Knife from a saw blade
 

This blade is over an 1/8 of an inch thick. I am using a 24 inch diameter concrete saw blade.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...s/sawblade.jpg

I cut a chunk of it away with a angle grinder.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2.../bigknife2.jpg

This will be a hunting knife with a drop point and a finger guard.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2.../bigknife3.jpg

This is a very thick blade.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2.../bigknife4.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2.../bigknife5.jpg

Next, I heated the blade cherry red and let it cool very slowly to soften the steel. so I could drill hole and grind a bevel and do some file work.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...bigknife92.jpg

this time I am going to do a "W" pattern on the backbone of the blade. I marked off the spacing with a sharpie.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2.../bigknife6.jpg

Then I used a small square file on one side of the blade.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2.../bigknife7.jpg

Then turned the blade around and did the other side.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2.../bigknife8.jpg

I added a little bluing to bring out the details.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2.../bigknife9.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...bigknife91.jpg

With all the file work done, I heat treated the blade by heating it until it was non magnetic (around 1500F) and then quenched it in 130F salt water. Next I temper it at 400F for one hour. Finally I polish the blade to a mirror finish.

I used curly maple and aluminum pins. I'm calling it "Blonde"

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...bigknife93.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...bigknife94.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...bigknife95.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...bigknife96.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...bigknife97.jpg

The last step is to make a sheath. I use 7 Oz. Veg. tanned leather and then dye it to the color I want after I sew it.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...igknife992.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...igknife994.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...igknife995.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...igknife993.jpg

Another knife from the same saw blade with alum. bolsters and a Cocbolo handle. I also used homemade mosaic pins.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...s/bolster7.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...s/bolster8.jpg

Good grief Rancid.. You are a handy person. If I had tried to make a knife such as that I would be minus a finger or two. Looks good. And I am jealous..wish I had the talent

Amazing !
 

Is there anything you cant do ??


This is on my wish list:

http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/p...ent#detailtabs

Yes and my wife is generating a list. :)

Those are really beautiful knives.

Really fine work there. That old saw blade steel is great stuff, too bad it is so hard to come by around here these days. A few years back I could have picked up three BIG sawmill blades, but just never had the money to grab them, and alas they are gone by the wayside.

Richard

Great detail in the process.. thanks... my question is what do you use to polish it to such a finish without scratches? You need to make a book or 2 like they did with the Foxfire books. I would be in line to get them. How to make anything and everything.

Lots of sanding all the way up to 1500 grit and then a flannel buffing wheel with polishing compound.