knife making - The Firearms Forum

Appliancedude · 08-02-2007, 11:39 PM

Anyone make their own knives.

I've been contenplating making some knives. I have some old chipped up files that are supposed to make some decent blades. Just curious if anyone has tried it and how it worked out

Bill DeShivs · 08-03-2007, 01:22 AM

A $12 piece of O1 or 1095 steel from www.jantzsupply.com will make about as good a knife as can be. Old files were made of steel like these, but some of the newer ones are air hardening steel-so you don't know what you are working with. Either way, you need to know how to anneal, harden, and temper the metal. If you leave it "file hard" the edge will chip badly.
Bill
www.billdeshivs.com

pickenup · 08-03-2007, 01:25 AM

You might ask Bill.
He is a member here. (Bill DeShivs)
He makes some NICE knives.
You can see some here.......
www.billdeshivs.com

pickenup · 08-03-2007, 01:26 AM

Oops, Hi Bill.
Guess you beat me by about 3 minutes.

travihanson · 08-03-2007, 06:09 AM

I like making knives with a grinder and an industrial file. Make alright ones, although I am worried about the grinder heating them and screwing up the temper in the metal. I haven't had any problems yet, BUT there is always that possibility...I am working on a boot knife at the moment when I have the spare time at work.

Country101 · 08-08-2007, 02:40 PM

I've made a blade out of some T-1 steel for a big bowie knife. I need to temper it and make a handle, but I dont have enough used motor oil to do it with. I dont know that it would be any good even if I tried it, since I've never done it before. I talked to a knife maker at Silver Dollar City a while back trying to find out how to do it, just haven't had time or want to to try to do everything.

Bill DeShivs · 08-10-2007, 03:13 AM

Why, thanks Pickenup!
Bill

Don Buckbee · 08-13-2007, 05:43 AM

When I first started making knives, I went to a local tool supply house in the Detroit area where I lived and bought die plate, which is O-1 steel. I then found a heat teat house that would heat treat the blades, and in return I sharpend all of their hunting and kitchen knives. So, it cost me nothing but time for the heat treating of the blades. They had a Rockwell hardness testing machine to check hardness after draw.
O-1 is easy to grind, so that's probably the best steel to use when starting out.

Don

Tom Militano · 08-13-2007, 11:45 AM

O-1, 1080/1084, or 1095 all are good blade steels. I use a lot of 1095.

sportour · 01-19-2008, 10:58 PM

I've been a woodcarver for over thirty years and make a lot of my carving tools, mostly bent knives and elbow adzes. I use 01 almost exclusively as it's easy to get, easy to work, takes a good edge and holds up under abuse. I only have a bench grinder, files, a propane
and an oxy-acetylene torch for heat so I consider 01 a good steel for us amateurs. I carve NW Coast Native style masks, bowls, rattles and totemic figures so the types of knives and adzes I use are not readily available in the commercial market. BTW, I'm new to this list and I'm having a great time shuffling through. As the Terminator said "I'll be back"...

MikeyL · 01-29-2008, 01:19 PM

Just for information for all knife-oriented guys and gals, the American Bladesmith's Guild just had their meeting in Reno last week-end. Man, a guy could go broke out there! These makers FORGE rather than grind the blades; many of them extra-fine Damascus steel, exotic scales of stag, ivory, African blackwood, etc., and it was a great experience to see the quality of the work there; albeit expensive. I bought a knife from A.G. Barnes, of Hagerstown, MD, that is one of the prettiest I have ever seen; he created the blade for the annual auction as well. If you are into edged weapons, this is a great group of people, and they were hospitable and willing to share their craft.

MikeyL

Tom Militano · 02-14-2008, 12:12 PM

A lot of knifemakers that forge their blades have to grind or drawfile them to smooth them out after they forge them.

Texman · 02-14-2008, 02:49 PM

I picked up a big heavy knife from Daddy's shed some time ago. he said his uncle , long gone, had made it from a car leaf spring.( Ford A model ?) . Was one heavy duty knife, machete size with handle bolted through the blade.. I used it to remove small trees and limbs,, still go it. Also got some of his old butcher knives from the store his Daddy ran back in panhandle of Oklahoma.. those I cherish.. cause he used them and his daddy used them and I use them still.

Dakota Red 1 · 02-15-2008, 12:16 AM

I'd like to say I make knives but so far have never finished one. I'll forge weld a billet or some cable, manipulate the pattern, finish forge and edge pack, grind, heat treat and etch...then I go stick it in a drawer or someplace 'cause the fun part is over. Guess you could call me a bladesmith but not a knife maker.

08-02-2007, 11:39 PM	#1
Appliancedude Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: The true northern Cal Posts: 1,562	knife making Anyone make their own knives. I've been contenplating making some knives. I have some old chipped up files that are supposed to make some decent blades. Just curious if anyone has tried it and how it worked out __________________ It ain't broke it just lacks duct tape. The nice thing about opinions is everybody has one. -->

08-03-2007, 01:22 AM	#2
Bill DeShivs Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Contributor Posts: 1,469	Re: knife making A $12 piece of O1 or 1095 steel from www.jantzsupply.com will make about as good a knife as can be. Old files were made of steel like these, but some of the newer ones are air hardening steel-so you don't know what you are working with. Either way, you need to know how to anneal, harden, and temper the metal. If you leave it "file hard" the edge will chip badly. Bill www.billdeshivs.com __________________ Bill DeShivs www.billdeshivs.com

08-03-2007, 01:25 AM	#3
pickenup Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains Posts: 6,837	Re: knife making You might ask Bill. He is a member here. (Bill DeShivs) He makes some NICE knives. You can see some here....... www.billdeshivs.com __________________ The gene pool needs chlorine

08-03-2007, 01:26 AM	#4
pickenup Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains Posts: 6,837	Re: knife making Oops, Hi Bill. Guess you beat me by about 3 minutes. __________________ The gene pool needs chlorine

08-03-2007, 06:09 AM	#5
travihanson Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Milo, ME Posts: 582	Re: knife making I like making knives with a grinder and an industrial file. Make alright ones, although I am worried about the grinder heating them and screwing up the temper in the metal. I haven't had any problems yet, BUT there is always that possibility...I am working on a boot knife at the moment when I have the spare time at work. __________________ The two loudest sounds in the world are a click when you expect a bang, and a bang when you expect a click.

08-08-2007, 02:40 PM	#6
Country101 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Dardanelle, AR Contributor Posts: 2,028	Re: knife making I've made a blade out of some T-1 steel for a big bowie knife. I need to temper it and make a handle, but I dont have enough used motor oil to do it with. I dont know that it would be any good even if I tried it, since I've never done it before. I talked to a knife maker at Silver Dollar City a while back trying to find out how to do it, just haven't had time or want to to try to do everything. __________________ Gainfully employed= shooting somebody elses bullets and getting paid for it Country101

08-10-2007, 03:13 AM	#7
Bill DeShivs Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Contributor Posts: 1,469	Re: knife making Why, thanks Pickenup! Bill __________________ Bill DeShivs www.billdeshivs.com

08-13-2007, 05:43 AM	#8
Don Buckbee Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Grayling, MI Posts: 712	Re: knife making When I first started making knives, I went to a local tool supply house in the Detroit area where I lived and bought die plate, which is O-1 steel. I then found a heat teat house that would heat treat the blades, and in return I sharpend all of their hunting and kitchen knives. So, it cost me nothing but time for the heat treating of the blades. They had a Rockwell hardness testing machine to check hardness after draw. O-1 is easy to grind, so that's probably the best steel to use when starting out. Don __________________ Don JPFO NRA Benefactor Member NSSA Life Member

08-13-2007, 11:45 AM	#9
Tom Militano Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Jacksonville, AL Posts: 1,255	Re: knife making O-1, 1080/1084, or 1095 all are good blade steels. I use a lot of 1095.

01-19-2008, 10:58 PM	#10
sportour Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Portland Orygun Posts: 23	Re: knife making I've been a woodcarver for over thirty years and make a lot of my carving tools, mostly bent knives and elbow adzes. I use 01 almost exclusively as it's easy to get, easy to work, takes a good edge and holds up under abuse. I only have a bench grinder, files, a propane and an oxy-acetylene torch for heat so I consider 01 a good steel for us amateurs. I carve NW Coast Native style masks, bowls, rattles and totemic figures so the types of knives and adzes I use are not readily available in the commercial market. BTW, I'm new to this list and I'm having a great time shuffling through. As the Terminator said "I'll be back"...

01-29-2008, 01:19 PM	#11
MikeyL Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 12	Re: knife making Just for information for all knife-oriented guys and gals, the American Bladesmith's Guild just had their meeting in Reno last week-end. Man, a guy could go broke out there! These makers FORGE rather than grind the blades; many of them extra-fine Damascus steel, exotic scales of stag, ivory, African blackwood, etc., and it was a great experience to see the quality of the work there; albeit expensive. I bought a knife from A.G. Barnes, of Hagerstown, MD, that is one of the prettiest I have ever seen; he created the blade for the annual auction as well. If you are into edged weapons, this is a great group of people, and they were hospitable and willing to share their craft. MikeyL

02-14-2008, 12:12 PM	#12
Tom Militano Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Jacksonville, AL Posts: 1,255	Re: knife making A lot of knifemakers that forge their blades have to grind or drawfile them to smooth them out after they forge them.

02-14-2008, 02:49 PM	#13
Texman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 362	Re: knife making I picked up a big heavy knife from Daddy's shed some time ago. he said his uncle , long gone, had made it from a car leaf spring.( Ford A model ?) . Was one heavy duty knife, machete size with handle bolted through the blade.. I used it to remove small trees and limbs,, still go it. Also got some of his old butcher knives from the store his Daddy ran back in panhandle of Oklahoma.. those I cherish.. cause he used them and his daddy used them and I use them still.

02-15-2008, 12:16 AM	#14
Dakota Red 1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Kansas Posts: 504	Re: knife making I'd like to say I make knives but so far have never finished one. I'll forge weld a billet or some cable, manipulate the pattern, finish forge and edge pack, grind, heat treat and etch...then I go stick it in a drawer or someplace 'cause the fun part is over. Guess you could call me a bladesmith but not a knife maker. __________________ Warte nur, balde ruhest du auch.