Knife Build

[kf03aggie]

OK gentlemen I want to throw something out there and ask to see if I can get anyone interested. Is there anyone out there willing to help me build the knife I have always wanted? I am not a knife builder and don't plan on ever being one, but I would like to be able to build my own hunting knife. Something I can carry for a lifetime, something built the right way. I am willing to pay my own way and do the work, if someone has the time, patients and tools to put up with me over a weekend. Please pm me if you or someone you know might be interested in helping out a fellow hunter.

Thanks,

[cwd500]

I an building a knife right now. I an using an old file. I first took the file and heated it up, until it is red. That makes the metal softer to work with. Let it cool slowly. Then i cut the shape out how i wanted it. Then i took a new file and started to file it to make my edge. I would work on one side for a little then flip it over, i tried to keep it even. After alot of filing i got it how i wanted it. Then i drilled my holes for the handle and thats where im at now. Next i am going to heat it up red again and out it in a bucket of oil, tempering it. That will make it hard again. Then all i will have to do is make a handle, sharpen it and polish it. I think that is about it, i am learning too. There are some videos on youtube

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[txfireguy2003]

CWD500, I've seen knives done this way, and from my understanding, you're missing one step, and have your terms mixed up just a tad. Not a biggie, but, after you quench it in the oil, you will have hardened it, and hard it will be, but also probably pretty brittle. a good knife has a hard edge, with just a tiny bit of give to it, you don't want it to be hard as a rock. First of all, a super hard blade is almost impossible to sharpen (but if you get it sharp, it will hold an edge a long time) and secondly, any shock to a hardened blade like that, or any prying, could cause it to fracture. Once hardened, you then need to temper the blade by reheating it some. I've seen people use a small torch, like the little propane torches, and heat the spine of the blade (side opposite of the edge) until it discolors and the discoloration starts to bleed down about half to 2/3 of the way down to the edge. I know that will work, because I've seen it, but consistency is pretty tough to accomplish IMO. What I've head of others doing, is placing the blade into the oven set on 500 for several hours, or in a gas grill running at about the same temperature for an hour or so. You get more consistent, even heat that way, and therefore a more even temper theoretically. All that said, I have not witnessed that method, only the torch method because the guy didn't want to run his oven or grill that long, burning too much gas/electricity.

[cwd500]

Ok that makes sense. I gave an old gas grill i will try it on

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[txfireguy2003]

Do a google search for tempering knife steel or something to that effect, you should get some good pointers as far as temp and time are concerned.

[kahowell1]

I temper my damascus in the oven at 350 for an hour. Then I cut off the oven and let them set until cool. As mentioned above, just do a search and you'll find some good info. Different steels require different temps.