# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Making Stuff >  Knife Build Along

## crashdive123

I was asked to make a knife that will be an anniversary present.  The person I'm making it for is sending some clothing that has some meaning to the couple (let your minds wander here) for the handle.  She wanted me to document the process so that she could include a picture book of the process.  Thought I'd post it here as well.

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## Pal334

You make that look so easy  :Smile:

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## crashdive123

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## crashdive123

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## rebel

It's great to watch the progress!

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## Rick

That is so cool. I'm glad you posted this.

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## Skinner

Love the Build Alongs and your Is Very Informative. And Always Get Jelous When I See the Mill Blades your Getting your Steel From Alway Look Like your cutting On a Newer Blade.

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## woodsman86

Great thred and looks to be another great knife coming along.

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## Willie

Lucky guy!

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## Winter

Great thread.

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## crashdive123

Tomorrow I hope to get to pinning and silver soldering the finger guard in place.  I've just been taking pictures of the knife that is going to be the anniversary present.  I finished the grind of two of the remaining three today.

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## crashdive123

Made a little more progress today.  

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## jake abraham

great info you make it look so easy

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## Ted

Great toot Crash!

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## crashdive123

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## canid

excellent work.

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## Winter

Nice. soldered guards are so clean.

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## Rick

Man that thing is bomb proof. You can sure see the quality going into it.

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## Sparky93

It is really cool to see your process for building a knife, thanks for posting this!

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## crashdive123

The pants for the handle arrived today.

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## hunter63

Now that is a cool idea...watch your knife being born.....

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## crashdive123

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## Rick

Good heavens, man. You make it look so easy.

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## Winter

"Liners are scored preparing for the bend"

What bend?

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## crashdive123

This next series of pictures should explain.  The liner will be between the micarta and the tang along with between the micarta and the brass finger guard.

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## Winter

Why yes Crash, that does explain it. Unique liner style too, looking good.

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## crashdive123

Got a little done early this morning and late this afternoon.  It's a shame that work sometimes gets in the way.

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## crashdive123

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## Willie

Crash,that is an awsome job!


Willie

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## Rick

That's almost magic . Great job!!

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## crashdive123

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## crashdive123

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## BENESSE

Double WOW, is all I can muster!

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## Rick

Crash, that is one danged nice job. You couldn't find a nicer sheath commercially made.

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## crashdive123

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That's it, and pretty much in the order that I do it.  The "other side" of the knife is etched with a personalized message.

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## Rick

That is first class all the way. They should be pleased as punch with that. Great job.

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## rebel

Outstanding knife, sheath and pictorial.  BTW, the other etched side,  we can keep it short and just say " To Rebel, A great guy".  Thanks Crash.

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## crashdive123

Rebel - how did you know?

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## Sparky93

Crash, I envy your skill. Great job!

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## finallyME

Amazing.  Thanks for sharing with us.

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## BENESSE

I can't imagine giving or getting a more meaningful gift. It's provenance and the accompanying description of how it came to be, is truly inspired.

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## legionnaire

how long did u that the blade in oven?

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## crashdive123

The initial heat treatment was to 1525 degrees (F) and then quenched in oil.  The temper was done at 450 degrees and held for two hours then allowed to cool slowly in the oven.  The temper process was repeated twice.

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## Wildthang

Crash, you are a true craftsman and it is an honor to see your work through the process to finished product.

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## crashdive123

Thanks.  It was this forum that got me interested in knife making.  I just hope I can help somebody else along the way that has an interest.

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## Skinner

> Thanks.  It was this forum that got me interested in knife making.  I just hope I can help somebody else along the way that has an interest.


Yep the Same goese for Me on Peaking my Intrest in Knife Making .And as for Helping somebody else You have watching you Make your Knives and Learning as I Go Has Help me Get Better Every day . Thank you for your Help you have Given and Will Give in the future

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## legionnaire

> The initial heat treatment was to 1525 degrees (F) and then quenched in oil.  The temper was done at 450 degrees and held for two hours then allowed to cool slowly in the oven.  The temper process was repeated twice.


describes the process: 450 degrees first (twice), then 1250 degrees at the end and quenched in oil???? or vice versa????

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## crashdive123

After the Initial grinding the steel needs to be hardened.  That was done by heating it up to 1525 degrees Fahrenheit and then quickly cooling the steel by dunking it into motor oil that had been warmed to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.  The knife at this point is very hard, but also brittle.  After it was cleaned up it was tempered (or some of that hardness was drawn out) by heating it to 450 degrees and allowing it to cool slowly.  Once it had cooled to room temperature, the process of heating it up to 450 degrees and allowing it to cool slowly was repeated.  After that the final grinding was done - being careful to not heat up the steel, as that would change the temper.

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## legionnaire

how long do u treat the blade at 1525 degrees?

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## crashdive123

Once it reaches that temperature I remove it from the oven and quench it.  I do not "soak" it at that temperature.  There is a range of temperatures that are effective for this type of steel.  The temperature I use is toward the high end of that range, plus it takes my oven quite a while to get up to that temperature so the steel is most likely as hot as it is going to get at that point.

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## rockriver

Hey, I love your work!  Do you get any scale on your metal after heat treat? I haven't broke down and bought an oven yet.  I simply treat mine in a coal/bellow fire.  It creates a marbly scale that I have actually grown fond of.

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## crashdive123

I do get a lot of scale on the liquid cooled quenches - the air cooled, not so much.

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## RandyRhoads

Can you explain how you pin the micarta to the blade? I'm a little confused on what keeps them and the handle in place. Once they're in does the grinder/sander take off the ends to make them flush with the handle?

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## Winter

Randy, they keep the slabs from moving parallel to the tang. They also make the handle more rigid, especially with fabric laminates.

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## crashdive123

> Can you explain how you pin the micarta to the blade? I'm a little confused on what keeps them and the handle in place. Once they're in does the grinder/sander take off the ends to make them flush with the handle?


The way I find easiest (there are multiple ways) is to glue up one side, let it dry, drill through the holes in the tang through the newly attached handle material, glue up the other side, let it dry, drill through the holes you just made in the handle (first side you attached) to go through the second side, glue pins in place.

The ends of the micarta slabs that are facing the blade need to be pretty much how you want them before attaching.  They can be made thinner, but that end would be difficult to manipulate.  All other areas of the handle can readily be shaped or made flush with the tang.

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## RandyRhoads

So the pins are just epoxied in, and the outside excess pin can be grinded down to make it flush with the handle. Cool thanks.

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## crashdive123

Yep - they are a tight fit and need to be persuaded in with a hammer, but the epoxy ensures the won't be leaving for another knife.  Additionally, I score the pins so the epoxy has something to grab onto.  Just chuck up the pin material (before you cut it) in a drill, wrap a little sand paper around the rod, turn on the drill.

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## RandyRhoads

Thanks for the pics! Where do you get these "pins", and what are they called?

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## crashdive123

A variety of sources.  Brass rod from a hobby store, bronze and aluminum rod from a welding supply place, nickle silver rod from a knife supply place, copper wire from scrap bin or copper ground wire from Home Depot.... really - anything that has the diameter that you want.  Still on my to try list is bamboo pins.

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## RandyRhoads

Thanks, just picked up some chicago style screws to try, but i'm not liking the idea of a screw head on one side. No one at home depot had any idea what I could use besides those.

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## crashdive123

Nails, coat hangers, wire, welding rods, broken tools.......you can use just about anything.

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## Rick

You should be able to use those Chicago screws. You'll grind both heads off leaving the barrel and threads. I have no idea what it will look like but it should work. I guess I should had depending on the length.

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## RandyRhoads

I ended up just using two roofing nails. Wasn't too secure until after grinding them down. I'm wondering if the grinding made them mushroom out a bit?

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