Ideas for my first knife.

Cameron Wilcox

Well-Known Member
I am planning to make my first knife and am looking for some suggestions on what I should buy.
I do not have the proper tools yet so I am probably going with a hack saw, files, drills, a bench grinder, and then stones for the final edge
any suggestions on what steel I should get, and handle design?
I am probably going to use oak for the handles because it is affordable if I have to redo it.

one last question, where would you recommend getting the steel from? the is one small metal shop in town but no real choice of steel just nameless spring steel.
 
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Are you planning on heat treating it yourself, or sending it to someone?

Whatever the case, I'd suggest starting with a smaller knife and a simple steel, like a 10xx steel. It's cheap, easy to work, and fairly easy to heat treat. (I probably woundn't suggest 1095 if you're doing your own first heat treat, but 1075/1080 is a great start.)

As for handle material, micarta scales are pretty cheap. You should be able to get a decent set of scales for less than 5 bucks, and it's very easy to work with. On another plus, it remains very stable and won't swell or shrink on you.
 
Bubba, lots of folks recommend 1080 for a good starting steel because its fairly inexpensive, easy to work with, and forgiving in the HT process. I went with a plain drop point full tang bush craft style, full flat grind (or kinda convex when you do it by hand).

Here's what mine looked like before I sent it off to Peters for Heat Treat. I just heard back from Brad today and its in progress. BTW, that one is D2, but I've since done another similar design in 1080 and it was a lot easier on the old hand files and sanding.

Have fun!
 
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The steel type depends on a few things, such as, will you heat treat yourself, or send it out? If you heat treat yourself, what equipment do you have to do the job with? If you send it out for heat treat, you can prety much use whatever you like. If you do the job yourself, and only have a torch or forge, you need to stick with a simple carbon steel, like 1084, even O1 can be done with a torch, not the best, but will work, when I say torch, I mean oxy-accetylene. Also with the limited tools you have, 1084, O1, and any of the other simple 10xx steels will be easier to work with files than some of the alloy steels would be.

Handle design is whatever fits the hand well, for a comfortable grip, and control of the knife, and looks like it fits the rest of the knife, nice flowing lines.

I hope this helps, good luck and have fun.
Dale
 
Keep it simple, no ricasso, no guard or bolster, and keep the lines plain; don't get fancy. A full tang presents less of a problem fitting scales to than fitting a block to a stick tang. Stick with the simple steels if for no other reason that it's better to mess up a $1 piece of steel than a $5 piece of steel. And don't be afraid of messing up. You won't learn without making mistakes.

I don't think that a bench grinder will be of much use, but then I'm a smith rather than work stricktly with stock removal. Some people have had good utility from an angle grinder, however. Get a good set of files. You will need a single b@stard cut mill file and probably another one in smooth cut. Pillar files, half round files, and chain saw files will all probably come in handy. Learn how to draw file and keep a file card handy. Clamps of various sizes and types are a must. You can make yourself a knife board real easy.

The most important thing is to get a couple of good books. Wayne Goddard wrote a couple, The $50 Knife Shop and The Wonder of Knifemaking that are good for the basics but there are one or two things that I question in them but they have great for ideas of tools you can build for yourself. How to Make Knives, by Barney and Loveless would also be good for a stock removal person.

Don't ignore safety equiptment. Safety glasses or goggles are a must. A resperator when you're kicking up a lot of steel flecks or dust while grinding or sanding with power equiptment is also strongly recommended . Or you can bite the bullet on expence and get a respirator with a full face mask. They're not cheap but they're nothing like a trip to the ER. Oh ya, when you're starting out you're going to go through a lot of first aid cream and bandaids. Keep plenty of each on hand.

Doug
 
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bubba, I'd check pawnshops, yard sales and swap meets for files. Where theres one there's usually a few. I got a respirator that way too, sealed in the bag still, and a ream of sandpaper. I got some safety glasses free off the Internet. Guess I'm saying don't worry about the cost, just get creative. Your best bet on steel will be online; if youve found another smith near you, might see if they'd order an extra 10" or so on their next order, and chip in a little on shipping.
 
Hey Bubba,
PM your mailing address.
I have some 1075, pinstock and scale material that will get you on your way to a first knife.

Steve
 
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