Knifeception

Intro: Knifeception

Turn a used kitchen knife into a custom fixed blade knife.

I’ve made several knives, and the great part about this project is that it doesn’t require any annealing or hardening of the blade to produce the end product.

Try something new, don’t be afraid to take a chance.

This is the first time I used this handle material and learned about it by getting my hands dirty. With a little patience and focus you can create something amazing.

Materials needed

1. Old kitchen knife

2. Handle material (stabilized wood or composite)

3. Dremel 8220 + metal cut-off blade

4. Dremel MotoSaw

5. 3/8 steel rod (handle pins)

6. ½ aluminum tube (lanyard hole)

7. Sand paper 120 - 600

8. Belt sander (optional)

9. Epoxy

Steps

1. Draw new knife outline on old kitchen knife

2. Cut out shape using Dremel 8220 + cut off wheel

3. Drill holes for pins

4. Rough cut handle material to blank

5. Contour handle

6. Final assemble pins, handle and blade with epoxy (clamp for pressure)

7. Remove clamps and final sand

STEP 1: Draw New Knife Outline

This is where the new knife is born. Use your creativity to draw a new knife profile on the old kitchen knife.

STEP 2: ​Cut Out Shape

Using a Dremel 8220 + cut off wheel – cut out your design. Take your time!

STEP 3: Drill Holes for Pins

Using bit sized to your pins, locate at least 2 holes in the handle area of the knife for your pins, Clamp the blade down before drilling it, then transfer the hole placement on to the handle material before cutting the handle material down.

STEP 4: Rough Cut Handle

I used the moto saw to create a rough contour of the handle material against the blade before shaping. Use temporary pins to hold everything in place to ensure success during final assembly.

STEP 5: Contour Handle

Using a couple of tools here, the goal is to take the rough contour to a comfortable knife grip. A sanding drum attached to my 8220 worked great for knocking down the initial edge, and the tight radius of the front finger/thumb area, I used my 1x30 belt sander for larger areas.

STEP 6: Final Assemble Pins, Handle and Blade

Once you have everything 95% complete on your handles and pins its time to glue them up. Use your sanding drum to add a texture for mechanical strength. Clamp pieces together as the 5 minute epoxy sets up.

STEP 7: Remove Clamps and Final Sand

Now that the epoxy is cured, it’s time to remove any overflow and final sand the handle to your preference. I like to use between 600 and 800 for final grit.

Comments

[mrwonton]

diamond tipped cutter? Will normal do?

[ShaunC15]

i used regular "heavy duty" cutting wheels with the dremel.

Is that what you aare wondering?

[the_mad_rshn]

Nice project. How did you get your steel to the point of being able to drill it? Thank you.

[ShaunC15]

Just use a good center punch to create a centering spot, a nice sharp bit and some cutting oil.

I didn't do any special really - other than take my time.

[ShaunC15]

Just use a good center punch to create a centering spot, a nice sharp bit and some cutting oil.

I didn't do any special really - other than take my time.

[ShaunC15]

Just use a good center punch to create a centering spot, a nice sharp bit and some cutting oil.

I didn't do any special really - other than take my time.

[spark master]

I saw the intro thought it would be silly then I saw the picture of the knife drawn on the old blade. Seriously nice concept. I have a number of oldies that I can sacrafice and own a dremel. I will eventually give this a try. Since I have a spiffy knife sharpener that does poorly with small blades this is a way I can hone first cut out the blade and NOT need to sharpen afterwards or more importantly I will not need to harden and then anneal a blade. Cuz the blade is already there. The hilt end may have a tiny issue, but that is why the gods make ice.

I will look for other knife projects by you!

sweet actually!

[stachkarl]

This is a really neat recycling idea, but you scared the heck out of me with your video. You kept waving your hand past the cutting edge of the knife blade, and I was really concerned about your safety. Also, I didn't see any evidence that you were using safety glasses when your were shaping the blade. We only get one set of eyes; please use yours carefully.

Thanks for sharing this project with us.

[TimothyJ999]

Very nice! There are tons of old kitchen knives available at flea markets and on Ebay.

Just one addition: you can get away without annealing and heat treating only if you don't ruin the temper while you're cutting and grinding the old blade. Keep the blade cool--work slowly, grind lightly, and dip it in water frequently. If it gets too hot to touch you're risking the temper of the blade, and the only way to get it back is to heat treat it again.

[ShaunC15]

You're correct TimothyJ999. By staying away from the cutting edge and using a tool like my dremel you create very little heat - especially around the sharp parts.

This is a very different process than the steps needed to make a knife where you are creating the bevel itself. (Which is why this project is so great for beginners)

For my file knives I heat them in a DIY kiln to a non-magnetic state and then air cool it for the annealing, and do a similar process for hardening - but use an oil bath for rapid cooling. (then temper in a small toaster oven)

[bobby sissom]

very nice job, I love the final look

[Yonatan24]

+1

[dcada]

for what used to be a kitchen knife it's sexy, I love it