Anyone ever make a knife?

mrpat

mrpat

#1
#1
I don't know why, but I started watching that program "Forged in Fire". I think I was nursing a hangover one Sunday and watched a marathon all day. I fell in love with the program.

After watching what they do in making those cool knives, I thought to myself, "man, I can make one of those". I don't have the cool black smith tools, but I have a grinder and a drill press!

I just used some flat stock as a starting point. Used a torch to heat it and quench it in oil, then tempered it in my wife's toaster over.:laugh:

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Let's see your knives!
 
H

Havasu Dave

Moderator
#3
#3
Cool knife Pat. I also watch the show. I record all of my TV, so never miss an episode. (TV commercials will "keel.") LOL! Yeah, that is a way cool show. Definitely one of my favorites, although as a Marine, I get a kick out of watching some fat Billy Bobs talk a lot of smack about what bad asses they are, and end up quitting because of heat exhaustion.

I had dreams of taking it up to get away from this mini bike business, but after pricing a forge, an anvil, and shipping costs for an anvil, and then realizing that my garage is 130F ambient in the summer, I slapped an F-it Sticker on that idea.

Cool hobby though, and you're just the guy in the right place to do it!
 
M

moetrout

Active Member
#5
#5
I've made a couple over the years. The first one I made was out of a circular saw blade. I still use it and it skins every varmint I trap (fur trapping). I used my fireplace to heat it and the quenched it in 30w oil. Tempered in the kitchen oven. I modeled it after a Gerber knife that I liked at the time.
 
W

WLB

Active Member
#6
#6
Nice job, Mr Pat. It should serve you well. I've made several over the years and still use one I made over 50 years ago.
 
S

Silent Matt

Member
#7
#7
I used to make knives as a hobby, still have my anvil and forge. You need a steel with at least around .35% carbon to harden properly. Files, saw blades, some railroad spikes, and leaf springs make for some easy to find stock. You can make a simple charcoal forge out of a brake drum and bathroom fan(what I started with). Google and the Bladesmith forum are great resources. A chunk of railroad track makes a good first anvil and I see affordable 50-70 pounders pop up on Craigslist every so often.
 
mrpat

mrpat

#8
#8
Havasu Dave said:
Cool knife Pat. I also watch the show. I record all of my TV, so never miss an episode. (TV commercials will "keel.") LOL! Yeah, that is a way cool show. Definitely one of my favorites, although as a Marine, I get a kick out of watching some fat Billy Bobs talk a lot of smack about what bad asses they are, and end up quitting because of heat exhaustion.

I had dreams of taking it up to get away from this mini bike business, but after pricing a forge, an anvil, and shipping costs for an anvil, and then realizing that my garage is 130F ambient in the summer, I slapped an F-it Sticker on that idea.

Cool hobby though, and you're just the guy in the right place to do it!
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I wasn't going "all in" on those fancy tools, just wanted to see what I could do. Shoot, you could get a real nice knife on Amazon for 6 dollars! I guess I'm just bored and have no friends.


chipper said:
Nice stuff Pat , IT will Cut and it Will KILL !!
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Thanks! It was just something I wanted to try. I know it isn't perfect by any means.

moetrout said:
I've made a couple over the years. The first one I made was out of a circular saw blade. I still use it and it skins every varmint I trap (fur trapping). I used my fireplace to heat it and the quenched it in 30w oil. Tempered in the kitchen oven. I modeled it after a Gerber knife that I liked at the time.
Click to expand...
wow, saw blade. I like that idea.
 
S

Silent Matt

Member
#9
#9
Oh, and peanut or sunflower oil makes a great quenchant, just keep it sealed up when not in use. Another quick tip: always normalize before you quench and don't go thinner than .03" edge thickness to save the heartache of a cracked blade.
 
M

moetrout

Active Member
#10
#10
Silent Matt said:
Oh, and peanut or sunflower oil makes a great quenchant, just keep it sealed up when not in use. Another quick tip: always normalize before you quench and don't go thinner than .03" edge thickness to save the heartache of a cracked blade.
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What do you mean by normalize before you quench?

Also, wondering if you think lawn mower blades would make good a good blade? I am overdue to make another knife.
 
mrpat

mrpat

#11
#11
WLB said:
Nice job, Mr Pat. It should serve you well. I've made several over the years and still use one I made over 50 years ago.
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Thank you sir! I had fun with this project.

Silent Matt said:
I used to make knives as a hobby, still have my anvil and forge. You need a steel with at least around .35% carbon to harden properly. Files, saw blades, some railroad spikes, and leaf springs make for some easy to find stock. You can make a simple charcoal forge out of a brake drum and bathroom fan(what I started with). Google and the Bladesmith forum are great resources. A chunk of railroad track makes a good first anvil and I see affordable 50-70 pounders pop up on Craigslist every so often.
Click to expand...
I was gonna go the coconut route and see if my blade keeps it's edge after chopping it. :smile: I would love to have a small anvil, I better keep my eyes open on craigslist.

Silent Matt said:
Oh, and peanut or sunflower oil makes a great quenchant, just keep it sealed up when not in use. Another quick tip: always normalize before you quench and don't go thinner than .03" edge thickness to save the heartache of a cracked blade.
Click to expand...
I used plain old vegetable oil that I robbed from kitchen cabinet. Thanks for the tip on the .03" edge thickness.

moetrout said:
What do you mean by normalize before you quench?

Also, wondering if you think lawn mower blades would make good a good blade? I am overdue to make another knife.
Click to expand...
Go make one! post pics!!
 
S

Silent Matt

Member
#12
#12
moetrout said:
What do you mean by normalize before you quench?

Also, wondering if you think lawn mower blades would make good a good blade? I am overdue to make another knife.
Click to expand...
You would take the steel up to your quench temp(loses magnetivity) and then allow it to cool as slowly as possible(left in forge overnight). This allows the structure to realign and gets rid of any stress points from forging. I would think the lawn mower blade would work, the older ones are said to be 1085...
 
electrathon

electrathon

#13
#13
I have made a few, fun to do. As a beginner you can't beat the book, "The $50 Knife Shop" by Wayne Goddard (spelling?). Easy to follow getting started instructions.
 
Daniel Coop

Daniel Coop

Well-Known Member
#14
#14
We made lots of shanks and shivs back in the good old Colorado Department of Corrections. Good times... I'm telling you fellas, you haven't lived until you've keestered a nice 5" shiv! :death:
 
jeep2003

jeep2003

#16
#16
I made this one a few years ago out of an old file. No forging or anything I just shaped it cold. I modeled it after a CRKT minimalist. Came out good i even made a little cover out of stainless.
 

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