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View Full Version : Making a sawzall knife (pic heavy)



Winter
08-25-2010, 09:46 PM
Ok folks, I figured I'd do a walkthrough of how I make these. Maybe some folk will give it a go.

Select sawblade and bend it to ensure it hasn't lost it's temper. If it doesn't return to straight, toss it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife002.jpg

Next, i cover one side of the blade with masking tape and draw what I'm thinking.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife003.jpg

Using a dremel with cutoff wheel I cut the clip.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife004.jpg

Take the old grinder and shape the tang.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife005.jpg

Now you work with bare hands to ensure the blade doesn't get hot. Dunk it in water every time it feels warm.

Rounding the belly.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife006.jpg

Viola, blade blank.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife007.jpg

Angle grinder mounted with some allthread is how i rough in the blade bevels.
Simply draw the blade across the disk like you were sharpening a knife.
Continually inspect the blade and keep it cool.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife008.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife010.jpg

At this point, I switch to my cheap belt sander.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife013.jpg

60 grit. Refine the grind and clean the flats.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife015.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife017.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife020.jpg

Once you get it evened up and the edge is about as thick as a hair, switch to 120 grit and refine the grinds and blend the transition from the bevel to the flats until you get a full length burr.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife023.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife024.jpg

Now is when I bring the spine down to the point. If you profile the point during the grind you may round off your point.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife029.jpg

Sanding pad to remove the burr and the blade is ready for a handle.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife033.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife034.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife035.jpg

Handle time, hmmmmmmm.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife036.jpg

Antler , leather, and copper is selected.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife038.jpg

Slot the antler guard with the dremel cutoff wheel and drill the crap out of the back part.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife040.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife041.jpg

Fit's good. Notice I made the tang slimmer and ground notches in the tang for the epoxy.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife044.jpg

Everything fits and is ready for epoxy.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife045.jpg
Mix your 2 part 2 ton epoxy very well. Remember it has never been together before.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife046.jpg

Assembly with epoxy between everything. Get as much in there as you can.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife049.jpg

All clamped up and will be ready to finish tomorrow.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/sawzallknife050.jpg

panch0
08-25-2010, 09:52 PM
Nice WIP! I just might make me a fillet knife and use the back as a de scaler.

crashdive123
08-25-2010, 10:54 PM
Well done Winter. Sent a little rep your way.

rebel
08-25-2010, 11:39 PM
Nice tutorial.

Rockgod1619
08-26-2010, 12:00 AM
Excellent tutorial!! This makes me want to make a blade soon, as the weather starts to cool off here!

Winter
08-26-2010, 10:19 AM
Done, except sheath.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/001-6.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/002-7.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/004-6.jpg


Turned out pretty good for a rush job. Very light.

This could all be done with files and sandpaper.

Look forward to seeing someone give it a try.

Justin Case
08-26-2010, 10:26 AM
NICE ! well Done, Thanks :)

canid
08-26-2010, 10:42 AM
i like the personality of that knife. great buildalong and writeup.

panch0
08-26-2010, 10:51 AM
IS the spine hardened like the tooth side on these blades? If so then I AM going to make me a fillet knife that I will keep for personal use.

canid
08-26-2010, 10:58 AM
i'm currently searching for info on the steel grades used in various recip. saw blades. the bi-metal blades might just be something like junk steel laminated with HSS; who knows. if anybdy has a good source for info on the matter, i'd love to know. i'll post something if i find anything usefull.

klickitat
08-26-2010, 11:18 AM
Great stuff. This should really be a sticky. Anyone who has ever wanted to get started building knives or just wants to be able to build something for themselves, this is a great place to start. Nice job and nice set of pictures explaining things.

crashdive123
08-26-2010, 01:49 PM
That turned out great.

Erratus Animus
08-26-2010, 02:21 PM
I enjoyed that Winter ! looks good!

rebel
08-26-2010, 04:15 PM
If I could give another rep I would. It turned out great. I will have to give that a try. Thanks!

Winter
08-26-2010, 08:57 PM
Thanks all.

As to the steel. It sharpens easily and dulls quickly.

I did make some errors on this knife. The copper is a self adhesive copper tape and it warps badly as can be seen in the pics. had i used flattened copper pipe it would have turned out better.

ETA- the guard turned out really good. The fork of an antler is pretty hard and marrow when it's that thin. I'll do some guards like tht on thicker knives in the future.

shiftyer1
01-17-2011, 01:41 AM
I made a blade out of a saw zall blade a couple years ago but never got around to the handle. Have you ever tried soaking an antler and just forcing the tang into the marrow? Thats what I intended to do, now that I have some free time maybe i'll finish it up.

Winter
01-17-2011, 04:14 AM
I have not tried that but I'd be concerned the water would never leave the inside.

crashdive123
01-17-2011, 06:44 AM
I have not tried that but I'd be concerned the water would never leave the inside.

I agree. In addition to trapped moisture rusting the tang, I would think that the handle would not be able to be secured adequately.

Rick
01-17-2011, 08:01 AM
I somehow missed this whole thread. This is an excellent tut. Very nice job and I added a little rep as well.

randyt
01-17-2011, 08:08 AM
awesome thread and the knife turned out great.

as to soaking antler and forcing the tang in this is a old method. basically the pith becomes a glue and hardens up after drying. care will need to be taken because the antler is brittle and can break. force the antler onto the tang.

Ted
01-17-2011, 09:33 PM
How the helsinki I missed this tread I'll never know! But great tut and "T" totally cool knife!

Winter
01-17-2011, 11:12 PM
Thanks Ted. The knife sits on my magnet kitchen knife deal. Works great.

Pocomoonskyeyes3
01-17-2011, 11:36 PM
Sent some Rep your way as well. Great tutorial, and job!

Sourdough
01-18-2011, 12:09 AM
Well done, sadly I must spread the love, but I tried to give rep points. I am compelled to wonder about if one bought a "New" blade and left the teeth on the back........? Not as a thing of beauty, but as a tool.

p moore
01-18-2011, 10:28 AM
I had to look at this one again, It really is a great looking knife. How well is it working for you?

Paul

Winter
01-18-2011, 11:00 AM
Works good for kitchen stuff.

Winter
06-18-2014, 04:18 PM
3 years and 10 months ago.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/001-6.jpg


3 years and 10 months later.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/001_zps8b82cbef.jpg

The knife lives in the kitchen and is sharpened on coffee mugs.

I like the looks better now.

backpacker3
06-18-2014, 05:15 PM
Nice I just found a few sawzall blades in the garage I'm going to give this a try now.

COWBOYSURVIVAL
06-18-2014, 06:50 PM
How in the heck did I miss this post? Nice job Winter! Cool to see how it aged!

crashdive123
06-18-2014, 08:30 PM
It's holding up better than most of us.........I know there is a joke in there about ---- well if you were relegated to just kitchen duty........ but I ain't gonna go there.

Tokwan
06-18-2014, 08:55 PM
geat piece of work...reps!!!

Winter
06-18-2014, 09:26 PM
How in the heck did I miss this post? Nice job Winter! Cool to see how it aged!

Many parts of the antler are becoming translucent. It has an amber type glow. I dig it.

I'd totally take it out in the woods and be confident it would hold up.

I've been using this one for 2 years on all my adventures. It was on a 14 day remote trip on Etolin Island, I sharpened it once on a piece of shale.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/w6f7/002_zps785dacc3.jpg

It's 3/32" saw steel from a 10" circular saw. No heat treatment other than from the factory.

Anybody can make their own knife.

Grizz123
06-19-2014, 11:15 AM
I'd like to see more on the 10" circular saw blade build

Rick
06-19-2014, 11:48 AM
Nice job on both, Winter. Me likey.

aflineman
06-19-2014, 12:40 PM
Thanks for the update. It is always nice to see how things hold up over time.

Winter
06-19-2014, 12:49 PM
Grizz, here is the original thread. Seems it was a 10" edger blade instead of a circular saw blade, but, it doesn't really matter.

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?18356-First-batch-of-the-year

It's the same process as this threads knife, just cut out differently and shaped differently.

MrFixIt
06-20-2014, 06:33 AM
I've made several of these. Don't have pics, but used paracord wrap for the handle on one.
I left a section of the saw blade and it works very well.