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Step 2Ingredients: choosing and finding materials for your knife
Next: choosing and obtaining materials. You'll want a carbon steel (NOT stainless), such as 01, which I used for this knife. There are other steels out there, but 01 is good to start with. You don't want stainess steel because it has to be sub-zero tempered, which is bad. It also doesn't make as fine a blade. You'll want a slab or bar about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch. I believe my steel was 3/16. You'll also need handle material, such as wood, micarta, bone, leather, cord, stone, gem, another type of metal, mammoth ivory, or meteorite. Believe me, they've all been done. For my project I decided to use Purpleheart wood. It's my favorite type because it's unique, beautiful, tough, and above all, cheap. You'll also need pins or rivets and epoxy to attach the handle. I used a brass rod for my pins.
The first picture is me with my chosen slab of steel. Notice the missing sock--this is vital to the success of the project ;-). I got it from a Northern Tool Supply, an industrial metal and tool supply warehouse a few miles from me. Finding steel was one of the most difficult parts of this project for me, because I live in a pretty rural (Maine is pretty much all rural) area and there's not a whole lot around. You can salvage steel from saw blades and the leaf springs from cars of you can't find a commercial dealer, but chances are you can.
The second picture is of the Purpleheart wood, which I got at Atlantic Hardwoods, a flooring and marine hardwood supplier in Portland. Again, there's probably something near you, just try the yellow pages or the internet.
After you have the steel, trace your design onto it in permanent marker. You'll notice that my tracing is a little bit bigger than my design--I had to elongate the handle to fit my hand, and the blade just didn't look good unless it was a good inch longer than the grip. Now you're ready for the next step.
The first picture is me with my chosen slab of steel. Notice the missing sock--this is vital to the success of the project ;-). I got it from a Northern Tool Supply, an industrial metal and tool supply warehouse a few miles from me. Finding steel was one of the most difficult parts of this project for me, because I live in a pretty rural (Maine is pretty much all rural) area and there's not a whole lot around. You can salvage steel from saw blades and the leaf springs from cars of you can't find a commercial dealer, but chances are you can.
The second picture is of the Purpleheart wood, which I got at Atlantic Hardwoods, a flooring and marine hardwood supplier in Portland. Again, there's probably something near you, just try the yellow pages or the internet.
After you have the steel, trace your design onto it in permanent marker. You'll notice that my tracing is a little bit bigger than my design--I had to elongate the handle to fit my hand, and the blade just didn't look good unless it was a good inch longer than the grip. Now you're ready for the next step.
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I love this tutorial its exactly what I was looking for.
-TheWaddleWaaddle
Also, try googling Admiral steel, And Aldo (known as NJ Steel Baron). You can also buy a lot of different kinds from Jantz knifemaking. Expect to pay for your shipping though. If you have a friend that runs a business, see if you can get it shipped there. I got my order of 11 LBs of steel to go from $30 something for shipping, to $13 something. Just by having it shipped to a business instead of my house.
shipping is killer, though.
i like 1095 steel, because quencent for that is normal water, instead of complicated salted vegetable waste oil whatnot
plus, water doesn't burst into flames when you stick a 1095 into it
and ka-bars ar made of 1095
http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com/
look for KMG 2x72 is the most used for making knifes