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Making a sawblade knife the easy way.

Grump

Grand Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Posts
10,510
Location
Stevenage
First Name
Brian
Most of you will already know how to make a knife and will have your own way of dong it.
Whether better or not I will not argue but for those who don't know and don't have the equipment we have in our sheds here is an easy and free way to make one.
I have made 3 carving tools this way and this is the fourth.

For this one I have used a larger blade than I would usually because I already have the hacksaw ones but assume you are using a hascksaw blade you will not have the same issues I did here.
First you need your worn blade I started with this which was sent to me by a friend of the forum.

P1090585.jpg

This is big enough for two blades so I got to work on it and ground the teeth off and made a tang on one end.

P1090586.jpg

this will go into the handle for some leverage and strength.

Seeing how much I have spare I now cut it in half for the second blade.

P1090587.jpg

Let's just do one for the sake of this tut, next job is to find a suitable handle.
I used a pen blank of Turkish walnut and struck a line where my tang will insert.

P1090588.jpg

There are many methods of holding the blade in the handle and I often drill a hole and epoxy them in but you may not have access to a pillar drill so simply hammer it in.
I held the blade in my vice and took it in stages to knock the handle to the home position.

P1090590.jpg

This one split to buggery so either blade to thick or blank to dry, this is where I say use fresh wood or thinner blade which if it's a hacksaw blade I have had no issues.
Continued in next post due to pic limits pleas do not comment yet.
 

Grump

Grand Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Posts
10,510
Location
Stevenage
First Name
Brian
P1090592.jpg
Because this one split I went to a softer wood to continue this tut.

inserted blade into handle and sawn to rough desired shape ready now for carving and finishing handle.

P1090597.jpg

Handle finished now to start with the blade work this is where I put the edge on and get it ready for honing.

P1090598.jpg

Blade shape formed and edge on ready now to take indoors and sit for the evening making it so sharp I can shave with it.

P1090600.jpg

Evening spent honing it and yes I have shaved all the bloody hairs off my arm while testing it.

P1090606.jpg
 

Grump

Grand Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Posts
10,510
Location
Stevenage
First Name
Brian
Thanks for this Brian. :thumbs: I have 2 Flexcut knives and they are no better than this.

Yes Don I was mugged into buying a set of Flecut knives, well actually my Drain got them for mothers day.
And you're dead right mate, although they are nice I prefer the ones I have made for myself init?

The handle shape I have adopted is a take of theirs well lets say modelled on theirs but mine is cheaper init?
 

Doug

Loquacious
Executive Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2013
Posts
6,723
Location
In the wood shop
First Name
Take a guess
Nice one Brian given me an idea for a marking knife as I have a few of that type of blade :thumbs:
 

Grump

Grand Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Posts
10,510
Location
Stevenage
First Name
Brian
And here is the other part of that blade on a softwood handle two knives from one sawblade and free to me,

Simples init?

P1090612.jpg
 

Grump

Grand Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Posts
10,510
Location
Stevenage
First Name
Brian
Thats a cool looking little knife Grump :thumbs::thumbs:

Geordie, sorry mate I thought I had mentioned your name above but all I said was friend of the forum .
I do apologise to you from the heart of my bottom init?
These are the blades you so kindly sent to me .
BLADES SUPPLIED BY GEORDIE B INIT?
 


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