Knifemaking

Making knives can be gratifying, but it can also be dangerous, dirty labor that requires proper precautions. Here is a selection of gear that can make the knifemaking experience safe and more enjoyable.

If you need a reminder of what can happen if you don’t take safety seriously, read these knife shop horror stories here and here.

Reusable Respirator

Breathing in fine metal particles and wood dust can do serious damage to your lungs over time. While disposable respirators are good products, anyone who grinds and sands frequently needs a higher level of protection. As result, Jantz offers the 3M 7500 series Reusable Respirator.

“The biggest complaint we hear about respirator use is comfort and heat,” Jantz’s Shanna Kemp noted. “3M’s 7500 series solves these problems with a combination of comfort and durability.”

MSRP for both medium and large sizes: $33.95 each. The MSRP for a combination cartridge to complement the unit is $14.95.

Belt Safety Guard

Hawkins Knife Making Supplies offers the Bader B3 Belt Guard, which features an adjustable front hood that minimizes the risk of injury if an abrasive belt should break while in use. Order by phone only. MSRP: $170 (plus shipping and handling).

Forge-Welder Safety Glasses

David Kayne of Blacksmiths Depot says the Didymium Glasses are the company’s best-selling safety item.

“They will save the eyes of anyone who regularly works at temperatures above 2,000°F,” he noted, “forge welding of billets for damascus in particular.” MSRP: $75.

Super Magnet

According to Shannon Edgington of Knife & Gun Finishing Supplies, K&G’s model no. WT12 magnet comes in a 5-inch size and is more than strong enough to hold small pieces of steel against a disc or belt sander.

“The magnets are great ‘finger savers’ for removing the bark or just flattening the surface of steel,” she wrote. MSRP: $19.95.

Heat-Resistant Work Apron

Texas Knifemaker Supply’s heat-treat technician wears the company’s heat-resistant denim work apron to shield himself from the oven’s radiant heat, as well as from the red-hot blades as he checks them for straightness before air quenching.

The heavy-duty denim is nice and thick and has a waistband cord to tie behind the back. One size fits all. The apron also protects clothes from dirt and grime. A handy pen pocket is ideal for telescopic magnets, safety glasses, etc. MSRP: $12.95.

Learn More About Making Knives

You may know Laura Zerra from her appearances on the Discovery Channel program, Naked & Afraid, or at BLADE Show. What you might not know is that she’s also an accomplished knifemaker with a book coming out July 3, 2018, titled, A Modern Guide to Knifemaking. No less than BLADE Magazine Cutlery-Hall-of-Fame® member Ken Onion, Kaila Cumings, and Mike Jones contributed to the tome.

Fresh from an extended stay in the wilderness, Zerra talked with BLADE about knifemaking, survival knives and the biggest mistake people new to knifemaking make.

BLADE: Most people know of you through Naked & Afraid. Did you get into knifemaking after appearing on that show or was this something you were always practicing?

LZ: I used to be a farrier, so I got my first introduction to knifemaking through blacksmithing. I used to mess around with steel in the forge, and that led to trying my hand at making knives. As a survivalist and outdoors person, I’ve always had a love for knives, and starting to make my own was a natural progression.

What spurred you to write your new book, A Modern Guide to Knifemaking?

I was working on outlining a survival book, and my editor saw that I’d just been at BLADE Show. We talked about the possibility of me writing a book on knifemaking. I’ve always loved knives, and have been in numerous situations where my life literally depended on my blade. I’ve also been humbled by all the legendary knifemakers I know, and I don’t have the expansive years of experience and talent that a lot of them do.

The thought of writing a book on knifemaking was really intimidating at first, but I realized that my perspective would allow to me to write a book that could really break it down for a beginner, and that my relationship with knives as a survivalist could offer some unique insight. Knifemaking is one of those skills that everyone does a little bit differently, so I wanted to interview some experts in the field and have them offer their two cents, as well.

Can someone with little knifemaking experience pick this up and go at it?

I wrote the book that I wish I’d had when I first started knifemaking. I wanted someone with absolutely no experience to be able to pick up my book and be able to make their first knife, from start to finish. While I do talk about what has worked for me in my experience, I think knifemaking is personal. I really wanted to encourage the reader to experiment with different processes as well as designs to develop their own style and find what works for them.

What’s your philosophy when it comes to knifemaking?

As a survivalist, first and foremost, my knives have to be functional and durable. A knife has to be able to complete the tasks I need it to, and I don’t want to have to worry about it breaking or losing an edge quickly when I’m depending on it for my survival. That being said, I don’t think that means it has to be unattractive; I think a functional knife can still be beautiful, and a skilled knifemaker can complete both these objectives.

What are your favorite steels to work with?

I like working with 1095 steel. I find it easy to move with a hammer, and it holds a great edge with a good heat treat. But I have to admit, I’m a sucker for damascus carbon steel. Well-made damascus really does well with that balance of function and beauty. I just love the moment of pulling it out of the etch and seeing how the pattern has played out on the steel.

What’s the biggest mistake people make when first starting out making knives?

I think the biggest mistake people make is not getting started at all. I’ve talked to so many people who have told me, “I’ve always wanted to make a knife!” but have never actually done it. Getting started can be intimidating for people, and that can be enough to prevent them from ever getting out there and doing it.

If I could tell people one thing, it would be to commit to doing it; not in a year, not when you have time, but right now. And don’t be scared of making mistakes. Mistakes are a natural part of getting into any new skill, and are an important part of the learning process; but you have to actually get out in the shop to start making them!

Is there such a thing as a “survival knife” or are there only knives used for survival purposes?

I think the term “survival” is too broad to describe a specific type of knife. Where am I surviving? What’s the environment like? What tasks will I need my knife to perform?

Different circumstances will be best met with different qualities in a knife, from overall size and shape to steel choice to blade geometry. To try to make a “One Size Fits All” blade that will be the best tool for every survival situation seems like an impossible task.

In seasons 1 and 2 of Naked & Afraid, you brought with you a Kershaw Outcast and a Diving Sparrow Mako Shark, respectively. Both of those sport big blades (10 inches and 11.25 inches). Is it safe to say that machetes are better than knives with smaller blades for survival purposes?

I brought those knives based on my location in the tropics. Both of those knives made easy work of cutting through a massive amount of palm leaves and opening coconuts. It’s a bit more difficult to carve trap parts or butcher meat, but it can still be done.

A machete can be used to complete more delicate tasks by changing the way you use the cutting edge; for example, when gutting small game, I hold the machete between my feet and move the animal across the blade instead of trying to move the big knife across the much smaller animal.

For jungle survival, I absolutely recommend a big blade because the of amount of material you’ll be chopping though. Put me in a desert or a deciduous forest, however, and I’m likely to bring a smaller blade; it just depends.

What’s your take on survival knives versus survival multi-tools (those 31-in-1 sorts of things)? Are those multi-tools any better than a knife that’s just a knife?

I prefer a simple knife. A multi-tool has its place in urban survival and everyday use, but I find all those extra tools and edges can limit the use of your blade and get in the way. As a primitive survivalist, I’m used to improvising with what I have so maybe that’s part of it. I know people who love multi-tools, so I guess it’s personal preference.

In the name of safety, we run a series on blademag.com about knifemakers’ worst accidents in the shop (so that no one else repeats the same mistakes). Have you ever had an accident in the shop? What did you do differently the next time around?

Yup! When I first started using the grinder, I ground a big notch out of one of my fingers. It took a minute to start bleeding, but then it gushed for quite awhile. I had to quit for the day, because my hands were so slippery from my own blood that I couldn’t hold the blade anymore.

It definitely gave me respect for the grinder, and I was more aware of the fact that the belt removes flesh much faster than steel. I also had a shirt catch on fire from hot steel dust gathering in a fold. I’d love to tell you that I wear a leather apron now but I’d be lying.

Keep up with Laura Zerra on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and her website.

You Never Know Who You’ll Meet at BLADE Show

Laura Zerra is just one of the celebrities who have attended BLADE Show. The 2018 version takes place June 1 to 3 in Atlanta. Buy tickets and find information here.

According to ABS master smith Don Hethcoat, “Bowling balls make the perfect vise for knifemakers doing inlays and similar close work where you need both stability and flexibility. You can buy an old bowling ball at a flea market or thrift store for two or three dollars.”

In his own words, here are Don’s six steps.

1) Saw

“Saw off about one-third of the bowling ball, getting rid of the old finger holes. I used a metal band saw but you may have other means.”

2) Drill

“Drill five holes in the flat top of the ball, one at each corner of a square with one in the middle using a half-inch drill bit, then chisel out a cavity in the center of the ball.”

3) Fill

“Fill the opened cavity almost to the top with lead shot to add weight, then seal the shot to the top of the hole with automotive Bondo® filler.”

4) Mount

“Make a round cover for the flat top of the ball using metal, wood or Formica®. Mount your vise on top of this. Mine is a machinist’s vise using its mounting system.”

5) Base

“Make a base and you’re almost done. I used a round piece of 8-inch pipe cut to 2.5 inches in depth. Fill the pipe with Bondo, cover it with Saran™ Wrap and push the bottom part of the ball into it to make an impression. Clean up the excess Bondo.

6) Fit

“Cut a round piece of suede to fit inside the round cavity so the ball can rotate freely. That’s basically it! Feel free to modify the vise to fit your own scenario.”

Learn More Knifemaking Tricks

Based in Sheridan, Wyoming, by way of Tennessee, 30-year Knifemakers’ Guild member John Bartlow uses CPM-154 for his bird and trout and hunting knives. When Bartlow first started making knives, he was also a hunting outfitter.

As a result, he gutted and skinned a lot of animals on a weekly basis. Having many of his guides use his knives, he got a lot of feedback over the years about design and function.

“I started out with 440C stainless steel a million years ago,” Bartlow remembered. “I quit that nearly 20 years ago and jumped to ATS-34 stainless and used it for years and years.”

He said that about a decade ago he started to become frustrated with the quality of the ATS he was getting. There weren’t major structural problems like chipping or breaking, but there were very subtle issues Bartlow observed under 10-to-12-power magnification.

“My customers never noticed it but it bugged me,” he continued. “I was trying to get some finishes in that stuff —and I was buying through normal channels from several suppliers—but when I would go to finish it, once in a while I’d get this little area that looked like it had pits in it, or it kind of had a little ‘road rash’ that I could not get rid of.”

He approached other makers about it at the time and they said they’d seen the same thing. That motivated him to jump ship to CPM-154, he said, which is very much a sister steel to ATS-34 and 154CM.

“They are closely related on the family tree of steel,” he said. In CPM-154, he found a material that allowed for a flawless finish. With the powder metallurgy process and the accompanying uniform distribution of carbides, it eliminated the “road rash” issue.

Custom maker David Sharp uses CPM-154, including on his reproductions of the knives of BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Bob Loveless. Since Sharp began building knives in 2010, he has specialized in fine-finished fixed blades.

“A large percentage of my knives have a very fine finish, polished or over-1200-grit hand satin,” the maker based in Hesperia, California, remarked. “CPM-154 is very fine, so when it’s finished to a high level you don’t see the steel’s grain.”

He added that CPM-154 is not quite as abrasion resistant as other of the relatively newer steels, so obtaining a fine finish is a bit quicker. He said that though steels are an oft-discussed topic online, he very seldom has customers request a steel type or brand, which could be seen as a testament that his choice of CPM-154 is a good one.

“I have not noticed a downside,” Sharp continued. “The upside is the finish and that it is, in my opinion, a balanced steel. For the majority of users it exhibits excellent edge retention, sharpenability and corrosion resistance.”

Learn More About Making Knives

The variety and types of belt grinders available today is tremendous. Without a doubt each individual has his/her favorite machine. Although all are very good, we always wish that we could make them do more, or modify them to better fit how we each do things in our shop(s).

I have used every grinder out there at one time or another, and have chosen the Wilton Square Wheel as my favorite. The most attractive feature for me is the ease and speed of changing attachments.

As it comes from the factory or dealer, there are a few draw backs that can be irritating to a knifemaker. Below are a few modifications I have made to increase versatility and production in my shop.

Specs

The machine is set up to run either 110VAC or 220VAC. As delivered it is set up to run at 110VAC, I highly recommend setting it up to run on 220VAC. There is a world of difference in the power and smoothness of the machine from 110 to 220. (My machine had change over instructions located inside the switch housing.)

Slow Down

If you did not purchase a variable speed machine, get a “slow down” drive pulley. As it comes from the factory, the Wilton Square Wheel has a 10″ drive pulley that runs the machine at 4600 SFPM (surface feet per minute) Before they were offered commercially, I had one made at a local machine shop. Mine is 7″ dia, and slowed the belt speed down to 2950 SFPM.

By slowing the machine down, it may seem at first that your progress is very slow, but your grinds will come out much nicer, and you’ll get a lot more mileage out of your belts.

Flat Platen Attachment

Next we turn to modification of the flat platen attachment. As it come from the factory, and with the way the platen attachment is cast, there is simply not enough room or tracking adjustment to allow one to create plunge cuts on the left side of the platen (as you are facing the machine).

It took me a while to work this one out, but the solution is a simple fix. I created a platen that bolts onto the existing platen. These “add on” platens are nothing more than a piece of 1/4″x 2″x whatever length you want (up to the original 8″) that the belt “rides” over. This will give you plenty of room for plunge cuts. In the photos below you can see how I drilled two holes in the casting, and use two socket head bolts (10-24 thread) to secure the “add on” platen.

The easy way to do this is to remove the contact wheels and use a set of vise grips to drill the holes for threading, and then enlarge the holes in the casting to accept the socket head bolts.

Modify Platen Lengths

For those who were paying close attention to the photos above, the platen may have seemed shorter than it should be. This brings us to one of the best improvements. Remove 2″ at the bottom of the factory platen casting. This gives an area that is ideal for convex grinding.

Platens can be made in different lengths, for various applications. The above photo on the left shows two different platen sizes, the large for flat grinding, and in the right photo, the shorter platen is in place for convex grinding. Below is a close up view of the setup I use for convex grinding. It’s easy to get carried away and use too much pressure, so nice and easy is the key. You can control the amount of convex with a combination of belt tension, and the amount of pressure you apply to your work piece.

Using the Short Platen

I seldom use the 8″ wheel, with the exception of profiling blades. The long flat platen, I use for flattening, and tapering, the shorter platen is used for convex grinding.

If you have made modifications, and are willing to share your ideas, let me know in the comments.

NOTE: Since first writing this article, I have trashed the idea of using Graphite canvas for a platen backing. This material wears too quickly, causing uneven grinds and just general mayhem. I now use “pyro-ceram” or tempered glass on all my platens. The platen MUST be flat, and the glue used to attach the glass able to withstand heat (I use AccraGlass) but it will improve you grinding 10 fold.

Keep Learning About Knife Grinding with This Download

Folder making has advanced so much in the past few years. Now, flipper folders are the hot new ticket.

Following is an overview of the steps in making a modern flipper by hand.

Draw It Up

To begin, draw designs on paper and transfer them to clear plastic. Cut out the designs of the blade and handle from the clear plastic. Overlap the tang of the blade on the handle and insert a needle through both pieces where the pivot pin will be.

From there, fold the blade onto the handle and adjust the design as needed.

Next, trace around the plastic handle on a titanium sheet. I use titanium in a 1/8-inch size for the top part of the handle and .070 inch for the two bottom pieces. Trace the blade and cut it out.

Know the Drill

Making folders is mostly about drilling holes. Drill out one plate of titanium with 1/16-inch holes. Place another plate of titanium underneath the drilled-out plate and clamp the two together. Turn it over and drill through the second plate.

Starting with the pivot hole, place a ½x1/16-inch hardened dowel pin in it so the two plates won’t move. Next, drill the end of the handle and put a pin in it.

Continue drilling, clamping and adding pins where your stand-offs go. Each time you drill a hole, take the plates apart and de-burr. A hand drill with a four-flute counter-sink is handy for de-burring.

This flipper will have an internal stop pin, so don’t drill all the way through the top plate. However, do drill through the bottom plate—the .070-inch one. From here, affix the plates with 1/16-inch dowel pins. Clamp, remove the pivot pin, and drill and ream to 3/16 inch for the pivot pin. De-burr and reassemble. Drill and ream a 1/8-inch stop pin.

CAUTION: Do not go all the way through the top 1/8-inch plate! Countersink the outside plates for the 2-56 screw heads. I use a #20 drill bit for this.

Pivot, Washers & Pins

Now it’s time to countersink the two pivot screws. Different types of spacers and stand-offs can be used on a folder. For this flipper I used ones with shoulders from Knifekits.com. Normally I use custom-made stand-offs from Sheffield Knifemakers Supply. The shouldered step-down stand-offs prevent any unwanted movement in the blade.

I open up the holes for the stand-offs to fit in with a 1/8-inch reamer. Actually, I use a reamer .001 inch larger, so it is .126 inch.

The cool new thing with folders is pivot washers with ball bearings. There are many different types from which to choose. Michael Burch recommended washers from Jantz Supply to me at BLADE Show.

You have to sink the washers down into the scales a bit. I use a 3/8-inch, four-fluted end mill to do this step. First, I index a 3/16-inch end mill into a hole on a plate of steel held in a mill vise. I lock down my table and take out the 3/16-inch end mill and put in the 3/8-inch one using a dial indicator to show how far down I am drilling.

Most tactical folders are going pretty thick with washers .020-to-.040-inch on each side of the blade. I sink the washers down so they and the blade are the same thickness as the stand-offs. You want the space between the blade and washer to be equal to the space between the stand-off s or spacer material. Drill and ream a 3/16-inch pivot hole in the blade. Mill a half-moon slot for the 1/8-inch stop pin.

Many makers put the pin in the handle at about the 7 o’clock position when open. Grind the pivot and stop pins down to the proper length. (Author’s note: Grind the pivot pin so it is not exposed past the top of the countersunk hole of the pivot screw. Grind the stop pin so it floats between the two scales.) Grind the 2-56 screws down so they don’t touch each other when they’re screwed into the stand-offs.

Profile the blade and grind the tang at a 7-degree angle. I use a 7-degree block of Micarta® held up against my disc grinder for a guide.

Lock & Detent

Now it’s time to cut the lock. Place the blade on the bottom liner with the pivot and stop pins in place. Open the blade and scribe a line with an X-acto™ Knife behind the tang onto the liner. Draw a line 3 inches long with a marker down the scale. Clamp in the mill, and, using a slitting saw, cut the 3-inch length. Use a band saw to cut the short face, which will be the lock. Using a cut-off -wheel attachment in a Dremel® Tool, clean up the end of the lock.

On a locking-liner or flipper folder, the lock is made by bending a tab of the titanium liner over so it engages with the end of the tang of the blade. The end of this tab must be coated with carbide. The machine that does this is a little hand-held micro welder and is called a carburizer. Simply run the rod onto the end of the titanium lock and it welds a coating of carbide onto the titanium. This produces a smoother action on the folder.

You can also flame harden the lock by heating it until it turns orange. In order to let the lockbar bend, grind in a .020-inch dent with a ¾-inch wheel at the other end of the lock.

It’s time to drill holes in the lock and blade for the 1/16-inch detent ball. Center punch a hole in the middle of the lock. Drill through with a #54 drill bit.

Close the folder and clamp it closed. Drill through the same hole as the liner into the blade about .060-inch deep. The #54 drill bit is .053 inch. You can also use a .054- or .055-inch drill bit depending on how you want to tune your folder. Grind, heat treat and polish the blade. Press the 1/16-inch ball bearing into the lock. The height left remaining of the ball bearing should equal the thickness of the washer.

Bend the lock over to about the middle of the folder. Now grind the tang at 7 degrees on a disc grinder until the lock starts to grab. You can assemble the folder, hold it up to the light and push the lock away from the knife to see how much more you have to grind the tang. Go slow and grind just a little before checking the lock. Drill and tap the scale for the pocket clip.

Sand & Polish

Finally, sand and polish everything. I also polish the ends of the screws. After assembling the folder, tighten the bottom pivot screw and adjust the tightness of the folder action with the top screw. Use Loctite© glue on all the screws.

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