How I make a knife.k

[randallss7]

Ok bolster time, I make a couple types of bolsters a "sandwich" type and a single piece split type.

here is a single piece type
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here is a sandwich type
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this bolster will be two pieces of 416 stainless shaped and peened onto the blank via the two 1/8" holes drilled in the front of the blank.
I start with a sharpie, super glue, a bar of 416 stainless and the blank
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cut two pieces of the steel a little larger than what it takes to cover the area you want to bolster then super glue one piece onto the blank, use the drill press to drill the two holes through the blank and through 1/2 the bolster.
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a couple nice taps with a hammer and the super glue will turn loose, sand the inside of each bolster on a very flat surface you want them nice and flat. Glue the two 1/2's together make sure the front and back line up perfect, use your super flat surface. Once glue sets up drill back through the two holes and through the 2nd 1/2 of the bolster, the idea is you want the corners to line up just perfect once mounted to the blade.

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use a couple of old 1/8" drill bits to mount the glued together bolster to one side of the bland and use a sharpie to mark all the bolster you want to remove.
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now go to sander/grinder what ever and remove said extra materiel, I exaggerated the extra for the pics, I usually cut it a lot closer to size. then switch sides and mount bolster with drill bits and figure out how you want the bolster face to look. I like to think about the flow of the over all design now and try and make the bolster face flow with the plunge cut of the blade. Draw the shape one the bolster face and remove extra check work several times to make sure you like the end results, Polish the bolster front by sanding and buffing on buffer. Seperate the two parts use a little heat these usually stick very well.
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sand both inside surfaces flat again and then ream the holes from the outside in with a 1/8" pin reamer, this will make the bolsters stay on forever and help pull them tight to the blank
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cut two 1/8" pins from 416 stainless...buy your steel at the same place so you get the same steel unless you want your pins to show, these should completely vanish once peened in. Any way cut the two pins and place all the pieces together.
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take it all to an anvil and peen the bolsters on making sure you keep everything going flat and keep all gaps closed, this is easier if you keep the pins as short as possible while peening. Once again not enough hands so here is the end result.
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corners line up, that's good
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pins vanished that's also good, bolster is completed to this point.

[randallss7]

OK time to start the handle first I will build the stacking for behind the bolster I'm going to use a blue, stainless and black spacer on each side, I basically cut 3 strips and epoxy them together, once they dry I cut them in half and sand all the burs and glue off everything flat and smooth.
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now I will cut the handle from the scales, I hold the bolster stack in place and mark with a sharpie, then cut them out.

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next I will use the super glue again and glue the scales to the side of the knife and drill the holes
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I make little dimples into the scales to help with glue up.

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I cut the pins I will be using

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mix up some black epoxy and glue it all together and place in the pins, you can not use fast dry epoxy here it takes to long to get pins in, I know this trust me.

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now wait for the glue to dry and finish the knife, we are getting close now...lol.

[Winter]

Great tutorial. What kind of dye is used for the epoxy?

[randallss7]

Great tutorial. What kind of dye is used for the epoxy?

system 3 epoxy pigment, I also use paint pigment from hobby lobby use a little it goes a long ways.

[randallss7]

OK now its just a matter of sanding to shape and polishing it up. basically I start on belt sander 80g belt and work my way until I'm happy, sometimes you have to do a little hand sanding, some times I do it all by hand starting with files and working my way to 1000g paper then buff the wood with white compound, the bolster with green compound, I sharpen the blade on a paper wheel system, I like them they do a quick and very good job without producing the heat of my belt sander, I polish the edge with a leather strop rubbed with green polishing compound here are the pic's.

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from here I buff the wood and steel and sharpen the knife

here is the paper wheel system I use
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here is the knife after buffing and sharpening... Oh snap it looks better now, I bet you thought it was going to turn out like crap...lol.
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on its done, if you guys want to see how I make the sheath let me know, otherwise we are done.

[Winter]

Great looking knife.

[crashdive123]

+1 great looking. Nice tutorial.

[wtrfwlr]

Super thread/tutorial. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.

I would very much like to see a sheath making thread.

[randallss7]

Super thread/tutorial. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.

I would very much like to see a sheath making thread.

I will have to do one on a different knife, I finished this one today, the buyer is getting anxious for it so I have to get it out the door, here it is finished though.

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