Knife Making

Disclaimers: Knife making is dangerous, I'm not responsible if you get hurt. Also, know your laws, and don't make anything illegal. I'm not responsible for anything that happens as a consequence of you reading this. 

This is a personal project of mine, and when I finished, I thought, why not make an instructable out of this? So here's the result. This is my first knife in the pictures. This isn't an instructable to make the best knives while prancing about all your fancy machines, but rather an instructable that an ordinary person, with no prior experience and limited materials can do as well. 

Overall, I spent around $5 on the knife itself, and the tools were $10, for the files and clamps. The rest I had. However, you can borrow tools from a friend as well. 

You don't need too many tools, but the more you have, the easier it is. This is stock removal, meaning you start with a bar of metal, and remove whatever doesn't look like a knife. Full tang. 

Tools: 
-2 clamps
-1 Drill
-1/8" Drill Bit
-Hammer
-Saw, preferably a reciprocating saw, but hacksaw works too.
-Files. One flat, and one half round. Bastard files will do the job faster, although I use a single cut towards the end for smoother results.
-Sandpaper.  As low as possible to as high as you want. I used 80-200, with 100 and 150 in between.
-Epoxy. I used JB weld. The longer it takes to set the better.
-Sharpie
-Tongs

Materials:
Sheffield's knife supply is a great place to buy. They may be a bit gruff, but they have great prices, and provide good and honest survice. USAKnifemaker's is also a good place. 

-Steel. I used 1080 steel, which is probably best for beginners. Don't use random steel, since heat treat will be difficult. All temperatures and heat treating methods are for 1080 and 1084 steel.
-Handles. I used micarta handles, although any will work. If you're using wood, or something delicate, you need to be careful during the peening process.
-Pins. 1/8" Brass pins. If you want bigger pins, than you'll need a bigger drill bit. 
-Canola Oil

I'm pretty sure I forgot something, please comment if you notice some materials are missing. 

Step 1: Designing

I use inkscape for this part, but you can use whatever you feel comfortable with. Basically, draw out the knife, plan out the handles, and know where everything goes. The knife will probably change a bit from your design, but a good solid idea is essential. 

Mine looks different from the design, but the main idea is still there. Also, I decided to go two pins instead of 3, since more isn't necessary for me. It's all your choice though. 

I'm using 1/8 thick 1080 steel, and around 9 inches long. 

Comments

[builderofmanythings]

Nice work with annealing, I never thought of using salt to know when PC steel is 1500 F, I always just used the color of the steel. I knew that once it was above its curie temperature it losses it magnetic properties, but never actually used a magnet on that metal! If you had any reason I'm curious why you quenched the steel in oil, and not a brine. I know a brine lowers the temperature much faster than oil, I'm just curious if you wanted to slow the quench for any reason. But awesome instuctable, I plan on making a knife one day and this is defiantly helpful.

[Batryn]

You're right, brine would lower the temperature faster, and it would probably make the steel harder as well. However, I chose oil because I was going to make the steel a bit softer anyways, through tempering, since this knife was going to be batoned through wood, and all sorts of other tasks. Additionally, a brine quench would be more risky than oil. By lowering the temperature so fast, the risk of cracks and warps, especially at the thin edge, is a lot higher. A lot of other makers have had their blades crack from salt, and since this was my first knife, and my experience was almost negative, I decided to go with the simpler oil.

[Basement_Craftsman]

When it comes to cutting out the rough knife shape a would recommend an angle grinder. It makes it 10x easier and it give it a very nice edge after some practice. To me using a drill and hacksaw makes it a little rough but like u said anything will work with patience. But overall I definitely say its a good instructable.

[Batryn]

Yes, that would go a lot faster, but angle grinders are a bit pricey. My goal was to make this without going broke at the same time haha.

[Basement_Craftsman]

I'm not sure exactly what your price range is but i just buy cheap chinese made ones from harbor freight for 20$. and even though they are cheap as long as you dont run them for more than like 5 minutes straight it wont overheat or anything.

[Uriel208]

All shiv jokes aside, well done!

[Uriel208]

You sir, would do well in prison.

[desertsniper]

good instructable! I like the overall design of your knife, however, i think you should have spent more time getting your blade even and handle more squared. looks a little rough in a few areas, but great job, i want to try this etching method! i use a steel letter tamp.

[Jeff-of-all-trades]

Nice Instructable! I've been playing with the idea of making a knife recently and I'm interested in how others are going about making them. How and when did you add the maker mark to the blade?

[Batryn]

I explained it under extras, but someone made a better instructable on etching. http://www.instructables.com/id/Etching-Knife-Blades/
I hope he's okay with me linking it, if not, I'll take it off. But towards the end, after heat treating and cleaning the blade. I used duct tape to cut out a stencil, and then etched it in using electricity.

[Jeff-of-all-trades]

Not sure how I missed the Extras page but thanks for the reply and additional info!

[profpat]

i like it! very nice instructable, specially the etching part!