I wanted to make a good impression with my first ever 'ible so here you are. The 'Barbarian' custom knife. This wasteland-ish blade can serve you well in the apocalypse if you follow these simple steps from having scrap metal and wood to a blade fit for surviving raiders.

Step 1: Materials

To make this knife, it's fairly easy to acquire some of the elements that you need which are as follows:

You need some sturdy steel, 01 tool steel works just about but a much thicker steel I recommend for a more barbaric look.
Some wood for the handle. Any will do really, it goes with the theme if it's scrap.
Tools that include; grinder/sander, heat torch and a mallet among other things.
Finally, safety equipment. Goggles, gloves and a dust mask are all necessary.

There are other things that you might need but you know, you can figure them out yourself.

My 'bladesmiths' made the blade for me, you can visit their channels here:

https://www.instructables.com/member/Thomas+Jones/

https://www.instructables.com/member/Eran-Li

It's where credit's due anyways.

Step 2: Making the Basic Shape

As I said, the blade was already forged and tempered for me but there are plenty of tutorials out there for you to learn a bit of smithing, so you can take a look on there.

I heated up the pre-made tang and applied it to a wooden block for the tang to burn and fit into the wood tightly. It was just a block of wood, nothing special (a mallet helps a lot btw). This step is fairly easy but it sets up the other steps.

Step 3: Handling the Handle

Go to your grinder or sander or even files if you want and start profiling the shape of the handle.

Mark on the wood where your fingers would wrap around it and then using the wheel of the grinder to shape the curves and bevels to match your grip. Make it so your fingers feel comfortable and grind the surfaces of the wood smooth so your palm fits without any stabbing pain from corners or splinters. Finally you can taper the pommel to a design you like, personally I went for a combat knife sort of look.

Really easy so far, right?

Step 4: Shaping the Blade

The blade that was given to me was forged nicely but needed obvious grinding and decoration.

I started the beveling process by using horizontal and vertical grinds on both the grinder and the sander. Large scoops from one side of the blade to the other (on both sides too) gives a phenomenal cutting edge at the end of all of it. I also ground down the very top of the blade, to make it seem like a very long bowie knife and give it a stronger point from the taper.

At the spine, I used the wheel shape yet again to grind in some indents into the blade which look rally nice in my opinion.

Step 5: Details

Going to an engraver, I started to make dents and scratches on the blade.
I engraved a small tally strike and the word 'RAGE' because it just fits the blade so well. Experiment with different markings and scratches to really bring it out.

Next, I sanded and varnished the blade a nice pine colour. Then, I got a marker and drew in little details before lightly sanding the marker prints down to give some age to it.

Absolute final step was drilling a hole through the pommel and threading a lace with a knot on the end of it to create a makeshift lanyard.

Step 6: Enjoy!

There you are, the 'Barbarian'! A functional and cool looking blade. And before any of you blade experts who have been reviewing blades for 98 years thinks it's a really terrible blade, it's supposed to look barbaric and it's my first 'ible... calm down. I'm just 'sharing what I made' after all!

And as a warning, my blade turned out to be a very sharp blade. DO NOT use it for harm and be careful when making it and using it. I'd probably not take it outside either...

I will be building more blades and sheaths in the future so keep an eye out!

Thanks for reading!