saw blade knife build

[freekforge]

I decided I would take pics of a knife i am making and post em on here for you all to see. So here we go. This is going to be a drop point hunting style knife. I am using basic tools and materials.

First thing I do is sketch out the blade. Then I cut out my sketch and glue it to a piece of wood to use as a template.


Then I cut out a chunk of steel from the saw blade normally i cut most of the waste metal away before annealing but i am out of cut off wheels for the grinder.



Now I anneal the steel. This can be done in a campfire or charcoal grill Im just using a propane forge because I have it.



When the steel cools off it will be covered in scale. This can be taken of with sand paper but I dipped mine in acid because Im lazy.


Once the scale has been removed I clamp the template to the steel and have at it with an angle grinder and files.


Here it is after grinding and filing the profile.


Now cut the choil or spanish notch.


Now dye the blade this can be done with Dykem or just a sharpie as I have done here.


Scibe the height of your bevels.


I use a parallel clamped to the blade for my plunge lines.


Start filing.


The blade after the bevels are cut.


Center punch the pin holes and bridging holes.


Pin holes and bridging holes drilled


I didn't have a free hand to take pictures during heat treat but what you do is heat the blade to critical which is slightly above non magnetic and let it cool slowly. This is called normalizing and you do it a few times before hardening the blade. To harden take the blade to critical and let it "soak" for a minute or two and then quench in your quenching medium in this case oil. Then temper it buy heating it up to what ever the metal calls calls for in this case around 400 degrees.

I will post more pics as I make more progress.

 

[PoolQs]

Nice WIP !!!
Looks like it will be a nice user. What type of handles are you thinking of ?

 

[freekforge]

Thanks PoolQs!

The handle will be some walnut from a super old picture frame we found in my great grandmas attic.

The walnut board.


The board cut and pin holes drilled.


Scales roughly profiled.


Will post more later.

 

[freekforge]

Just got it glued up. will post pictures after it dries.

 

[wtfd661]

Tagged

 

[freekforge]

Forgot I was taking pics of this one.

I got the handle glued and the pins cut. I started to sand the scales a bit.


Still needs some sanding on the handle and blade. Maybe later when I have some spare time I will show making a nicer knife this one is just an easy to make beat around knife.

 

[poppy]

Saw blades make great knives if you heat treat. You seem to have done that. Good looker.

 

[Kryptonite]

You have talent. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Gluemanz28]

I knew a guy that lived in Ft Branch, IN that made knives out of leaf springs. The guy only had one arm. This is not a joke. His knives were amazing.

 

[freekforge]

Thanks for the kind words!

One of my most used knives is made from a saw blade the other is from a file both are ugly as sin but they have served me well.

My dad has made several knives from leaf springs but he has two arms lol

I hope to start working on the knife again later today or maybe tomorrow I have a couple paying projects and a cookout to work around.

 

[1911ly]

Awesome work Ethan! I have saved a few lawn mower blades with hopes of trying blade making some day.

 

[freekforge]

Dad has made several nice knives from mower blades. I have my uncle saving up all of his for me to make knives from.

 

[freekforge]

Takin awhile to get a few paid projects done will start posting more pics as soon as i get back on the knife.

 

[freekforge]

Well I had some time between workin on the house, takin care of critters, and finishing up a job so I went out and sanded on the blade a bit. Its a good idea to do most of the sanding before hardening but I do it after so I have a handle to hold onto.