Making A Knife

[crashdive123]

I made a few sparks today in my workshop and thought I'd share how I profile a knife. Nothing fancy, but any opportunity to use power tools is a good one right?

Sorry about my elbow and forearm hogging the camera so much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AZHCT90MUI


Edit: I moved the thread and changed the title. I figured I may as well show the entire process I use.

[huskymill]

that grinder you use cuts a hell of alot faster than my bench grinder!

good video!!

[Camp10]

I use my Grizzly to profile also. I've got the rest centered on the contact wheel though, it works a little faster that way. I dont use that grinder for cutting my bevels so blocking the wheel isnt a big problem for me.

[crashdive123]

I decided that I may as well show the entire process I use for making a knife, so here is the second installment. The profiling is done. Today I removed the surface rust and started on the hollow grind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6hd2j2un7E

[Sourdough]

Very educational. Odd I never considered making a knife when I served my apprenticeship, and had access to every machining tool, and a large heat treating/metallurgy dept.

[Camp10]

Can I offer a few suggestions?

[crashdive123]

Can I offer a few suggestions?

Please do. I was hoping that you and some of the other experienced makers would.

[Camp10]

I know that there are many more ways to do this but I mocked up my method for this. You can take or leave whatever parts that will work with your method. I used some scrap and a blade I’ve already cut for this.

I use the contact wheel to profile my blades. It is much faster and because it is lower, it is easier on my shoulders and arms. I use a different grinder for cutting the bevels so it isnt a big deal to leave the rest in the way of the wheel. I don’t worry about heat at this point so I only dip in water when it is to hot to hang on to.

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After I’ve profiled, I want to find the center of the blade edge so I know where to terminate my bevels. I use a scribe to mark this but here is a method that works as well and you already have the tools. Take a mesurement of the thickness of your blank..this one is 1/8”

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Go to your drill index and grab the next smaller bit. Lay both on an even surface and use the bit’s tip to scratch two lines where your blade will be. Scratch the one then flip the blank and scratch the next. It should look like this.

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With these two marks on the blade, use an old belt and cut the sides of the blade down to these marks at about a 45 degree angle This step is important to help your new belt last much longer and run cooler. If you skip it, your new belt will loose much of its grit on that 90 degree edge on the steel before it gets a chance to cut. You will notice right away that your blade isnt getting as hot and that the new bevels are cut faster as well.


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I’ve built a jig for my grinder that I use to cut my bevels. It is easier to look at the pictures than try to explain it. Oh, this is the same grinder that I made in the DIY grinder tut I did. I changed the contact wheel to the 10” from the Grizzly. The higher RPM motor was tough on the casters I originally built it with.

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I guess that’s about it. I don’t know if you can see in the pics or not, but I wear a respirator, long sleaves, gloves and safety glasses. I will wear a full face shield when I am working with the buffer on top of the other gear. I use a very light touch for the last several passes doing my bevels, before that I just hug the metal away. I am very careful not to cut beyond the marks that designate the center of my blade. Here is the profiled and beveled blade.

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[crashdive123]

Thanks for the advice.