My Model 1 WIP

Thought I would go ahead and post the way I make a knife. This will be boring to most of you because I got most of these techniques from you guys :biggrin:

This is how I make my Model 1...

Specs...

- 5/32" O1 Tool Steel
- OAL: 8.75"
- Cutting Edge: 4"


- First is to make a pattern of the knife and cut it out from poster board and wipe down the steel I will be using...



- Layout dye spread evenly on the steel and let dry...



- Pattern clamped down and ready to be scribed...





- Next I cut the pattern out on the bandsaw...







- Set up the grinder with the 10" wheel and a used 50 grit ceramic belt...

- Grind away everything that doesn't need to be there...





- Roughed out to 50 grit...



- I then go around the profile with a 220 grit belt and end up with this...



- Next, I flip the grinder horizontal and use the flat platen and a 220 grit belt to go around the profile again. I like the lines running parallel to the edge. I also usually get out the small wheel attachment to get into the contours but the 2" ones on the platen fit perfect...



- All cleaned up...



- I then lay out the knife the way I want it to look using a fine tip marker. This helps me place the marks for drilling...



- Punch the front and rear pin hole...



- I draw a line from both marks...



- Find the center between the two and punch...

- Next, I divide the line in between each punch mark into three equal sections...



- I like to draw my weight reduction holes on the tang before punching and drilling. Helps me keep them lined up...



- Punch the middle of the circles. I do all of this by eye...



- Ready for drilling. I use a countersink tool with my drill for knocking off the burrs...



- 1/4" drill and 1/4" reamer...



- I only drill a few at a time for two reasons. I don't like gloves and it gets pretty hot and second is that the burr on the edge of the hole after drilling does not let the knife lay flat on the 123 block...





- All done...



- This little area is a pain to get to so I do it by hand...



- Clamped in the Panavise and wrapped a piece of 220 grit sandpaper around my sanding stick...

- Better, but I nicked it on one of the 2" wheels while rough profiling and didn't notice. I will fix it in a bit...



- Now I hand sand the flats to 220 grit on a piece of Hickory in a vise...



- I use the wider sanding stick for this...



- All cleaned up on this side...



- Flip the blade over and sand the other side...





- Layout dye placed on the edge and placed on the surface plate to scribe two lines for keeping the edge symmetrical...



- Measure the edge and go through the calculation to leave the edge .025" thick ( Edge Thickness - .025 / 2 ). Set the height gauge and scribe a line, moving the height gauge...

- Flip the blade over and scribed another line...



- Square up the flat platen and tool rest on the grinder...



- I break the edge using a worn 120 grit belt holding the knife at approximately 45*...





-Next I keep the tool rest on the grinder and use it to establish a good bevel, going up about 1/4" and just about grind down to the scribe lines on the edge. I use a fresh 50 grit belt for this. Once I establish a straight, flat bevel, I put on a Trizact A 300 belt and grind the rest freehand. I make sure to not go too far past my scribe lines and keep measuring the height on each side to keep it even...







- Ready for heat treat...









Hopefully will be able to send it out in a week or two for heat treat. Until then, thanks for checking it out so far.

Thank you for taking the time to record your process for us. I really enjoyed it and hope you continue.

Awesome job Steve . I'm right there with ya almost exactly. I still love watching this stuff. Keep it comin.

rmbonham said:

Thank you for taking the time to record your process for us. I really enjoyed it and hope you continue.

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Glad you like it so far. Thanks.

backtines said:

Awesome job Steve . I'm right there with ya almost exactly. I still love watching this stuff. Keep it comin.

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Me too, man. Love seeing threads like this and truthfully has helped me out tremendously. Thanks, Mike!

Late post, but just wanted to say this is one of the BEST wip/how to make a knife thread. Thank you for taking the time to do this.

Timy said:

Late post, but just wanted to say this is one of the BEST wip/how to make a knife thread. Thank you for taking the time to do this.

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Thanks, Timy.

I have a few Model 1s back from heat treat and might just finish it using one of those.

Thanks for a great WIP Steven, clear photos and a nice explanation.
Would love to see you finish the WIP