View Full Version : Basic knife making
What is the best dummies guide to knife making?
Try this one Tone. It's pretty darned good.
http://hossom.com/tutorial/jonesy/
Celtic Dragon
27-11-2003, 18:40
Or a book called "how to make knives" by Robert Loveless and Robert Barney. I got mine from www.attacc.com. Its well written and aimed at the dummy. Becomes even more understandable after you have converted it from American to English :-D :-D
Simon
wayne goddard's "$50 knife shop is a good'un. the premis is that you can get all the kit you need to set up a knife making work shop for 50 bucks. there're some great examples of damascus style blades made from steel cable.
cheers, and.
Hi Tony
I'm sure that you will already have these links, but I have found them only recently. Lots of information. :-D
http://www.engnath.com/public/intable.htm
and
http://www.customknifedirectory.com/CKD_TutorialFrameset.htm?CKD_T utorials.htm~tmain
Hope its ok to post another forum address here. If not I'm sorry, please remove it.
Does this knifemaking question have anything to do with the Felleskap ? I'm in the same boat, keen but desperately trying to find information so that I don't mess it up completely :yikes: . I've ordered Thuya Burl wood for the handle, hopefuly it will be such nice wood that it will offset some of the inadequacies of my handywork. Its good to know that there are other people trying to learn this stuff as they go along, not just me. :-D
Jon
The Jonsey article posted by Hoodoo is the classic online version of a DIY knife for the first timer. It doesnt get much simpler. ;)
clcuckow
29-11-2003, 20:41
Jon,
I don't know about Tony but my research is defiantly for when I get my replacement Felleskap from Trond, after receiving my empty jiffy bag with it neat slit in the end last week, but luckily no blood?
Where are you getting the Thuya Burl? Axminster? I am ordering some Imbuya from them which I think will look good with the 6mm black/brass mosaic pins I have made, as the mock-up below (the pin is mine but the wood is from Axminsters web site.)
http://www.christopher.cuckow.dsl.pip ex.com/pics/pin.jpg
after receiving my empty jiffy bag with it neat slit in the end last week, but luckily no blood?
ooowwww..... I can tell you its worth the wait ;-) Maybe we should start a thread in Edged Tools for the Felleskap owners.
Ed
http://www.craft-supplies.co.uk/ have some lovely thuya burl, I used some for a little skinner I made ages ago...
http://www.britishblades.com/pics/second.jpg
I made the mosaic pins myself (first try at this). The wood for this handle was taken from one of the two pieces of thuya on the left of this pic...
http://www.britishblades.com/pics/wood.jpg
2x pieces of thuya burl, some artificial ivory, african black ebony, amboyna burl, some beautiful macassar striped ebony and a piece of cocobolo.
...all sourced from craft supplies and pretty cheap too. Word of warning though, thuya is extremely waxy and gums up your tools something rotten. It clogged up about half a dozen belts on my belt grinder getting it to shape on this one knife. Carve it down to shape as far as you possibly can before sanding it, it will save hours in sanding time and a huge amount of paper/belts.
Christopher:
I was sorry to hear about the Jiffy Bag "Teaser" that you recieved. Mine had made a bid for freedom and was sticking through the bag when it arrived. :shock:
Maybe I should have got the Thuya Burl from Axminster but I went with Brisa instead. Why ? I wanted some mosaic pins and thought it would be good to buy everything all in one go.
The pins in your photo look excellent, :notworthy for my next knife I'll have to see if you have any to spare. :-D
Ed:
The idea of a thread for Felleskap owners sounds like a very good idea. Of the people engaged in the Felleskap there are a few who are veterans of this sort of thing, but most of us seem to be heading into new territory. I for one need all the support I can get.
Martyn:
I like the knife.
Thank you for the warning about the properties of Thuya Burl. Thats just the sort of information that I need.
By the way how did you get the sheath markings to match the handle ?
Jon
Yup, that is a sweet looking knife. Beautiful wood. :biggthump
Bookwise, I'd strongly recommend Tim McCreight's book, Custom Knifemaking - he concentrates on the use of hand tools, and each project adds something new to the skillset being used. With the possible exception of the $50 Knife Shop, the majority of the books out there concentrate on having a surfeit of machine tools - the primary one being the belt grinder.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0811721752/qid=1070293296/sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_3_6/202-8199989-6659835
By the way how did you get the sheath markings to match the handle ?
Jon
Jon, I used a dye called Van-Dyke crstals, which is made from pure walnut husks and gives a lovely rich colour. I gave the sheath a light coating first, then soaked a piece of thick cotton in the dye and draped it randomly over the sheath and left to soak in. Then I dipped the sheath in a hot bath of 1 part carnuba wax, 3 parts beeswax and about an equal measure of neatsfoot oil. The result is a completely waterproof and rock hard sheath with a texture closer to kydex than leather (I think the armourers of yesteryear used this method to harden leather armour).
The black dye (not really a dye, more of a kitchen sink chemical reaction) was made from wire wool and household vinegar. It's an awesome dye, the vinegar eats away at the steel wool to make a clear solution of ferrous acetate, filter it with a coffe filter to get all the grunge out and then lightly paint it onto your leather. This reacts with the tannic acid in the leather to turn it black instantly - it's a mad effect, that definitely produces a "wow" effect when you do it for the first time. Neutralise the vinegar/leather after with baking soda (vinegar & blade steel dont mix well, so be sure to do this). You can add a little4 iodine to give it a red tint if you prefer a reddish-black.
Here's another I did with the same dyes & hot wax dip (better pic)...
http://www.britishblades.com/photopost/data/508/1sheath1.jpg
Wow
So that's how you do it.
After the Felleskap is ready the next project will be the sheath. I'm sure that Colin suggested something about making a kit available ..........
This is all a learning experience, and it really helps when someone takes the time to point you in the right direction. :biggthump
Thanks
Jon.
That iron acetate "dye" is very, very good. I use that in preference to the commercial spirit dyes now - it gives a more even colour, doesn't rub off and doesn't stain your hands quite as readily.
The only downsides are the need to neutralise it, and the increased drying time.
Keith_Beef
04-12-2003, 10:42
http://www.craft-supplies.co.uk/ have some lovely thuya burl, I used some for a little skinner I made ages ago...
..snip..
I made the mosaic pins myself (first try at this). The wood for this handle was taken from one of the two pieces of thuya on the left of this pic...
..snip..
2x pieces of thuya burl, some artificial ivory, african black ebony, amboyna burl, some beautiful macassar striped ebony and a piece of cocobolo.
...all sourced from craft supplies and pretty cheap too. ..snip..
Wow, Martyn, those are very nice pins!
I'd like to have a go at making some myself, so I've posted a request on BB.
Here's how I imagine doing it:
one piece of 6mm steel tube, three pieces of smaller diameter tube. Put the small tubes inside the bigger tube, and fill the space with dyed resin. Does this sound right?
Keith.
Yup, that's pretty much it, except you suck the epoxy/resin up the tubes.
I just posted a full explanation on BB...
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?p=22515#post225 15
Nice description of pin making! I have a little hand-held vacuum pump from my mechanic days that we used to test seals around the wrist pins of pistons. Should be perfect for sucking up epoxy into the tubes. I think these are used for a variety of other applications so you should be able to find them. Maybe a breast milk pump, eh? :-D And I don't think they are all that expensive. I do believe epoxy fumes ae carcinogenic but I imagine the dose you get from making the pins is small.
A turkey baster would do just as well also, I just didnt have anything to hand at the time. If I were to make more though, I'd get meself one. :wink:
Try this one Tone. It's pretty darned good.
http://hossom.com/tutorial/jonesy/
That looks fun! Anyone any idea where I can lay my hands on a foot or two of suitable steel in the UK.
And ha anyone any idea if the fire in my coke fired Rayburn cooker would be hot enough to do the heat treating stage?
Regards
David
Try this one Tone. It's pretty darned good.
http://hossom.com/tutorial/jonesy/
That looks fun! Anyone any idea where I can lay my hands on a foot or two of suitable steel in the UK.
And ha anyone any idea if the fire in my coke fired Rayburn cooker would be hot enough to do the heat treating stage?
Regards
David
Anybody looking for the same info as me pop over to British Blades, loads of really good folk over ther will set you on the right track in no time!
David