Workshop and Outdoor Knife

For the most time in the workshop I need a knife to cut or scrape something. In the beginning I had a knife to cut and a scraper to scrape. But every time I had to change the tool. Also I have some knifes which are to nice to actually work with them.

So I've started to build my own tool which needed to fulfill following characteristics:

- Cheap (Then it doesn't hurt if it break)

- Durable

- A cutting edge

- A edge to scrape

I've started to experiment with old saw blades.

The first thing I've needed was a scraper.

Therefore I reduced the blade to a length where I'm comfortable with.

Then I grind the scraping edge. After a finish with my sander the edge was sharp enough for my purposes. To protect the blade, and me, I build a sheath from a old PVC pipe. Therefore I heated up the pipe and pressed it together with my bench vise.

After the scraping edge I've sanded the knife blade.

I was asked about the different of the two edges. Here the approach to explain it.

The scraping edge is only sharpened on one side of the blade. This side of the blade is later facing you while working (the upper side). This allow a nearly plane location of the blade on the surface.

The knife edge is as usual sharpened on both sides, this allow a better control of the blade. You will notice if the cutting edge is not located in the middle of the blade, in this case the knife will not cut straight.

To protect my hand and to increase the grip to the handle, I have weaved a paracord over the not edged end of the knife.

Also I got asked how this weave pattern is called. I don't have an answer to that, I've made it up by my self. At first I've done the cross pattern, but it was to lose, so I've also squeezed the paracord through the pattern again the result is a good but not perfect solution for my hand.

Also I've spared out the bottom of the handle, this way I'm able to use a hammer or something similar on the back end.

I'm using the knife for everything in the workshop. Also I've recognized that with the scrape allows to produce fine scrapings which are quite useful to start a fire.

I had some leftovers from my sofa. I've used them to create a knife edge.

Therefore I've glued together the leather strips.

After I've glued together all the leather strips I've also stitched together the parts.

Therefore I've drilled little holes with the needle (in a drill) and sew together everything.