How to Make Your Own Steel Knives
 

Informative article from a website of primitive survival skills. Talks about materials to use, blade design, cutting the blade, filing the bevel, hardening and tempering, and handle making. I plan on making one soon.
http://www.primitiveways.com/pt-knives-1.html

Re: How to Make Your Own Steel Knives
 

I've heard you need to start with good steel. In college, a friend of mine made a nice knife out of a steel file. At first I didnt thing it would amount to much,but in the end it looked like something your would buy. The file was simply good quality steel.

SB

Re: How to Make Your Own Steel Knives
 

Make sure you have a short handled 5 lb sledge. Make sure you have a REALLY GOOD ANVIL, because without one you will NEVER be able to make a good knife. AND A REALLY GOOD SET OF LEATHER GLOVES OR YOU GONNA HAVE BIG BLISTERS FOR A WHILE.

Then there is the ability to heat the steel you are using up to RED HOT. Currently there are portable furnaces available that run off of propane.

Then you need to be able to quench it regularly.

You then need to be able to grind the final shape down to a sharpened edge, which the EASIEST way is with a large grinder.

The steel in large files is pretty good. BUT, the best steel is the leaf springs off of old cars and trucks. Go visit a 'spring shop' in your area and ask if they have any old leaf springs you can have. Generally they have to pay to have them hauled off and are willing to let you take as much as you can haul away.

Be prepared to have really sore hand, wrists, arms and shoulders when you first start. Mine were.

While in gunsmithing school, we talked the Farrier instructor to teach a weekend knife making class. It's REALLY EASY if you have all the items listed above.

My knife is shown below. You will note that it has no blade hand guard and the tang of the knife is ALMOST full length. It is also a double edged blade. The handle is purple heart wood, which is posionous when sanded so I had to take care making the handle.

Most of the guys in my knife making class went for a large Bowie or Tanto style knife. Mine is short with a 5" blade and an overall length of 9". It fits my hand perfectly and is razor sharp. The reason for no hand guard was so it wouldn't hang up if I have to stick someone. Many a knife fight is lost because you stick your knife in someone and can't get it back out because the hand guard catches on bone or clothing and you lose your weapon.

http://www.goldismoney.info/forums/a...1&d=1195338386

Re: How to Make Your Own Steel Knives
 

I tend to disagree about the hand guard.Guardless knives are a sure way to lose your fingers during a stab.You need a wide guard and a pinky catch+a lanyard hole.The best is a pinky ring,that makes it undisarmable.Your knife is very good bladewise,a perfect stabbing weapon but with a wide guard and pommel it would be much better,think of a German SA dagger.The knife you made is similar to puukos but double-edged,it can be stabbed into a BG and further pushed in so it disappears whole inside his stomach.

Re: How to Make Your Own Steel Knives
 

AH, Antonio.

Different blades for different jobs, yes?

I have many.

This ONE is my stick and git. I can actually hide it with my hand. My agressor will never see it. Literally. And it's a back up to a concealed carry. Which after shtf my cc would be a back up to a MBR. Kind of a tell me three times type of thing.

But I have several. A Glock, a Case, several Bucks, and others whose names escape me at this moment, as I don't pull them out often enough. Don't even get me started about axes large and small.

It's like in the kitchen. Different blades for different jobs. I have many.

Re: How to Make Your Own Steel Knives
 

Have you tried to anneal ballbearings and forge blades out of them?52100 is damn hard to find in barstock but it makes incredible forged knives.

Re: How to Make Your Own Steel Knives
 

That's a beauty. Thanks for the info. I'll have to take a trip to the spring shop now.