Home Made Knife Thread

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First, my hats off to the real pros here! I love to see great work :)

The knife is a copy of the "Tracker", designed by Tom Brown.

http://www.trackerschool.com/

http://www.trackerschool.com/store/store_product_detail.asp?pid=1#

I didn't think Tom would mind if I made a few personal changes to his design. I increased the length 1/2" to increase the arc of the belly. I beefed up the thumb and finger grooves a bit, as well as moving the lanyard point from inside the scales out to the pommel. The pommel was extended for use as an impact point without damaging the stocks.

It has a distal taper from .270" near the tip to .300" at the pommel.

The blank was flame cut, then off to the grinder.

The convex bevels were cut on a belt sander, and the notching on the back was done with a radius on a cut off wheel. The angles and faces on the teeth were done with 80 grit toolroom wheel. I need better pics of the notching, because it really came out well.

The notch closest to the tip is .050"ish deeper than the rest to facilitate snapping cyclone fence. It works ok, but wear gloves!

She takes an edge pretty easily, and holds it.

I tried my hand at leather, using adhesive and rivets (I'll shoot some more pics of everything) ad I think it turned out ok. Some more thought should have been put to belt/gear attachment, but I have a 12"x24" sheet of kydex that will solve that.
 
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Wish I had time to get better picts of these....

2bladesdone_20081228_1159.JPG


2bladesdone_20081228_1188.JPG
 
I love it, keep'em comin' guys!

I wonder if this thread could be stickied to serve as a member's display case for handmade non-firearm items....

Mac, I started this thread because yours seemed to be for works in progress... I've got nothin' "in the fire" right now, but a fair body of toys behind me....

Ok, so this time, I bring a Saxon style (roughly :)) socketed spear head. I've made 3 of these now, and they're the only 2-day forgeing projects I've embarked on. They take that long simply because I start with a railroad spike. Turning that head into a big socket takes some time, as it turns out....

100_3735.jpg

100_3734.jpg

100_3737a.jpg

Railroad spikes are generally mild steel, but if you look around your local delapidated switchyard, you'll find that some spikes are stamped with an H or an HC on the head. This means "High Carbon". Now, high carbon here doesn't mean 1085 or better, but what most of us would call medium carbon, about 1040. Just enough that a quench hardens the material usefully for this sort of application (no temper needed), but not enough to take a razor like edge.

This little leaf bladed spear will penetrate 3/4" plywood when given a solid thrust.

The socket is left unwelded (aparently, this is how it was done....), and wedged firmly on the tapered end of the 1-1/4" hardwood pole. Then the socket and pole are drilled thru and a 3/16" brass pin rivits it in place.

This lives in my bedroom, 3' from where I sleep. This is my HD handgun. I figure the sight of a 6'2", 230# angry mostly naked guy with this spear would weaken the resolve of most neerdowells.... But luckily, it's unlikely I'll ever have to find out. Really hope not.

J
 
If they've read this thread they will equip themselves with 1.5" plywood platemail...:neener:
 
Valkman and conwict, i appologize for the name spelling error. I spell it Volk..

I was dead tired and just looking in , and really to tired to type. Sorry about that, but the work is nice and tidy, well balanced art that functions.

7X57chilmau, I have no0 idea the steps it takes to turn a rr spike into a lance head like that. I sure would like to see a step by step sometime.

I am hoping to see on for hawks somewhere or another too. This Spring after the snow goes i hope to get my forge set up again. So far most of what I make is fire irons for a camp fire at a primitive camp we all call voo, and other related items for cooking, plus the knives which are a combination of forging and stock removal. My forging skills have developed to be all forge except 1% yet, but I sure would like to know how more than I do.

On my something to do thread some iotems are current, while others are now, and have been around a long time. I like to show off the file patterns, not that that one is great, it's just about the only blade I still have to take a pics of. There is a few others, but I still have a long wish list of pics to get on line.

I used to be pretty good with a 35 mm camera, but these digitals beat me up bad. Where I live space to do much in doors is minimal, and it's been dammned cold, where I am a lot, so I get to fight steel and the cold at the same time. As of late I can't seem to turn a ignition key with out some wicked thing happening. Cars, trucks and the Bob Cat which we can't live with out.

Anyone wants snow come git it fer free! I'll load all you want and you are free to come back for more!
 
Making the spearhead isn't that hard, but it sure takes time. Here's how I did it (three times so far....)

Get a HC or H type RR spike.

First, the socket. Blade is always last. Hold the spike by the pointy end, the head will become the socket. The idea with the socket is to draw the stock out into a triangle shape about 7 or 8" tall, and about 3 or 3.5" at the base, while leaving about half the spike for the blade and "tang". I work this with a combo of cross pien and ballpiens, flatting the work every few heats with the smithing hammer. The cross pien will spread the metal perpendicular to the pien, while the ballpien will spread it in all directions equally. You need to do both. Basically, this is a fullering type process. Try to leave a vein (like a leaf) down the first inch or 2 of the socket from the blade "tang", to help support the blade and spread bending loads into the socket better.... This is a day's hard work for the newbie like me. I could likely do this faster now, I haven't made such a piece in 3 years now... Trim scallopped edges with the hardy.

Now, you have what looks like a very crude pancake flipper, with a big triangular spatula, about 1/32 thick at the base, tapering up to about 1/8" near the top. The "handle" of the spatula is the remaining 4" or so of spike.... Use tongs and a ring to grip the socket end, and forge your blade as your imagination demands. Don't try to thin the "tang" down too much early on, it can easily be over-thinned, weakening the blade.

Once I had the blade roughed out, I finished it with angle and bench grinders. I really oughta get a belt sander... I use the bench grinder to shape the general form of the blade, to make it leaf shaped, as it were. I grind 45 chamfers to create a false edge.... Helps me see what I'm doing when I use the angle grinder to grind the blade flats.

The higher angle the angle grinder is held, the more hollow the grind it produces. This spear is fairly flat ground. I just clamp the piece to a bit of angle iron in my post vice and go at'er. I use glazed (overheated) wheels on my grinder because they cut slower and leave a smoother finish.

Once the blade is formed reasonably well, it's back to the forge. Rolling the socket is fairly easy, start it on the edge of the anvil, then to the horn, finish on a bic or a piece of rod in the post vice. I use rod and post vice, have no bic to fit my anvil. Easy enough to do in 2 or 3 heats.

I crank the "tang" over a bit to put the blade into the centreline of the socket. It will tend to be off-centre if you don't. Straighten everything out (with a good heat on the steel, any adjustments you make to black iron will result in warping when you quench....)

So, finally heat the entire thing to critical, and quench in oil. No temper required, this is medium carbon stuff. Taper a suitable pole to suit the socket, ram it in there, drill thru, rivet with brass or copper.

I can't imagine being a soldier a thousand years ago. This would have been the grunt's weapon of choice. Imagine charging a position fortified with a determined cohort of soldiers, each armed with one of these, a veritable porcupine, determined to run you thru....

The spear has never been finished. I need to take a 6" piece of 1-1/4" black iron pipe, and forge one end of it down to a point. This goes on the butt end of the pole, sharpened to a 90 degree pyramid point....

I gotta get me some more charcoal..... I'm out!

J
 
No problem Mac!

It's kind of unfair that me and Wylie get into threads like this as we aren't making one knife back in the shed - we are knifemakers so we're going to show better than most even if we are "hobby" makers and not full time guys. We've both been at this about 4 years so we should be showing some pretty good stuff. John also makes excellent sheaths while I send out for mine.

I have to say the job highorder did on that Tracker is amazing for a non-knifemaker and I'm thinking that boy knows more about making knives than he lets on. :) That's not your first knife, now is it? LOL I see a bunch of talent in this thread!
 
No snow here and NO mac im not sending you the kinfolk (Smirk and Snicker). But it is going out for a custom sheath, I can sharpen any knife but this one is truely scary sharp- yes it has already "bit" me, so it is mine forever, as the old saying goes. I love 1095!
 
LOL, Doc I am sure gonna be fuzzy ifn' ya don't send me that little shaver fast! :evil: Springs 'a cumin' and when sugarin is over I gotta shave this face!

Come on now Doc doncha be that way.... :D Why you wouldn't want me to be shavin with that Bowie of mine would ya :what:
........
Ah ha! 'The confessions of a knifemaker Valkman. I fear for me it is a hobby to serve another hobby, but your work while modern looking, is very nice art.

Pre 1840 events were once a hobby, now gone mad and is my lifestyle as much as it can be allowed and still surive in the world we have made now.

I can fulley attest to that I would have prefered spending time dabbling around on something to do (something sharp) than mess with ice in the stater motor on the Bob Cat,and then dig in deep and fix 2 very heavy leaks, but one must do what one must do..

Since neither Doc, nor 7X57chilmau are interested in any snow, perhaps I could interest you? Surely yer loving family would like about (20) 18 wheeler loads and all for free, I mean this is such a deal! I literally have achers of the stuff to get rid of.. I am running out of room for any more too.
BobcatBill.jpg
...........................

7X57chilmau, Thank you I understand most of that..

About 1/2 of the head end is forged to a wide triangle 'tight delta wing', and then the other end is drawn out to be thick and round, tapering, where you forge a flat pod shape, and forge/grind a spear head.

Then form the socket. Once I try and mess it up getting it off set, I will understand how you center it better. Medium carbon works well for this sort of thing as I have found using telephone pole 'V' straps
(galvi coated steel bars to hold the wooden cross beams)

I had 2 burlap sacks full of rr spikes, but lost them somewhere in a move. I will find more after the snow goes..

I just can't wait for Valkman to come get his share... :evil:
 
No snow for me - I hate that crap! That's why I live in the desert where it's 65 today and 70 tomorrow! Woohoo!
 
:D Snowy down there, Mac... I went mountain biking on Mt. Cranmore once, a decade or so ago.... Not far from you, no? Red Jersey Cyclery was nearby.... So many years and hobbies ago...

Valkman, I want to see what any man can make by hand. I don't care if he's a pro making his living or if he's some nut who bangs car springs into crude blades....

This is about people with a passion for steel and pointy things. I think every poster here shares that.

That Tracker's one mean lookin' slab-o-metal!

SeanSw, that's a strange lookin' thing! Ya gotta tell us something about it, what's it made of, what's the idea behind it, and where did you succeed or fail? I'm not quite sure from the picture if it's single or double edged, but it looks like some kinda cleaver/machete/tanto evil zombie offspring :D;):evil:

J
 
I have to say the job highorder did on that Tracker is amazing for a non-knifemaker and I'm thinking that boy knows more about making knives than he lets on. That's not your first knife, now is it?
Click to expand...

First, thank you for the compliment! It means a lot coming from a guy with your skillset :)

Second, you pegged me guilty ;)

I started making knives in the early 90's. Most have been stock removal in O-1, 440C, 1095, but I have also done some forging on O-1 and motorcycle chain damascus...

The Tracker was made when I was teaching Manufacturing at Western Michigan University.
I spent a few hours after class each night when I had the Fab shop and Machining lab to myself.

A friend of mine bought a Tracker, and I liked it. I'm a big backcountry hiker, and was thinking something like the Tracker could take the place of both my Cold Steel SRK and my Gerber Sport Axe. I tweaked the basic design, and you've seen the result. Turns out I really prefer a small fixed blade (currently a SOG NW Ranger) and the Gerber axe.

The tracker sees more use taming brush in the yard these days; its stout enough for most any task.
 
7X57chilmau :D yeah it's snowy here. Goes like this, storm, plow, break the truck, bob cat the bankings back, break the bob cat, fix the truck, fix the bob cat, shovel the roof, storm. I am half down shoveling all these damnned roofs. Oh yeah break the roof rake, gotta fix that now..

I don't need to think at all doing any of that stuff, so I am dreaming up the way the forge will be, of sapin' (maple sugar) and the garden.

I don't know how yet to forge hawks, but I hope to by summers end. When I get to where i want to be the hawks should be delicate, clean and smokable, with I hope silver inlay.

If anyone knows where I can find a How To with some good pics I sure wouldn't mind knowing. No vidio's though as I am on a 56k mo dumb.
 
Anvilfire is a forgeing forum. Go there. They have step-by-step tutorials for forgeing many common items.

I've tried to make a hawk myself, but have yet to master the forge welding required to pull it off. Have some nice wrought iron home now, so I'll have to try it again.

You cannot weld leaf springs. I know!

J
 
I'll check that out. My first attempts will probably be failuers. I expect it.

Some will be folded in half tries and others will be slotted with 2 drill holes and saw cuttting to make the holes become one oval, with heat and a mandrel.

I will try a variety of steels, like rail road spikes, horse shoe rasps, and other odd bits.

What happens if you thin out leaf spring, and try to weld it then?
 
Leaf springs simply won't weld in the forge, they'll stick a little, but give under light pressure. The chrome in the mix makes it impossible with this method. Aparently, it's even difficult with modern mig/tig techniques.....

From my experience, I'd have to agree with "them"....

In the end, I gave up, hardened it like glass and smacked it with the hammer. Many small pieces. Frustration quenched....

J
 
Nicely done! Stock removal from a file? Did you modify the heat treat in any way? Files are brutal-hard, and quite brittle!

I really like the handle and guard
 
I forged it out of an old file. I found a passle of them at a garage sale for $1! I even got a nice old orange crate out of the deal! After forging I annealed the blade then filed and sanded out everything that didn't look like a knife. Edge quenched in oil/bacon fat/parrafin goop(Wayne Goddard mix) then triple tempered it in the oven at 400F. I mostly follow the proceedures in Wayne Goddards "$50 Knife Shop. Here is one I made out of 5160 steel, moose antler and leather washers TroysNikon30Nov08168.jpg
 
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messerist, I really like that second one! Beauty lines...

Throwing knives have held a certain fascination for me for years. Always had that exotic "glow" about 'em, but I could never see a good reason to throw a perfectly good knife away.... Oh, and I'm so physically uncoordinated, successful sticks ran in the 30% range, on a good day.

This one's crude, but it achieved it's purpose: A throwing knife even I can reliably stick, and one that's completely impractical to use in any other way. Forged from a coil spring, double edged, double pointed. Tempered to a blue for durability, still hard enough. It's been planted in plywood dozens of times, bounced off its share of concrete walls and floors (throwing at a too-small target block in my basement), and survived with nothing more than a horrid CLANG and a slightly burred edge....

Thrower.jpg

This thing is, of course, illegal in many jurisdictions. It are not specifically banned in Canada, and is treated as a "martial arts weapon". It is not something I'd actually carry, it's for home amusement only.

Know your local laws before manufacturing edged exotica.

Clearly, I'm running outa stuff to show....

J
 
messerist , I like both workings. I think your methods are much like mine.

I wonder if ever you pre hot bent a file down in a gentile curve, so forging brings the top (spine) back up to straight?

The 2nd knife... How do you like the finger grooves? I am not sure, but I think there is room there to bevel the hard corners.

It might be I was just never really fond of finger grooves in the first place, but what I do and or think shouldn't be any influence anyway.

The hard edges to me represent blisters. Nice controll of the belt grinder too assuming that is what you used to get the final shape.

7X57chilmau , seems to be one of the few who can forge very close to his final shape, something I am lacking in myself.
 
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