Starting a new knife

E

Ebel440

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May 24, 2014
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I've decided I need to make myself a new knife. I have only made a few before this, a couple fixed blades and 3 folders I think. I got started on this because I was looking for some steel on ebay and saw a cheap piece of pattern welded steel. I bid on it thinking I would loose. Well I won it, a piece of 12"x.200x1.75 made of 1095 carbon steel and 15n20. It came from the USA but I'm pretty sure it was made in India or Pakistan. When I got it the blank was actually 11.9 long and 1.64 wide and varied from .200 to .16 thick. It's claimed to be 55-58 rc hard. I have been meaning to contact the seller to see if it really is hardened as it looks like a generic ad which is used for pre shaped knife blanks as well. I decided to copy the shape of a knife I carry everyday as its what I'm used to.

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I started by drawing a basic pattern on paper then scribing onto the steel and cut it out on a bandsaw. The blade is going to be ground to shape. Next I sanded the sides flat on a belt sander. There's still two spots which didn't clean up but will when the blade is beveled. I had to take off almost .03 in some spots to get it flat.

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I decided to make the handle from one piece of 2024 aluminum to get as much strength as possible without too much weight. I roughed the slot with a keycutter and a .187 end mill. I'll finish it with files once I get everything figured out. It's going to be a linear lock which I think I'll make out of o1 steel. After the slot finished ill bore the hole for the pivot screw.

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The slot just needs a little more clearance to be a good fit. Once I get the blade hinged ill shape the handle and fit the lock. Then I'll finish the shape of the blade and handle. I may need to harden the blade as I have doubts about its claimed hardness. I'll experiment with some scraps first. I'm not sure if I will put scales on or not I may make some textured carbon fiber ones or wood. image.jpg

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Cool! Please keep us updated in the project. That's something I'd like to do. Thanks for the good pictures - they're worth a thousand words, as they say.
 
Thanks. I got the blade fitted to the handle temporarily. I just put it together in the position I want the two parts and drill through both at once. I used a 1/8 drill and pinned it as a hinge to figure out how to fit everything. I rough cut the handles shape on the bandsaw. Next up is fitting the lock to the handle.

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I'm looking forward to seeing how you do the lock and spring mechanism.
 
Looks good and I would also like to see how the blade is locked in the open position.
 
This post is awesome. I have never seen a knife being made. Please Please post as many photos as you can!
 
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