Make your own knife

davymoore

you can make a sheath out of almost anything and how it looks is a matter of preference

pajero2005

Davy,

Is there any Irish web-sites for buying scales? I saw a few nice ones here and here, but would like to but local if possible.

Also (stupid question number 1+2 of many:o),
On the blade you sent me, there is a very small bevel on it already, is this ready to take an edge or should I bevel it more? Is this blade pre hardened or will I need to have it done?

Thanks in advance.
Paj.

davymoore

No place in ireland to buy scales I'm afraid but if you get a nice piece of dense hard timber like walnut or bogoak it should look well.

That blade is a finished blade just put the scales on it and sharpen it.


Oh But .... It's a little bit trickier than that ... did you look at it properly ... notice how the bolsters don't quite line up (They never do) ... time to get filing... and don't score the blade with the file .... you did'nt think it was going to be that easy did you

Davy

pajero2005

Ah sure if it was easy everyone would be doin it

Thanks Davy.

pm.

davymoore wrote: »

Now you can mix up more epoxy and carefully line up the second scale.
Clamp them together in a vice etc and leave to cure over night.




Once the handle has cured over night use your drill to get the holes for the pins on the other scale.
To do this simply drill through the holes you made on the first scale.



Once this is done drill out the holes with a larger drill bit to accept the heads of the corby rivets. don't drill all the way through STOP when the point of the larer drill touches the blade.



Now apply a drop of epoxy to each of the pin holes and screw your corbys up nice and tight.





The next thing is to drill out for your lanyard hole and set the tubing in place.



Right so time to start shaping the timber.

Using various sanders grinders, rasps or files etc work your timber and pins down until you have a nice clean flat profile.







You want to keep going until you have removed the slots from the corbys.




Now it's into the vice where the real work of shaping and sanding begin



Keep sanding and sanding and sanding and sanding going through the various grits until you can feel the handle take shape.





Take the time to remove any little scratch marks



Eventually you wind up with a very comfortable very handsome handle.

one of the best posts i have seen on boards, how much would a knife like that cost ?

davymoore

Depends on who makes it I guess, PM me for a quotation but would be somewhere between €300 and €360 depending on materials

4gun

made a half assed attempt this morning ,took a really cheap kitchen knife that was lying in a box in the shed and cut it to shape, spent the next couple of hours trying to put an edge on it

blade i used is too light for what I had in mindneeds more weight,
I' put a slightly more of a curve to the hook
would not bring the edge down to handle on either side of the blade,or else have the thumb grip on a slightly elongate ambidextrous handle
I think it would be a very practical knife with multi uses

lordarpad

4gun wrote: »

made a half assed attempt this morning ,took a really cheap kitchen knife that was lying in a box in the shed and cut it to shape, spent the next couple of hours trying to put an edge on it

blade i used is too light for what I had in mindneeds more weight,
I' put a slightly more of a curve to the hook
would not bring the edge down to handle on either side of the blade,or else have the thumb grip on a slightly elongate ambidextrous handle
I think it would be a very practical knife with multi uses

Hi 4Gun

can I reiterate Davy's request that you move this to this thread?: Make Your Own Knife

4gun

I'd like to think that this is exactly what the title says:D:D:D:rolleyes:

Sparks

Moved the new knife stuff to the new knife thread. 4gun, we could spin up a new thread for your idea if you're going to do it...

davymoore

4gun wrote: »

made a half assed attempt this morning ,took a really cheap kitchen knife that was lying in a box in the shed and cut it to shape, spent the next couple of hours trying to put an edge on it

blade i used is too light for what I had in mindneeds more weight,
I' put a slightly more of a curve to the hook
would not bring the edge down to handle on either side of the blade,or else have the thumb grip on a slightly elongate ambidextrous handle
I think it would be a very practical knife with multi uses

Looks like a decent first effort but I agree that the blade needs more weight. Something along the lines of a dagger handle or boot knife handle might suit the double edge.



It'd make a good multi purpose knife but I would not like to be trying to skin with it. I think it's far too long and the curved point is bound to be problematic. I think you would have puncture problems.

4gun

should have first and only attempt, don't have the proper tools, with out which i'd never be able to make it the way I'd want, some time maybe who knows
Thanks for the imput, by the way which probably comes from years of expierience
I' pretty sure that other guys will turn out some fine pieces under you tutorage

dwighet

Heres one I completed today...Davey supplied the blade and the tuition and I did the rest...Im delighted on the result for my first attempt..the pics arnt great but you`ll get the picture...




I have another one on the go..starting from a bar of steel and using Daveys tutorial from this thread...

ayapatrick

looks good dwighet!

clivej

Thats a good looking knife Dwighet, you have a great pair hands to put it all together.
And the polished finish is very good - you can see the grain of the floor boards in the blade.

10 out of 10.

davymoore

Well done Dwighet you did a great job on that Mitchell Blade.
What did you use for the scales ? , nicely figured.
And top marks on that lanyard hole I know that wasn't easy.

Davy

dwighet

davymoore wrote: »

Well done Dwighet you did a great job on that Mitchell Blade.
What did you use for the scales ? , nicely figured.
And top marks on that lanyard hole I know that wasn't easy.

Davy

Thanks mate...The scales are stabilised curly birch antique grey.Great stuff to work with and polishes up a treat with the micro mesh
The lanyard hole wasnt too bad to do but the corbey bolts gave me grief..I dont have a pillar drill yet so the holes were drilled by hand and didnt quite line up 100% but got it sorted after a few cans and a belt of a hammer!!!!!
the pillar drill is on its way for the next one..not going through that again.

Here is what I am starting this week for the deer season.the template on the right for my stalking knife and I will be using the same shaped handle but with a skinner type blade for skinning..Going to attempt a half grind for the hunter and a full grind for the skinner.I may be bitting off more than I can chew attempting those grinds but I will have a crack at it..expect a few phone calls during the next few weeks

All the best
Dwighet

davymoore

Hi folks
Just wondering if anyone (apart from Dwighet) ever got around to giving knifemaking a try and if so what the results were

Davy

jap gt

just came across this thread now, i would love to give it a go

johngalway

Christ on a bike, just started properly sharpening my knives last week, then I come across this thread... I'm going to have to look into this craic.

jap gt

where would a fella buy the materials to get a knife started

Hibrion

Hi Davy. Havn't tried anything yet! But my new knife is inspiring me:). I want to try my hand at making a sheath for an old knife of my fathers first. Do you have any info on where to get some good leather for this? I've been doing a bit of decorative knot work as well so I'm gona try incorporate this into it.
Thanks.

davymoore

jap gt wrote: »

where would a fella buy the materials to get a knife started

http://www.brisa.fi

Good place in finland

kakashka

Hello davymoore,i'm just wondering if you've ever incorporated a gut hook into any of your knives?i have always used a knife with hook and find it very handy
Thanks

davymoore

kakashka wrote: »

Hello davymoore,i'm just wondering if you've ever incorporated a gut hook into any of your knives?i have always used a knife with hook and find it very handy
Thanks

Personally NO I havent ever built a guthook but Paul Donnellan in Galway builds very fine gut hook knives

whorobbedme

dose anyone know of a good book on hardening and tempering steel?

Double Barrel

Very nice work on your first? knife Dwighet .....big thumbs up, .... looks vaguely familiar though,..... . It has that DavyMoore look.
Use it in good health.

dwighet wrote: »

Heres one I completed today...Davey supplied the blade and the tuition and I did the rest...Im delighted on the result for my first attempt..the pics arnt great but you`ll get the picture...

I have another one on the go..starting from a bar of steel and using Daveys tutorial from this thread...

dwighet

Double Barrel wrote: »

Very nice work on your first? knife Dwighet .....big thumbs up, .... looks vaguely familiar though,..... . It has that DavyMoore look.
Use it in good health.

Aye it is a blade Davey had lying around that he got from Stuart Mitchell in the UK....He was kind enough to hand it over for me to have a crack at it....Its now my bunny knife and a spare that I carry when Stalking...
The shape of the blade is perfect for bunnies and docking fox tails;)

dwighet

whorobbedme wrote: »

dose anyone know of a good book on hardening and tempering steel?

Your best bet would be to register with a forum called British blades and fire away with all your questions there...those boys know there **** about knife making..

dwelby101

Hi there,

im just getting into this knifemaking craic and I've spent quite some time looking at where I might source the metal needed and to be honest its left me a bit confused.
As this would be my first propper attempt (I did attempt to remake Tom Browns Tracker knife many years ago as part of my junior cert art project, this was done using some mild steel bar stock, it ended up quite ugly) I dont really want to spend a huge ammount of money on steel as I am bound to make mistakes.

I am aiming at making quite a large knife, 13'' long 2'' wide and 1/4'' (or 5mm) thick. I would like to replicate Jay Fishers Minuteman EL without the serrated edge.



so my question is where can I purchase some 5mm thick stainless steel plate or other annealed steel that would allow me to work it with relative ease (as i only have basic tools)?
Thanks in advance and if I can source out what I need to get this project underway I'll keep every step posted