copper knife

[dhnorris]

My son wants to make a copper knife just to do it. I have some 1/4" x 1 1/4" copper bar stock that should work just fine has anyone here ever tried such a thing? The boy will be 11 in two months and is about the stage of handiness that I was at 11 and I work with my hands daily. He also wants to acid etch a design into the blade as well.

 

[451_Detonics]

I don't see why not, of course it won't hold an edge like steel.

Here is bronze...

and wood....

 

[ryan3030]

Take everything I'm about to say with a grain of salt, I know almost nothing about copper or metal working.

Based on some quick searching and reading copper is only about half as hard as your typical steel blade. My concern would be with a mineral that soft holding an edge properly, but maybe there is a method of hardening copper?

Either way, sounds like a fun project just for giggles. Especially for a youngster.

 

[snapping turtle]

Depending on how much you have. Take in the bar stock to the scrap center and then by a quality blank from one of the blade mags. Should bring about 4 dollars a pound. I think some of the blanks are prefect for starter projects. Let him concentrate on the handle and pins ect. I think they have kits starting fairly cheap.

 

[tyler34]

my father made copper roof's for a living so I had plenty of time to play with copper. I can say he will probably cut himself A LOT copper is super mailable and soft but cut edges are sharp. have fun and post pics. also crkt makes a wooden folder kit, my daughter has one and she loved making it.


A.G. Russell Knives | CRKT® Nathan’s Knife Kit

 

[TiminMishawaka]

I've made a couple in copper. Here's the trick to working copper. Heat it to red hot then quench it in cold water to soften it (it's the exact opposite of steel). Then work it until it starts to harden then quench it again to resoften. Grinding and or forging it will harden it. When you're done with all the work on it, take a wood rod or mallet and hit the blade soft enough to not bend it or change any of the work but to "shock" it. This will reharden the blade.

PM me if you have any questions.

 

[dhnorris]

the copper part is for 4 h and his project of choice is a knife, actually it was a sword but I talked him down to a knife

 

[Chefcook]

Ill have to get pics of it to post.. My father made knives as a hobby right before he died and he made one for my young son out of brass its really beautiful...