[tuffnutt]

you inspired me. I had to try my hand at making a knife. I was in the garage messing around and found a little piece of metal and thought "hey that would make a nice knife". So here is my first attempt at knife making, though not the last I reckon. I ground it to shape with a bench grinder, used a wire wheel to knock off the rust, and an angle grinder with sanding disks to start the edge. I touched it up with a file after that. I worked at putting some wood handles on it but I had no glue or epoxy of any kind. Then I tried to put pins in the handle using an old welding rod with the flux knocked off. It must be to hard of metal because it wouldn't work right. What do you guys normally use? I wrapped the handle in leather til I get the stuff to put the wood on so I can hit the stone with it. Well I know it's not that great but here are some pics anyways.

 

[AKammenzind]

Wicked looking little shiv :thumb:

I think what you're asking is how people drill holes in the tang to mount a two-piece wooden handle yes?

I've done it with just a vice, an awl (to center) and a drill. Not really worth it IMO. That type of handle seems to be the current trend, I would guess to show off the tang? What does work nice is to work with a smaller tang (not a tiny rattail, but slim down your tang to 1/2" wide or so) then either use leather rings or cut wooden rings and drill a hole to fit the tang very snugly. Wood glue, press, sand to shape, and stain (or cover with leather, fabric.). Finish it off with a metal endcap and peen the rest of the tang over it. Makes for a more comfortable and better looking grip IMO.

 

[tuffnutt]

thanks man, I might try that, was just gonna use the wood for quickness

 

[Smoothbore]

Looks great for a first try! Get any better, and I'll send you an order!

Jim

 

[tuffnutt]

thanks smoothbore, don't imagine you will be having to send an order anytime soon lol

 

[Smudge]

A good example of the type of handle AK refers too, he gets to the handle about 3mins in.

 

[the hog]

Wood scales are easy to work once they are fixed on, make sure the holes through the scales align with the tang holes, epoxy glue is probably best, the type you mix two compounds together. For pins try brass s it is soft and will file or sand down with the wood. Dont be worried about it just get stuck in and hell if it goes slightly tits up, what the hell, none of us are knife makers we just like looking at projects that folk have done and we all learn from one another.

 

[shawn]

Nice shank. But dang you already got more knives than anybody I know lol.

 

[tuffnutt]

Nice shank. But dang you already got more knives than anybody I know lol.

lol I have found many more that I want to get too, I have an addiction

 

[FinnMan]

that is my favorite episode of Ray Mears! That´s traditional way of making knife here in Scandinavia. We don´t make full tang knives with handle scales. Handle is normally one piece of wood and tang is narrowing towards end.

 

[Smoothbore]

thanks smoothbore, don't imagine you will be having to send an order anytime soon lol

OK, I'll wait a few months.

Jim

 

[tuffnutt]

OK, I'll wait a few months.

Jim

I'll probably still be sharpening on it then, its not as sharp as I want it yet, but if a knife won't shave I'm not happy :thumb:

 

[rhart]

Looks good.As for attaching the handles, I use copper wire for pins and thick super glue to glue them.

 

[shotgunken]

nice job for a first try

 

[weaselrunner]

looks better than my first try

 

[Te Hopo]

Not bad, not bad at all mate.
Very simple, you know your not gonna break that knife!

 

[tuffnutt]

Not bad, not bad at all mate.
Very simple, you know your not gonna break that knife!

thanks Te Hope, I don't know about that though, my momma used to say I could break an anvil with a rubber mallet:xeye:

 

[rhart]

thanks Te Hope, I don't know about that though, my momma used to say I could break an anvil with a rubber mallet:xeye:

That's funny I heard the same thing when I was groing up.

 

[tuffnutt]

That's funny I heard the same thing when I was groing up.

was it as true in your case as it was mine?:

 

[rhart]

was it as true in your case as it was mine?:

It was very true.From a very young age I wanted to know how things worked and at first I was a lot better at taking things apart than I was at putting them back together.