Making Your Own Knife from Scrap and off cuts

**Corin** · 25th February 2013, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by colbra

Great post on knife making Corin I have really enjoyed your journey with it thanks for sharing it with us.

I have made some fishing and oyster knifes over the years but had never thought of putting them up on the forum.
My process is very simple and straight forward and is certainly not at the skill level as your knife making.
They all made from old bread and butter knifes which is Sheffield Steel I believe.
Any way here is picture of the oyster knife that I had in the boat I am at Soldiers Point Port Stephens at the moment weather is no good so I find my self here with all you good people.
Colbra

Those old bread and butter knives are pretty good steel. Fine for an Oyster knife, Good work on that one, looks like a great user and use of an old kitchen knife, hopefully the weather is better soon and you can get out there using it!

Originally Posted by issatree

Hi Corin,
Hey, that is a great job.
2 things, it seems it wood be better to have the use of an Anvil.
I see you signed the finished Blade. How did you do that.
Do you sell your Knives ?. PM me if you like.
Keep up the good work.

I was lucky to get my anvils, but they are not my favourite for knife making. I recently made a post anvil from a piece of 90mm steel billet embedded in sand in a piece of pipe. It is really nice to use though it is limited a bit in application. Great for knife making though.

Regarding the etching I came up with my own variation on a few processes I will post another thread in this with a video link of the process. You can etch anything you can print on paper, on just about anything made of steel with my process, with items you can find around your house (just need access to a photo copier or laser printer.)

Here is my logo... Niroc is my name backwards, Korin Cutlery got in before me lol

**crowie** · 25th February 2013, 11:45 AM

Most excellent tutorial on knife making, so many processes with beaut photos & notes.....WELL DONE!!!
Thank you Corin, cheers crowie

**Corin** · 25th February 2013, 11:49 AM

Thanks for the positive comments guys, I just posted the etching video as promised....

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f44/personalize-your-tools-custom-personalized-etching-166860/#post1615489

I hope some of you get inspired to try knifemaking, I have seen so much beautiful work on this forum I know the skills are there!

**Robson Valley** · 25th February 2013, 04:44 PM

I'd like to try that except for $30K machinery and space. I've bought the basic blades, built the needed handles and got on with the really bizarre process of sharpening crooked (Haida) blades at 12 degrees. I can do it all.
That is where we could use a real showcase of skills.

**issatree** · 25th February 2013, 05:16 PM

Hi Corin,
I watched that Video right through, & I thought that was great.
Thank you for that, & I only hope a lot of Forumites get to watch it as well. A real Eyeopener.
I think I still may have a bit of trouble doing it all the same.

**Corin** · 25th February 2013, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by Robson Valley

I'd like to try that except for $30K machinery and space. I've bought the basic blades, built the needed handles and got on with the really bizarre process of sharpening crooked (Haida) blades at 12 degrees. I can do it all.
That is where we could use a real showcase of skills.

Can I recommend a book, Wayne Goddard's $50 Knife Shop

I have made a few crooked/hook knives and had most success sharpening with wet and dry wrapped around dowel.

Originally Posted by issatree

Hi Corin,
I watched that Video right through, & I thought that was great.
Thank you for that, & I only hope a lot of Forumites get to watch it as well. A real Eyeopener.
I think I still may have a bit of trouble doing it all the same.

Glad you liked it, lots of ways to do it, and my way does take practice, but it does work. Anyhow even if just you finds it useful, it was worth the time it took to make which was no time at all really.

Anyhow, thanks for the comment.

**epineh** · 5th March 2013, 12:04 AM

Hi Corin, nice work and great documentation !

I have been making some larger knives using old cross cut saw blade pieces, and casting aluminium handles directly onto the steel, not as nice looking as yours but practical for bushwalking where you don't want to cut trees down, more just get through wait-a-while and stinging tree unscathed (or as close as possible, lol).

Great idea of using old bearing casings, I don't have a forge as such or an anvil but this will definately be on my "to do" list, the list is faily long but I am getting through it slowly.

Cheers.

Russell.

**Robson Valley** · 5th March 2013, 09:39 AM

Oh, no you don't Corin! I am not a wanna-be bladesmith. I'm quite content to buy blades and make the handles.

The joke is that Lee Valley describes the Haida-style blades as being "extremely sharp." Maybe for carving soap. OTOH, the actual bladesmith says that the edges are a rough grind on 120 grit and that: "you make the edge what you need." Fair enough.

I'm using 3/4" aluminum tubing with 800 & 1500 grit wrappings. Cereal box cardboard + chrome green for honing. All works well for the crooked blades.
After Mom died, I figured that she wouldn't have much further use for her old lawn chair so I cut off as much useful tubing and tossed the rest in the recyc.

**Bushmiller** · 5th March 2013, 08:20 PM

Corin

You have produced a wonderful end product, made completely by you from odds and sods. I take my hat off to you

.

A very well produced thread too.

Regards
Paul

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