# General > General Knives & Blades >  Making a sawzall knife (pic heavy)

## Winter

Ok folks, I figured I'd do a walkthrough of how I make these. Maybe some folk will give it a go.

Select sawblade and bend it to ensure it hasn't lost it's temper. If it doesn't return to straight, toss it.
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Next, i cover one side of the blade with masking tape and draw what I'm thinking.
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Using a dremel with cutoff wheel I cut the clip.
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Take the old grinder and shape the tang.
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Now you work with bare hands to ensure the blade doesn't get hot. Dunk it in water every time it feels warm.

Rounding the belly.
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Viola, blade blank.
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Angle grinder mounted with some allthread is how i rough in the blade bevels.
Simply draw the blade across the disk like you were sharpening a knife.
Continually inspect the blade and keep it cool.
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At this point, I switch to my cheap belt sander.
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60 grit. Refine the grind and clean the flats.
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Once you get it evened up and the edge is about as thick as a hair, switch to 120 grit and refine the grinds and blend the transition from the bevel to the flats until you get a full length burr.
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Now is when I bring the spine down to the point. If you profile the point during the grind you may round off your point.
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Sanding pad to remove the burr and the blade is ready for a handle.
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Handle time, hmmmmmmm.
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Antler , leather, and copper is selected.
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Slot the antler guard with the dremel cutoff wheel and drill the crap out of the back part.
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Fit's good. Notice I made the tang slimmer and ground notches in the tang for the epoxy.
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Everything fits and is ready for epoxy.
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Mix your 2 part 2 ton epoxy very well. Remember it has never been together before.
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Assembly with epoxy between everything. Get as much in there as you can.
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All clamped up and will be ready to finish tomorrow.
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## panch0

Nice WIP! I just might make me a fillet knife and use the back as a de scaler.

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## crashdive123

Well done Winter.  Sent a little rep your way.

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## rebel

Nice tutorial.

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## Rockgod1619

Excellent tutorial!!  This makes me want to make a blade soon, as the weather starts to cool off here!

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## Winter

Done, except sheath.

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Turned out pretty good for a rush job. Very light.

This could all be done with files and sandpaper.

Look forward to seeing someone give it a try.

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## Justin Case

NICE !   well Done, Thanks  :Smile:

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## canid

i like the personality of that knife. great buildalong and writeup.

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## panch0

IS the spine hardened like the tooth side on these blades? If so then I AM going to make me a fillet knife that I will keep for personal use.

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## canid

i'm currently searching for info on the steel grades used in various recip. saw blades. the bi-metal blades might just be something like junk steel laminated with HSS; who knows. if anybdy has a good source for info on the matter, i'd love to know. i'll post something if i find anything usefull.

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## klickitat

Great stuff. This should really be a sticky. Anyone who has ever wanted to get started building knives or just wants to be able to build something for themselves, this is a great place to start.  Nice job and nice set of pictures explaining things.

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## crashdive123

That turned out great.

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## Erratus Animus

I enjoyed that Winter ! looks good!

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## rebel

If I could give another rep I would. It turned out great.  I will have to give that a try. Thanks!

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## Winter

Thanks all.

As to the steel. It sharpens easily and dulls quickly. 

I did make some errors on this knife. The copper is a self adhesive copper tape and it warps badly as can be seen in the pics. had i used flattened copper pipe it would have turned out better.

ETA- the guard turned out really good. The fork of an antler is pretty hard and marrow when it's that thin. I'll do some guards like tht on thicker knives in the future.

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## shiftyer1

I made a blade out of a saw zall blade a couple years ago but never got around to the handle.  Have you ever tried soaking an antler and just forcing the tang into the marrow?  Thats what I intended to do,  now that I have some free time maybe i'll finish it up.

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## Winter

I have not tried that but I'd be concerned the water would never leave the inside.

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## crashdive123

> I have not tried that but I'd be concerned the water would never leave the inside.


I agree.  In addition to trapped moisture rusting the tang, I would think that the handle would not be able to be secured adequately.

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## Rick

I somehow missed this whole thread. This is an excellent tut. Very nice job and I added a little rep as well.

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## randyt

awesome thread and the knife turned out great.

as to soaking antler and forcing the tang in this is a old method. basically the pith becomes a glue and hardens up after drying. care will need to be taken because the antler is brittle and can break. force the antler onto the tang.

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## Ted

How the helsinki I missed this tread I'll never know! But great tut and "T" totally cool knife!

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## Winter

Thanks Ted. The knife sits on my magnet kitchen knife deal. Works great.

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## Pocomoonskyeyes3

Sent some Rep your way as well. Great tutorial, and job!

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## Sourdough

Well done, sadly I must spread the love, but I tried to give rep points. I am compelled to wonder about if one bought a "New" blade and left the teeth on the back........? Not as a thing of beauty, but as a tool.

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## p moore

I had to look at this one again, It really is a great looking knife. How well is it working for you? 

Paul

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## Winter

Works good for kitchen stuff.

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## Winter

3 years and 10 months ago.
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3 years and 10 months later. 
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The knife lives in the kitchen and is sharpened on coffee mugs.

I like the looks better now.

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## backpacker3

Nice I just found a few sawzall blades in the garage I'm going to give this a try now.

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

How in the heck did I miss this post? Nice job Winter! Cool to see how it aged!

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## crashdive123

It's holding up better than most of us.........I know there is a joke in there about ---- well if you were relegated to just kitchen duty........ but I ain't gonna go there.

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## Tokwan

geat piece of work...reps!!!

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## Winter

> How in the heck did I miss this post? Nice job Winter! Cool to see how it aged!


Many parts of the antler are becoming translucent. It has an amber type glow. I dig it.

I'd totally take it out in the woods and be confident it would hold up.

I've been using this one for 2 years on all my adventures. It was on a 14 day remote trip on Etolin Island, I sharpened it once on a piece of shale.
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It's 3/32" saw steel from a 10" circular saw. No heat treatment other than from the factory.

Anybody can make their own knife.

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## Grizz123

I'd like to see more on the 10" circular saw blade build

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## Rick

Nice job on both, Winter. Me likey.

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## aflineman

Thanks for the update. It is always nice to see how things hold up over time.

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## Winter

Grizz, here is the original thread. Seems it was a 10" edger blade instead of a circular saw blade, but, it doesn't really matter.

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ch-of-the-year

It's the same process as this threads knife, just cut out differently and shaped differently.

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## MrFixIt

I've made several of these. Don't have pics, but used paracord wrap for the handle on one.
I left a section of the saw blade and it works very well.

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