Hand Crafted Knife

by emmetthardie in Workshop > Knives

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Hand Crafted Knife

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This knife is made from mild steel cut out with an angle grinder. which I heat treated using a homemade coal forge. I used walnut for the handle shaping it on a belt sander

Supplies

  • steel
  • forge
  • hairdryer
  • angle grinder
  • bench grinder
  • drill/drillpress
  • wood or other handle material
  • epoxy
  • steel rod
  • sandpaper

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draw a design for your knife on a piece of mild steel. There are lots of templates online you can use, or just draw it freehanded.

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Drill holes in your handle. These holes are used for pins, which will help keep the handle together.

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Next, put your knife into your forge and let it heat up. You know your knife is hot enough when it looses it magnetization. Then dunk your knife into either canola or used motor oil.

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Next, Using an oven set to 400 degrees heat your blade for two cycles of two hours, letting the blade air cool after each cycle. This process is called tempering, and will soften your blade. Softening your blade will make it far less brittle.

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Next, using a bench grinder put an edge on your blade. Make sure to use a ver gradual angle when putting an edge on your knife.

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Next, cut your handle shape out of your desired material, in this case I used walnut. Then insert your pinyin one side of the handle, cover the pieces in epoxy, and assemble your handle.

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Lastly, shape your handle on a belt sander to your desired shape. Then apple oil, in this case tung oil to the handle.