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Posted: 8/24/2009 3:02:21 PM EDT
Re-posted from the photo thread, my newest piece:
Laminated steel (22-layer Sumionagashi steel, white paper steel core), welded to an A2 tang, ground flat, cut the blade profile, ground again, etched and left unpolished, around Rc 54-56. Black, hand-laid micarta-like handle, single red liner, brass rodstock pins. 0.060 Kydex sheath with MOLLE clip. It was made for a friend, a dude that saved my ass a few times on my first combat tour. Whether he carries it or not is up to him, it's more for sentiment than anything else. I made a Santoku knife for his wife, who is a professional chef, sadly... no photos. Any constructive criticism is welcome. |
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Quoted:
That is really cool, I wish I could get into knifemaking. Is it hard? Nope. Don't get caught up in the "stuff you need" to make a knife. I made my first one out of a piece of a leaf spring, a few files and some sandpaper. It was kinda crooked, but it still cut stuff. They make kits, but you'll notice most of them are of poor quality. For the amount of time you can put into it, you can do better than most kits. Gather basic tools for shaping metals: a vise mounted on something sturdy, a saw, some files and some sandpapers/emery cloth/ shop rolls... you're cooking. Scared by the cost of fire? (metal treating ovens cost a bit). Having someone else do your heat-treating is an easy way to get a few pieces done. Basic air-hardening steels are a good place to start, A2 and 440C steel are great choices here. I'd recommend Robert Loveless' book "How to Make a Knife". Richard Barney wrote a section in there that shows how to use hand tools in construction. They're both geniuses and instruction is easily absorbed from them. Try it out, you never know where it'll take you. ETA: SightsOnTarget, stay tuned brother... I've got a "kit knife" to show you. |
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This post is for SightsOnTarget,
I made this from a pre-cut, heat-treated and fully-profiled blade. I bought it for about $15 from a place online. My first knife from a kit. A kit is an awesome introduction to this pass-time. I'd recommend starting with one and seeing if it's something you enjoy. How's this for inspiration?  
 
6 1/2" overall, 2 3/8" blade, 440C, (it cost me $15 from Jantz Supply online). Jigged and polished buffalo horn scales, red liners and brass stock hardware. 0.06" Kydex sheath. |
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Quoted:
Are the blades in the kits finished and hardened? Also what is your opinion of the quality of materials in the kit? I have read mixed reviews on them. The blades are ground, drilled and usually fully heat-treated. You don't get to use your design, your grind, your blade/handle angle, the method of fastening your handle... there are a lot of limitations to kits. Kits are a good introduction to the mechanics of building, but you'll quickly outgrow them if you like making knives. Once you have an idea of your building abilities, you'll want to expand your limits to trying new techniques and increase the quality of you work. It's not hard to pass up the quality of a kit, they're kinda like the drug dealer's low priced introduction to the addiction. |
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