All You Keen Knife Fanatics Out There ......

[arpie]

Hi guys

Anyone else out there with a knife fetish?? I like knives .... 'Specially sharp ones!!

There is a doco on SBS on Wed night at 8pm showing a bloke who makes his own knives - should be very interesting!! I know I will be watching/taping it!

Cheerio

Roberta

[georgieboy]

impossible.......ORIGIN

georgieboy

[arpie]

Yeah - that's why they invented Video Recorders!!!

Roberta

[vipernut]

Thanks for that Roberta,

I will have to let my dad know aswell.

My dad is very creative and has made several knives,i will have to try and get him to send some photos down of his collection.I will also take some photos of the couple i have

Stephen

Edited June 23, 2008 by vipernut

[arpie]

Great Stephen

My nephew has also enjoyed making his own knives a few years ago ..... I've heard that a section of an old bandsaw blade (that has broken in half) can be used to make a top blade! Just gotta make sure you don't overheat it when shaping/sharpening it!

I would love to see pics of your dad's knives - making & shaping the handles is more of an art thajn the actual blade!!!

Look forward to seeing the pics

Cheerio

ROberta

[vipernut]

Hi Roberta,

Yes bandsaw blades do make a good blade,i have a smaller knife somewhere that is made from one.It is the only knife that i actually had some part in the making off.

My dad used to work in a factory where they used various blades for paper slitting and used these to make his blades.

these pics are of my favourite knife as it was made how i wanted it.

Even the sheath was hand made,material supplied by a feral goat which i shot on a hunting trip.

My knife.

Based on the "bowie knife" style

The handle is made from hand cut leather washers and hand cut teflon rings(white).

The pommel and guard are brass,the pommel was hand shaped from a solid block.

The only part my dad didnt do was the engraving on the blade.

I will have to get my dad to send me some photos of the others he has made,there are some truelly beautiful knives in his collection,including one which has a handle made from goat horn.

I also have some Gill Hibben knives,which i might have to photograph aswell.

Stephen

Edited June 24, 2008 by vipernut

[Hodgey]

That's some bloody clever workmanship by your father, Stephen

The handmade sheath is a nice touch. Looking forward to some more photos. Great stuff!

Hodgey

[copafisher]

..... I've heard that a section of an old bandsaw blade (that has broken in half) can be used to make a top blade! Just gotta make sure you don't overheat it when shaping/sharpening it!

ROberta

Dad used to make rough farm knives from the larger power hacksaw blades by careful grinding to right shape and fixing a hose handle, you could even leave the saw on the back. I dont recall ever snapping one, so he must have been using some good quality blades. Having high carbon content they sharpened up quite well. Nothing pretty, certainly nothing as good as vipernut's dads creation, but on the farm they were cheap, rugged and if you lost it it took about 15 minutes to make another. Suprisingly they hardly ever got lost, not like all the pocket knives I went through.

I have a couple of tool steel blanks I made into small skinning knives in my youth, will have to get them out and finish them off properly as they really hold their edge. The trick to a good knife is good steel and correct heat treatment, in my youth I cheated by using old files and a grind & quench method to make some good blades, I even cast an aluminium handle onto one at high school years ago but unfortunally lost it a long time ago. My grandfather had one made from a bandsaw blade, only prob is high carbon steel, which needs more care etc. Unfortunately I have got very used to a good stainless nowadays, particularly for fishing like Frosts & Kershaw and the many other good brands.

Thanks for the advice on the show, will have to fire up the VCR. If anyones after material or wants to have a go making there own try http://www.knivesaustralia.com.au/supplies.html. There is plenty here to spark any interest, just dont tell the you found another pastime .

regards

Steve

[arpie]

Wow Stephen! That knife is AWESOME!! The fact your Dad made it & you supplied the raw materieals for the sheath just adds so much mojo to it!! Instant family Heirloom, I reckon! The Yanks are really into well made knives ..... some go for THousands of Dollars! Did he take photos 'as he made it'? It is sooo professional looking!

Looks like the Steve's are into knife making!! Many thanks for that info, Steve - I will check it out .... not that i will ever be able to do anythng as nice as Stephens!! I have made the odd knife from the blade of a vegetable slicer (you know the ones, by Borner - you count your fingers after you've finished slicing) .... figured if it was sharp enough to take the top of my finger off, it should also make a good knife!! I look forward to seeing your knives as well.

Cheerio

ROberta

[arpie]

Hey Georgieboy - Origin is on NEXT WEEK, isn't it, not tonight!!! No excuse for missing it!

Cheerio

Roberta

[arpie]

Hmmm, finally got around to watching the tape on the knife makers - they concentrated on the 'feral' lifestyle of the guy a bit longer than I would have preferred, with the 'trading' & all, but the bits they showed on the actual knife making was very interesting!

Hard to believe some knives may have up to 500-1000 layers of steel in them, but the old 'compound rule' with the bending of the metal & re-bending & re-bending quickly makes many layers!!

The young blokes that were apprenticed to him seemed really nice - wondered why the younger one wasn't at school tho .....

Cheerio

Roberta

Anyone else that is into making knives, feel free to show us your handiwork & tell whether you forge your own blades as well???