Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > General Topics > Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics
o

Notices

Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics Post Your General Gun Topics and Non-S&W Gun and Blade Topics Here


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-22-2020, 07:53 PM
opaul's Avatar
opaul opaul is offline
US Veteran
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Central NC
Posts: 2,413
Likes: 7,515
Liked 6,224 Times in 1,143 Posts
Default The making of a knife - Finished photo added

Thought you guys might like to see some of the steps that are performed when making a stock removal knife. I'll put a descriptive sentence under the photos.

This is a bar of 1075 steel with layout blue and the outline of the knife scribed on the blade. Sharp intersections are eliminated by either drilling or filing with a round file.

The knife has been rough ground (grinded) to the desired bevel. the edge is left about the thickness of a dime. If you grind to thin the edge will warp. At this point it's ready for heat treat at about 1525 degrees for 2-3 minutes. This is done in a knife kiln.

Prior to heat treat the spine is clayed up to do differential heat treating and will create a hamon.

After heat treating the clay is knocked off and the residual oil and oxidation is sanded off and then tempered for two cycles at two hours each at four hundred degrees. Then its back to hand sanding to remove all scratches. I took this one to 400 grit, I have gone as high as 800.

Finished hand sanding and blade is washed and dried to remove any oil and or finger prints prior to acid etching.

This is what the clay and acid combination looks like. This one came out pretty good.

Here is the fit up of the elk antler and G10 spacers. Lots of work to get the fit up looking and flowing properly. Blade is taped for protection.
The elk antler is drilled and reamed out to accept the blade and the sequence of the spacer have been numbered and ready for assembly. The end of the tang was sanded to 90 degrees of the butt to allow the steel butt plate to be screwed on. A nut is also used to ensure tight fit up. Components glued up with slow curing epoxy.


Completed assembly and cleaned up as much as possible. Epoxy will cure for 24 hours and then its fit and finish time.

Hope you enjoyed the build as much as I did . Let me know if you have any questions.
__________________
Patriots Forever!!

Last edited by opaul; 05-23-2020 at 01:28 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-22-2020, 08:20 PM
RoyS's Avatar
RoyS RoyS is offline
Member
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Prescott Arizona
Posts: 183
Likes: 719
Liked 539 Times in 103 Posts
Default

Very nice indeed.

Great job.

Cheerio,

Roy
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #3  
Old 05-22-2020, 08:25 PM
j a j a is offline
Member
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Iowa
Posts: 414
Likes: 408
Liked 706 Times in 176 Posts
Default Beautiful knife.

opaul thanks for sharing this build. I do have a question. How do you drill and ream the antler without breaking it? What tools and how do you clamp it? Thanks! JA
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #4  
Old 05-22-2020, 08:38 PM
Kitgun Kitgun is offline
Member
The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Mostly in Michigan
Posts: 468
Likes: 4,166
Liked 945 Times in 264 Posts
Default

Very nice work!
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #5  
Old 05-22-2020, 08:45 PM
opaul's Avatar
opaul opaul is offline
US Veteran
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Central NC
Posts: 2,413
Likes: 7,515
Liked 6,224 Times in 1,143 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by j a View Post
opaul thanks for sharing this build. I do have a question. How do you drill and ream the antler without breaking it? What tools and how do you clamp it? Thanks! JA
Essentially I drill the pith from the center of the antler and the void is taken up by steel and epoxy. I use a drill press clamp and secure the antler in that taking care to line it up with the drill bit on the profile. The more curved the antlers the more finesse is needed. I haven’t had any issues with cracking. Once the hole is drilled (sometimes you have to drill from both ends) a broach is used to find tune the fit. Sometimes it goes smoothly sometimes not. This one was pretty straight forward since there was little if any curvature to deal with. I do use a leather pad on the vise jaws.
__________________
Patriots Forever!!
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #6  
Old 05-23-2020, 03:28 AM
Frank46 Frank46 is offline
US Veteran
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: New Iberia, Louisiana
Posts: 4,588
Likes: 25,427
Liked 3,380 Times in 1,736 Posts
Default

What type of glue or epoxy do you use if you don't mind. Thanks Frank
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #7  
Old 05-23-2020, 07:30 AM
opaul's Avatar
opaul opaul is offline
US Veteran
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Central NC
Posts: 2,413
Likes: 7,515
Liked 6,224 Times in 1,143 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank46 View Post
What type of glue or epoxy do you use if you don't mind. Thanks Frank
I use slow setting G Flex epoxy.
__________________
Patriots Forever!!
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #8  
Old 05-23-2020, 08:21 AM
vonn's Avatar
vonn vonn is offline
US Veteran
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: houston,texas
Posts: 7,198
Likes: 124,841
Liked 23,177 Times in 5,749 Posts
Default

Great post. Keep up the good work!
__________________
Hue 68 noli me tangere
Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
  #9  
Old 05-23-2020, 11:10 AM
kmyers's Avatar
kmyers kmyers is offline
SWCA Member
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: USA
Posts: 2,561
Likes: 6,488
Liked 4,337 Times in 1,593 Posts
Default

Nice work and a fine knife.
__________________
KM
S&WCA 3110 S&WHF 625
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #10  
Old 05-23-2020, 12:06 PM
STCM(SW)'s Avatar
STCM(SW) STCM(SW) is offline
US Veteran
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: E. Washington State
Posts: 5,475
Likes: 1,321
Liked 10,566 Times in 3,212 Posts
Default

What does something like that price at?
__________________
Only difference Fool/Mule-ears
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #11  
Old 05-23-2020, 12:14 PM
steelslaver's Avatar
steelslaver steelslaver is online now
US Veteran
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Central Montana
Posts: 13,623
Likes: 12,738
Liked 39,087 Times in 9,965 Posts
Default

You can make a small scraper (broach)with a couple teeth cut with a dremel out of skinny piece of hardened 1/8 stock. Good saw sized teeth. Then once you have a hole though the handle material use the scraper to make the hole rectangular so the tang slides into it. Better for narrower handles or one you want to make removable. With antler it is easy, hardwoods and ivory takes more work.

Most knife makers also have to make knife making tools.

Nice knife.

Last edited by steelslaver; 05-23-2020 at 12:16 PM.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #12  
Old 05-23-2020, 01:21 PM
opaul's Avatar
opaul opaul is offline
US Veteran
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Central NC
Posts: 2,413
Likes: 7,515
Liked 6,224 Times in 1,143 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by steelslaver View Post
You can make a small scraper (broach)with a couple teeth cut with a dremel out of skinny piece of hardened 1/8 stock. Good saw sized teeth. Then once you have a hole though the handle material use the scraper to make the hole rectangular so the tang slides into it. Better for narrower handles or one you want to make removable. With antler it is easy, hardwoods and ivory takes more work.

Most knife makers also have to make knife making tools.

Nice knife.
Thank you. I ground down a carbide sawz all blade for use as a broach. I do need one that is a little wider.
__________________
Patriots Forever!!
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 05-23-2020, 01:29 PM
opaul's Avatar
opaul opaul is offline
US Veteran
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Central NC
Posts: 2,413
Likes: 7,515
Liked 6,224 Times in 1,143 Posts
Default


__________________
Patriots Forever!!
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 05-23-2020, 06:47 PM
Marshwheeling's Avatar
Marshwheeling Marshwheeling is online now
Member
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 7,039
Likes: 6,846
Liked 10,534 Times in 3,918 Posts
Default

Opaul, I bet nobody here would mind if your sig line contained a link to your website or Facebook page, provided, of course, that forum management has no objection.
__________________
Not in jail.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #15  
Old 05-23-2020, 07:41 PM
Huski92 Huski92 is offline
Member
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 277
Likes: 23
Liked 299 Times in 152 Posts
Default

Nice job!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #16  
Old 05-23-2020, 09:08 PM
opaul's Avatar
opaul opaul is offline
US Veteran
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Central NC
Posts: 2,413
Likes: 7,515
Liked 6,224 Times in 1,143 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marshwheeling View Post
Opaul, I bet nobody here would mind if your sig line contained a link to your website or Facebook page, provided, of course, that forum management has no objection.
Thanks! The knives I post already have homes. I post here because I know most of you, like myself enjoy knives and photos of knives. I honestly have all I can handle in my local area right now.
__________________
Patriots Forever!!
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #17  
Old 05-23-2020, 09:15 PM
6518John's Avatar
6518John 6518John is offline
SWCA Member
The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added The making of a knife - Finished photo added  
Join Date: May 2014
Location: AR—Town & Country
Posts: 7,478
Likes: 80,268
Liked 26,094 Times in 5,948 Posts
Default

Paul—I need to stop using the one I bought from you! It will be like having an original RW Loveless or Randall knife!
__________________
Possum—The other white meat!
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Making a leather knife sheath? Farmer17 Gun Leather & Carry Gear 9 07-14-2015 09:02 PM
Knife Making Grinder/Sander Big Cholla WANTED to Buy 1 04-27-2014 09:19 AM
Making Custom Knife Sheaths Wyatt Burp Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics 13 04-07-2012 12:05 AM
Knife making and blacksmithing David LaPell Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics 5 01-19-2011 11:07 PM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:24 AM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)