# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Making Stuff > How-to Tutorials Only >  Knives in progress

## panch0

I just wanted to post a few knives I am working on. A work in progress just like me just ask my wife. This is a summarized version of what I do.

Here is how the knives are profiled as some of you guys know and do already.
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After the profile is ground out I scribe two lines in the center of the edge and grind a 45 degree starting bevel up to those lines. Athen start the flat grinds. This is what it ends up looking like.
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After the flat grind is done I measure for the pin hole placement.
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Here it is with the hole drilled
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Now I have drilled holes to remove steel and weight, so the blade will be more balanced.
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This is where I am at with these.I will add more pics as I progress. Thanks for looking.

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## Ken

You do nice work, panch0!  :clap:

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## crashdive123

Very nice work.  Gives me something to strive for.

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## panch0

Here I just cleaned up the sides and bevel with a 400 grit belt to remove the grinding scratches before heat treat. I go this high in grit cause it is an air hardening steel and doen't scale as bad as an oil quenced carbon steel.
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And to make life easier on me when fishing I scrub it down with 600 grit wet dry sanding paper. I scrub from tip to ricasso until I see no more lines going from spine to edge.
It is now ready to be sent off to heat treatment. This a hight tech set up for the blade finishing. Only a few people on earth have access to these. :Tongue Smilie: 

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## crashdive123

I'm really impressed with the grinding - I sure do have a long way to go.

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## panch0

Here is an example from the guy I learned from on how to establish your edge. Scribing
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Now putting the starting bevel. The plates are to establish the plunge line.
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## crashdive123

I guess it helps to have the proper tools.  So far I'm just eyeballing stuff.

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## Stairman

I have a slew of old sawblades and a few files. I was thinking about a metal cutting blade for my bandsaw to start. Once I get the outline cut out Ill go from there. Very nice work! Very sellable too $$$.

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## panch0

Crash I sold off a bunch of knives to buy some half *** equipment. I wish sometimes I would have waited for some better stuff. I am not known for being patient.

Stairman, I hope you post some pics when you get going. Good luck.

Oh yea make sure you anneeal the files first, cause it will leave the bandsaw blades toothless.

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## Stairman

Thanks, their not cheap.

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## tonester

very nice work! cant wait to see the finished product! you should sell some of your stuff...i know i would be interested in buying one!

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## jeff_c

I was just going to ask if you sell your work.  I sure liked that one that you buddy gave to that girl!  :Smile: 

Could you PM me if you intend to sell any more of a design like that? (Not sure if its kosher to ask here in the main forum).




> Crash I sold off a bunch of knives to buy some half *** equipment. I wish sometimes I would have waited for some better stuff. I am not known for being patient.
> 
> Stairman, I hope you post some pics when you get going. Good luck.
> 
> Oh yea make sure you anneeal the files first, cause it will leave the bandsaw blades toothless.

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## crashdive123

> I was just going to ask if you sell your work.  I sure liked that one that you buddy gave to that girl! 
> 
> Could you PM me if you intend to sell any more of a design like that? (Not sure if its kosher to ask here in the main forum).


It's perfectly OK to ask.  Those that sell just can't ask you buy in their posts.

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## Rick

Poncho, you answered an unasked question. I could not figure out how you were getting such clean, sharp lines at the plunge line. To me, that is one of the visual things that makes your knives so professional looking. Again, very nice work.

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## panch0

Rick every part of making a knife is a process one needs to do right before you move on o the next. That guy in the pic is where I got the idea from to use the plates. On thicker stock I use the plate to guide a file that is 1/4" round to establish the plunge. Theres different way to skin a cat and I am still learning myself.

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## crashdive123

When you are doing your flat grind do you use any sort of jig to keep the angle constant?

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## panch0

No I just start at the corner of the flat and the starting bevel. I have a round peice of wood that I apply a small amount of pressure on the blade into the belt.I move the blade side to side until I get a flat going then check to see if I need to apply more pressure to the edge or the spine. Don't press hard on the blade just let the belt do the work. It just takes practice. Start on some mild steel to practice on, you will find your own technique. Every body does it a little different.

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## crashdive123

Thanks.  I like the idea of using a small piece of wood to apply pressure - it'll keep me from burning my fingers (now why didn't I think of that?)

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## panch0

Its at the top left corner of the 5th pic.

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## crashdive123

Gotcha.  Thanks.

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## panch0

I just put the stamps on the blades so after I finish up some other blades I am working on they are off to heat treat.

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## Rick

Where did you buy your stamps?

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## panch0

I bought it from harpers manufacturing online. It has worked out ok. When the stamps don't come out right its from user error. They also sell a jig to hold the stamp square while you hit it with the hammer.

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## crashdive123

Truely nice work.  Something for us beginers to strive for.

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## panch0

Here is the link
http://www.harpermfg.com/Harpersteelstamps_knife.pdf

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## jeff_c

What kind of heat treatment do they get? Do you send it to a local shop? What kind of shop is it?




> I just put the stamps on the blades so after I finish up some other blades I am working on they are off to heat treat.
> 
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## panch0

Jeff I am sending it to Peters Heat Treat, they are highly recommended and do the Rockwell hardness test and also cryo treat the blades. I think they are out of Pennsylvania, or some other yankee state. No offense to yall yankees out there. :Surrender:

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## panch0

Just got the blades back from heat treat. I've got alot of work to do. My garage is only around 100 degrees today.

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## crashdive123

Looking forward to seeing the final products.

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

How thick is number four counting from the left? Nice work Poncho Great design work! No offense man! but wanted you to know I will never be offended by engaging in a discussion about steels. I think you know alot about knifemaking and have alot to add to this forum.

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## panch0

COWBOYSURVIVAL, don't even worry about it bro. Those are some of the longest post I have ever wrote and I am a man of few words. I enjoyed the exchange of ideas. It made me go out and do more research and learned new things thanks to that discussion. I am far from knowing it all, and it was cool teaching/learning with someone who enjoys something that I do. You are a top notch guy in my book. You didn't lose your cool and you statements where well thought out, where as me, I usually forget to dot my I's and cross my T's. 

As for the knife it is 1/8 inch thick, 3.5 inches from the plunge to the tip, and the width of the blade from spine to edge is 7/8" at its thickest point. Its a small hunter style knife, the tang is kind of on the thin side but it will still function great for what it is designed for. I was going to use it in an antler but messed it up. I am going to use cocobolo for the handle with a brass guard.

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

> COWBOYSURVIVAL, don't even worry about it bro. Those are some of the longest post I have ever wrote and I am a man of few words. I enjoyed the exchange of ideas. It made me go out and do more research and learned new things thanks to that discussion. I am far from knowing it all, and it was cool teaching/learning with someone who enjoys something that I do. You are a top notch guy in my book. You didn't lose your cool and you statements where well thought out, where as me, I usually forget to dot my I's and cross my T's. 
> 
> As for the knife it is 1/8 inch thick, 3.5 inches from the plunge to the tip, and the width of the blade from spine to edge is 7/8" at its thickest point. Its a small hunter style knife, the tang is kind of on the thin side but it will still function great for what it is designed for. I was going to use it in an antler but messed it up. I am going to use cocobolo for the handle with a brass guard.


It looks stout to me..I like the file' knives too! I have learned alot too and you as well made me do the research. Thanks to a display of words! looking forward to more of the same!

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## panch0

I am guessing the first two may look like file knives, but they look that way cause of the scale from heat treatment. They are actually 1/16" ats34 stainless steel fillet knives and the third one will acompany one as a bait knife of sorts. I still need to figure out a design on the sheath to hold both blades.

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## crashdive123

I really like the shape of the center three.

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

I meant fillet knives! sorry for the spelling. I would look forward to dressing a 30lb Striper with one of those!

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## panch0

> I really like the shape of the center three.


I don't really know what style those are. I would call them sort of like bushcraft but they are more like drop point hunters, or maybe utility, I dunno what do yall think? They are flat ground not convexed, 1/8". I made one a posted it up for sale and got two more orders for these. 

30lb striper!!! Man I would be happy with a 15lb'er.

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

> I don't really know what style those are. I would call them sort of like bushcraft but they are more like drop point hunters, or maybe utility, I dunno what do yall think? They are flat ground not convexed, 1/8". I made one a posted it up for sale and got two more orders for these. 
> 
> 30lb striper!!! Man I would be happy with a 15lb'er.


My trophy is a mere 12lbs. but it is on the wall and is a pure landlocked striper. Caught in pure freshwater.

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## panch0

Ok here I am done sanding off the scales from heat treat and added a leather cushion will be pulling it in one direction towards me. I will do this so I have straight sanding lines and no microhooks or scratches in all directions that will give the blade a dirty finnish when looked at in the sun.

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## panch0

Ok after polishing her up I drilled the holes for the handles and used epoxy to attach the slabs. Soory I got exited and did'nt take any pics of this. I then removed excess material on the belt grinder and then used a file and sand paper to finish the handle. I wrap the blade with blue carpenters tape to protect the blade from getting scratches and stuff. Here is the knife let me know what you think. It is going to a new home in here in Texas as soon as I sharpen her up and make a kydex sheath for it.

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On one side it looks like scratches on the ricasso, but it is the makers mark. On the other side it is just some dust that I did't wipe of correctly before taking the picture.

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## crashdive123

I think it's outstanding.  I'd like to see your process for the kydex sheath if you can.

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## panch0

I will try and get some pics, but be warned I am far from good with the kydex sheaths. It will be a simple sheath.

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## crashdive123

Well, I'm a simple kind of guy.  The sheath and I should get along just fine.

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

Looks great Poncho! I especially appreciate that there is no marks left from making the blade! I'll be days geting them out of mine...What is it you use for pins I wanted the steel color rather than brass, I was going to use galvinized nails or high tensile wire but am a little concerned about rust.

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## panch0

They are 1/8 inch stainless steel rods I ordered from an online store. This is an air hardening stainless steel so it does not scale as bad as an oil quenching steel. So I hand sand up to 600 grit before heat treating is done. When I get it back I use a leather backed sandpaper and scrub off the scale and scratches. Then I will srub in one direction untill there are no visible scratches from other lower grits available.

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## rebel

Very nice!

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## oneraindog

very nice looking pieces. do you take commissions?

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## panch0

It would take a few months to make one . I have some blades back from HT that are for other folks I need to finish first. Feel free to email me with any questions.

-frank

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## Rick

Frank - If the recipient of that knife decides he doesn't want it just let me know. I'll be happy to take it off your hands. Anyone would be proud to have that rascal. You really do a wonderful job on them!!

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## oneraindog

dang it rick you beat me to the punch. get back in line!

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## panch0

ok rick, then ord, got it. Lol. Hey guys thanks for the kind words.
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