now etched the blade to a dark steel grey but leaving the stainless steel in a shiny silver so that it looks a bit like a cloud. and finished the grips with a few coats of varnish and the blade with a light rub down with fine wire wool to give it a satin kind of finish. After all that, I spent a few minutes with my Lansky sharpening set giving the edge the final touch and have now a few bald patches on my fore arms I know it look to be a bit of a strange shape, but it is ergonomically a sound design with a place for the thumb on the spine of the blade, if one needs a bit more pressure on it for carving, a concave part in the rear makes that easier as well. A dropped point that makes gutting as easy as can be and a ground in finger guard. It has everything that is needed for a general purpose outdoor and hunting knife with as little compromises as possible. Have a go, its fun, cheap and you don't need a lot in the way of tools either. ATB Michael Edited August 5, 2009 by Scuba1 Quote Link to post
RaiderBoy 19 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 looks good scuba. all you need know is a sheath that fit around a belt for it to go in. Raiderboy Quote Link to post
andyfr1968 772 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 That's great!! Be interesting to see how well it holds it's edge, as all the heat of cutting and grinding's not good for even high carbon steel, even though you re-hardened it 'cos that really only works on the surface of the steel. Let us know how it goes on, Michael. Nice work! Cheers. Quote Link to post
hughes_jh 0 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Good job, get a polishing mop for the bench grinder and get it sparkling! Quote Link to post
ssssh1forthepot 0 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 That is really good well done and a good read aswell Quote Link to post
Guest Scuba1 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 looks good scuba. all you need know is a sheath that fit around a belt for it to go in. Raiderboy Yep I am on the scrounge for some leather at the moment............ any ideas???? ATB Michael Quote Link to post
ssssh1forthepot 0 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 looks good scuba. all you need know is a sheath that fit around a belt for it to go in. Raiderboy Yep I am on the scrounge for some leather at the moment............ any ideas???? ATB Michael PM Simoman I hear he's getting married so he will probably be getting rid of his leather gimp mask now.... Quote Link to post
RaiderBoy 19 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 looks good scuba. all you need know is a sheath that fit around a belt for it to go in. Raiderboy Yep I am on the scrounge for some leather at the moment............ any ideas???? ATB Michael any Upholstery place would probably provide you with offcuts if you ask nicely Raiderboy Quote Link to post
Guest Scuba1 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 That's great!! Be interesting to see how well it holds it's edge, as all the heat of cutting and grinding's not good for even high carbon steel, even though you re-hardened it 'cos that really only works on the surface of the steel. Let us know how it goes on, Michael. Nice work! Cheers. I did have an extensive play with it and now even the hedge at the end of the garden has a fair few pointy bits and have used it in the kitchen after some heavy duty whittling ans it still slices a tomato like a dream. So I think it is safe to say, that it does hold an edge. If it had not performed well, I would have kept quiet about my attempt at knife making and not put a yard long post on here and clutter my photobucket account with bits of scrap metal. :whistling: ATB Michael Quote Link to post
the Verminator 0 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 very nice job, well done!! Quote Link to post
aaronpigeonplucker 32 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 nice knife Quote Link to post
foxon 0 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 looks good scuba. all you need know is a sheath that fit around a belt for it to go in. Raiderboy Yep I am on the scrounge for some leather at the moment............ any ideas???? ATB Michael Scuba, that knife look's good, well impressed with recycle of circular saw blade & I know they are full of Carbon. Sure there will be a cow that's willing to done it's hide on your next Hunting trip. Atb, foxon. Quote Link to post
Guest Scuba1 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Now Foxon this is just a hunch, but I have this feeling, that an AA410 is not quite the right tool to " persuade" a cow to lend me a bit of its hide. Not even with pointy pellets. I thought the better option was to ask Simoman for his gimp mask and have done just that on the " General Talk " section. ATB Michael Quote Link to post
foxon 0 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Now Foxon this is just a hunch, but I have this feeling, that an AA410 is not quite the right tool to " persuade" a cow to lend me a bit of its hide. Not even with pointy pellets. I thought the better option was to ask Simoman for his gimp mask and have done just that on the " General Talk " section. ATB Michael Look's like a trip to your Spanish Arsenal Scuba. Atb, foxon. Quote Link to post
Guest Scuba1 Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 (edited) Now Foxon this is just a hunch, but I have this feeling, that an AA410 is not quite the right tool to " persuade" a cow to lend me a bit of its hide. Not even with pointy pellets. I thought the better option was to ask Simoman for his gimp mask and have done just that on the " General Talk " section. ATB Michael Look's like a trip to your Spanish Arsenal Scuba. Atb, foxon. Ohhhh I wish .......... I do miss them. But with no UK FAC I'll have to wait till I leave the country again. But then they'll stay with me. I would have had some goats leather by now. ATB Michael Edited August 5, 2009 by Scuba1 Quote Link to post
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