Knifemaking

Making a “tsuba,” Japanese for “guard,” is one of my favorite steps in sword making. You have a chance to build something as simple or as complicated and artistic as you like.

I first started making the tsuba (pronounced SUE-ba) way too thick and heavy, and learned over the years how to refine all of my sword parts. I hope this overview helps shed some light on the subject and gives you some ideas.

I have made tsuba from damascus, mild steel, high-carbon steel and antique wrought iron. Many traditional tsuba were made from folded Japanese steel called “tamahagane.” I used wrought iron for this demonstration.

Step One: Thin it Out

To begin, cut 3.5 inches of steel from an old wagon wheel. Forge it thinner and wider, and taper the edges thinner all the way around (Photo 1). If you leave the center a little thicker and taper the edges, it looks more balanced and is lighter. Wrought iron is soft and forges out easily and is simple to cut, sand, file and drill. Using the spray from a can of WD-40™, trace around your steel. Cut it out on a band saw and grind the shape round. Sand the tapers even, gradually progressing to finer-grit belts.

Before polishing, I drill the holes (Photo 2). I use a Dremel cut-off wheel to cut out the webbing between the holes. You can also try a jeweler’s saw. I use both.

Employing needle files, make the tang hole big enough to slide up to the “sepa” (washer) on the sword. At this point I polish the tsuba to an 800-grit finish.

Depending on how detailed the engraving is, I draw my design on or transfer the design onto the tsuba (Photo 3). This one I drew the design on with a Sharpie® marker. I printed out some of my favorite design pictures to use as a reference.

Engraving and Etching

Now the fun begins: engraving the lines. I use square gravers from GRS and from engraver Steve Lindsey. The new gravers both work great and Steve’s Carbalt gravers got me back into engraving. The tips of standard high-carbon gravers break too often. The new gravers last a long time and take a real beating. I use a Dremel Tool and a high-speed air hand grinder to texture the background (Photo 4).

If you practice it a lot, gold inlay is easy (Photo 5). First, cut your line with a square graver, then take a small flat chisel and tap it perpendicular along the line to undercut the groove. Raise some burrs along the bottom of the groove, then tap in the 24k-gold wire.

After engraving, I etch the tsuba in acid. This brings out the pattern in the wrought iron and resembles damascus somewhat. It gives an old look and feel to the piece. I mix four parts distilled water to one part muriatic acid or ferric chloride. I neutralize the etched steel with Windex® and then lube with WD-40. To bring out the highlights on the engraving, I use a small Cratex® rubber wheel and polish the surface by hand.

When done, I apply Renaissance Wax to keep the tsuba from rusting.

Keep Learning About Making Swords 

Is There a Perfect Blade Grind?

Who knows when the first argument over the best blade grind started? Most likely it was a conversation between two flintknappers sitting around a cave—and the battle of which grind is the best rages on to this day. The modern tactical and bushcraft movements have brought heated debates on which grind is the best. The grind of a blade is where a key battle is won, and blade geometry varies widely. But is there a so-called best blade grind and, if so, which one is it?

Curved or Flat?

According to Wikipedia, blade geometry refers to the “physical properties of a sword blade: cross-section (or grind) and taper.”

You can forget the “sword” qualifier—blade geometry applies to any blade. The three most common blade grinds in use today are hollow, flat and convex, with other grinds of note are the chisel, asymmetrical, Scandi and compound. There are others.

Before becoming a renowned custom knifemaker, Walter Brend was a meat cutter, the skills of which gave him keen insight into the art of the slice.

“What works for me is the hollow grind,” Brend says. “The hollow-ground blade is not a flat surface, it is concaved, so as you cut an object it immediately starts a separation. The bottom edge should flow from the point to the back of the blade with a recurved blade edge.”

Knifemaker Bob Dozier, well known for making hard-use knives, prefers the hollow grind as well.

“Since I make mostly hunting knives, I prefer the drop-point blade style. Since Bob Loveless popularized the drop point, it’s been the most popular shape for hunting knives for many decades now. Also, for a hunting knife, the hollow grind is the best as it stays thin at the edge much longer.”

However, that’s not to say Dozier is adverse to other grinds.

“The flat grind is the best for the kitchen as it does not wander when making thin slices,” he opines. “A convex grind is great for splitting firewood.”

Award-winning American Bladesmith Society master smith Jim Crowell won the 1st Annual BLADE Show World Championship Cutting Competition in 2003 and was inducted into the ABS Hall of Fame in 2016.

“My opinion for the best blade geometry is a full flat grind with a convex edge,” Crowell begins. “This grind will give the smoothest transition from the full thickness of the spine to the cutting edge—anything else is something less.”

Crowell is also very familiar with the Bill Moran appleseed or convex grind, which is based on the Japanese hamaguri or “clamshell” grind.

“Bill Moran did like full convex blade geometry,” Crowell notes. “He ground on a round wheel and meticulously shaped the whole blade to have a convex cross section. I have cut with several of Bill’s knives and they were very sharp and had great geometry.

“The full convex grind performs in an exemplary manner, but I cannot discern any advantage in performance over a full flat grind with a convex edge. You do not just slap a convex edge on a blade. There are a myriad of variables: how thick was the edge when you started the roll? How high or low did you roll it? A short and abrupt roll may shave but will not cut well at all.”

Degrees of Difficulty

Curious as to the degree of difficulty of applying the various grinds, BLADE® asked Brend, Dozier and Crowell which they thought are the most difficult to execute. They provided varied opinions.

“I think whichever one you do the most is easiest, and the one you do the least is hardest,” Crowell notes. “Once upon a time I used to hollow grind a lot, but then I started to cut a lot and it became apparent to me a flat grind would cut better overall for my use. I gradually phased out hollow grinding and now find it difficult as compared to flat grinding.”

Dozier adds pointedly, “I don’t find any of them hard. I think it depends on how you learn to grind at first. A lot of the makers today learned from someone else and stick with the grind they learned.”

Brend ranked the grinds in order of difficulty.

“Hollow-ground knives, in my opinion, are the hardest to grind,” he begins. “You have to control the blade on a wheel to form a perfect symmetrical line. In my opinion you should keep the point thick, and, at the same time, make your edges sharp and thin.

“Flat ground is next after hollow. In my opinion a true flat-ground blade should be finished by hand because the grinding belt will not allow a true flat surface. Convex is the easiest because you have no set lines or pattern when grinding.”

Order of Importance

Is blade geometry the most important aspect of a blade’s cutting effectiveness, or is the type of steel or proper heat treating most crucial?

“The most important is blade geometry,” Dozier says. “The type of steel and how it is heat treated has nothing to do with how it cuts, only how long it cuts.”

Crowell differs.

“Heat treat, geometry and steel, in that order,” he opines. “If the heat treat is wrong, the rest will be of little consequence. Proper geometry is next in importance. The steel, although important, is not the determining factor. Of course, you need to have a ‘good’ steel, but it is not the steel that makes the difference. Just because you may have the latest, greatest steel does not mean you will have a superior knife. You have to do it all correctly and in the right order.”

Brend ranks the three differently.

“I think the type of steel is the most important. With proper heat treating you can vary from two-to-four points [on the Rockwell hardness scale] and still cut with the knife because of the type of steel,” he says. “Heat treating is second. With most steels you can be within two points and still cut with the blade. All heat treaters are not the same because of the equipment or their method. Geometry would be the last because if you use the proper steel, you should be able to make any blade work well.”

Flunking Geometry

Finally, what makes a bad blade grind?

“What I look for are the grind lines,” Brend explains. “Are the sharp edges of lines rolled? Also, at the back of the blade—where the [grind] line starts—is the steel uneven? I see some hollow grinds where the edges are too thin. If you hit a hard object the blade will chip.”

Opines Dozier: “A poor grind is shown with uneven grind lines, crooked cutting edges or a non-uniform cutting edge.”

“Poor grinding is evidenced by several telltale signs,” Crowell interjects. “Uneven grind/plunge lines as one would look from the bottom of the blade. This is one of the more obvious and common things to look for. Also, the finish on the bottom of the ricasso and choil area is often neglected. You can hold a blade horizontal and look down the flat of the bevel and it should be smooth as glass with no ripples or distortions.”

Jim also notes that on symmetrical patterns such as daggers, look for mirrored-image grinds on both sides of the blade.

One interesting takeaway: The perfect grind may just be determined by how you plan to use your knife—or perhaps you may need two or more knives to cover all the bases.

Keep Learning About Knifemaking

Mokume + Titanium Laminate = MokuTi Damascus

In the northern Mississippi town of Blue Springs, in a rural area between Tupelo and the Tennessee border, a company called Chad Nichols Damascus is forging steel that is taking knives to a new level. The company’s owner and namesake, Chad is an easygoing Southerner who created a damascus product called MokuTi that boasts a stunning combination of shapes and colors.

The name explains it perfectly. It is mokume that includes titanium laminates. MokuTi adds an exceptional visual boost to a knife, with swirled or mosaic tones of blue, gold, orange, silver and pink, depending on the composition of the materials used.

In his affable manner, Chad assured that Chad Nichols Damascus did not invent the colorful titanium laminate; the company just came up with a new way to achieve it—which, he noted, was not an easy task.

“We haven’t invented the wheel or anything,” Nichols said of MokuTi. “I don’t have to be the first one doing anything. I just want to be the last one doing it. We run this like a business, not an ego trip.”

Years in the Making

It would figure that something that looks as good as MokuTi would be difficult to produce. Nichols said it took several years to figure out.

“That’s not blowing it out of proportion,” he laughed. “I messed with it for a while, then I just put it away because I kept failing.”

He remembered getting tunnel vision trying to figure out why it was not working.

“You keep doing it and it’s insane,” he said, “because if it didn’t work the first three times and you didn’t do anything different, it’s not going to work the fourth time.”

Through trial and error he was finally able to figure out how to bond titanium with the other metals, but he is understandably tight-lipped about his proprietary secrets.

“I’m not going to tell you how we do it,” he admitted, “but there’s things we do that might seem minute to some people. However, we found those things to be critical.”

He explained a myriad of variables when bonding the layers in presses and rolling mills, including oxygen, heat and surface texture.

“Without getting into too much detail as far as bonding the layers, I’ll just say it’s tricky and it doesn’t always work,” Nichols allowed. “If I don’t make MokuTi for a month or two, I kind of count on the first two tries being crap.”

The experimental journey to fruition brought Nichols’ shop down some rocky roads.

“We recently made some MokuTi and threw zirconium in there,” he noted. “We love bonding titanium to other metals, but you just can’t do anything with [titanium and zirconium]. They just won’t bond because I guess the ductility is too different and the metals move at different rates during forging. It was a disaster, so we quit trying.”

It is all part of the ride, he said, and you cannot be scared to “just throw something in there” and see what happens.

Meteorology Matters

Another variable that affects producing MokuTi successfully is the atmosphere. While forging carbon damascus is fairly predictable, Nichols said forging MokuTi is much more complex.

“When you get into stainless and even Mokume, with the copper and brass with the nickel silver in it, and especially with the MokuTi, it gets complicated,” he continued. “What people don’t understand about forging, especially down where I live, is that with humidity of 100 percent is going to get hotter than if it’s 50 percent the next day.”

A Sixth Sense for MokuTi Damascus

Nichols searched for the words to explain his approach. Maybe it is a feeling, maybe it is a sixth sense, and maybe it is just exposure and experience.

“I hate saying this but you just get in tune with what’s going on. It’s like using the word ‘organic.’ I hate it when I have to use that word, but sometimes there’s no other word to describe it,” he lamented. “We made a new pattern a couple weeks ago called ‘Boomerang’ and some guy goes, ‘What’s it like?’ and, between groans, I said, ‘It’s very organic looking.’”

Put a Tie on that Knife

“I’ve used MokuTi on a variety of styles,” said Michael Burch, Missouri knifemaker and owner of Burchtree Blades. “It’s like putting a tie on a knife—it just adds some class.”

Adding MokuTi as an accent is a common way to integrate the material into a knife without breaking the bank. Still, it is not cheap. The more of it the maker adds to the knife, the more it adds to the sale price.

“I charge twice as much for MokuTi bolsters as I would titanium bolsters due to the extra finishing time with polishing and heat coloring,” explained knifemaker Peter Carey. “I use MokuTi on all my folders because it’s strong and has an exotic look.”

Carey said he also uses it as an accent material on his knives, such as for bolsters, pocket clips, back spacers, thumb studs and pivot rings. He said accenting with MokuTi injects some color and flash without overwhelming the knife. A good example of employing MokuTi is as a pivot collar on a stonewashed framelock, Burch added.

“It makes for great contrast and can really dress up a user folder,” he observed. “It’s costly but if customers saw what went into making it, it would seem cheap.”

“It appears that everyone likes the material and it usually ends up on my higher-end knives,” Carey said. “Some of my customers ask for it as full scales or for a framelock, so I use it that way also.”

As Carey noted, MokuTi comes from Nichols Damascus as a billet that must be worked to shape and then colored.

“[Chad] usually colors it so you can see the pattern, but that gets ground off when you work it,” Carey said, explaining that it is a surface color that does not go all the way though the material. “When you get it to final shape and finish, you have to heat color or anodize it to the colors you want.”

“The other cool thing about MokuTi is dealing with Chad,” he maintained. “He’s a great guy, a friend, hard working and you can’t beat his customer service.”

Your Turn: Learn How to Forge Damascus

Editor’s note: All images are courtesy of their respective manufacturers.

Today’s sporting cutlery market is flooded with some very good foreign-made knives, and it may seem USA-made models are threatened in terms of quality, but nothing could be further from the truth. The American knife industry is still the leader of the pack.

USA all the Way, Even When It Gets Tough

Emerson Knives, Inc., and president/founder/custom knifemaker Ernest Emerson are unabashedly pro-American made. Emerson founded the company in 1997 on the principle of designing and building the best USA-made production tactical knives anywhere.

Along with his wife Mary, Ernest has consistently grown the company by listening to what consumers want. Emerson knives are 100 percent made in the USA, right down to the screws. Emerson is an ardent supporter of the military, law enforcement and other first responders, another good reason why it’s so important that the company’s knives be made entirely in the USA.

Nonetheless, there are downsides.

“There are very few advantages in building a manufacturing operation in America,” Emerson says, citing state and federal taxes and ever-increasing regulations. It’s actually tough for a business to remain competitive here. However, I believe it’s worth the effort, restrictions and extra burden because I will do anything for America. I know my business is putting Americans to work with American wages who can earn a living in this country.”

He adds that the taxes he and his employees pay go directly to supporting the country and the U.S. military and its infrastructure.

“We have to manage our business smarter, more efficiently and more strategically to ensure a profitable and viable existence,” he stresses.

It’s the same attitude that makes the Commander and CQC7 models the company’s best sellers. The CQC7 is durable and comes in three sizes and two distinct blade shapes. A sexy piece with its ergonomic handle paired with a recurved clip-point blade, the Commander is a formidable cutting tool that comes in five iterations, each varying in size. Maintaining the popularity of these knives down the road is important to Emerson.

â”In order to stay viable,” he notes, “I believe the future lies in the industry’s ability to design and build knives that the consumer really wants.”

Consistency Counts

CJ Buck, president of Buck Knives, says a major advantage to having knives made in the USA is owning the integrity of the manufacturing processes.

“Consistent processes create consistently performing products,” he begins. “It also ensures product quality improvements are held as processes evolve.”

Another advantage is heightened flexibility and responsiveness.

“We can fix a design or quality issue quickly or adjust to spikes in our forecast since the partnerships between our factory and our USA vendors can be aligned immediately,” he explains.

On the other hand, domestic production carries its own set of challenges.

“When importing, if you need to add capacity you simply contract with another factory or, on the other side, cut a factory off,” he explains. Stateside you have to invest in more equipment, people and buildings. Consequently, as Buck laments, “If you are forced to reduce your output, the pain and loss of investment is in laying workers off.”

As for the future of American knife manufacturing, Buck is optimistic.

“The United States continues to lead in innovation,” he states. “Our culture and national character give us a substantial, sustainable advantage in that area.”

“Made in the USA” Means Better Quality Control

Microtech Knives built a solid reputation in the 1990s on designing and making some of the market’s most progressive production tactical folders, and continues to push the envelope. Why manufacture in the USA?

“So we are able to keep flaws to a minimum and catch mistakes early on,” reasons Hank Greenberg, the company’s custom shop manager, adding that if a company offers a solid made-in-the-USA knife with quality materials, then consumers will have no problem paying a fair price for it.

Americans build Microtech’s knives, such as the Ultratech out-the-front (OTF) auto and Socom Delta tactical folder.

Taking Care of Fellow Americans

HTM Knives is based in Forney, Texas. An acronym for Hand Tech Made, HTM was founded by knifemaker Darrel Ralph as a result of an ever-growing demand for his custom models. HTM allowed him to offer his designs to more people at a lower price and accelerated delivery times.

According to Ralph, HTM makes its knives in the USA “to take care of Americans and to take care of the people who take care of us. By having our knives made in the USA, we have total control on quality.”

Ralph says the Gun Hammer and Mad Maxx are HTM’s best-selling knives. Both began as full customs, so it made sense to produce them under the HTM banner. For the Gun Hammer alone, HTM offers several iterations in varying blade shapes, finishes, steels and coats.

“The military likes both knives and guns made in the USA,” Ralph notes. He says his Gun Hammer and 18 X-Ray automatic are among HTM’s best sellers with military customers. The company also offers designs by such makers as Kirby Lambert and Greg Lightfoot.

Ralph indicates there is a 23 percent scrap rate for knives made overseas.

“You have to figure in for that rate,” he says of foreign-made knives. By having their knives made in the USA, he reasoned, the HTM brain trust has total control over the processes, and can rectify any production issues that might arise before they become a problem.

When it comes to the advantages of knives made in America, Ralph says U.S. companies have access to the best steel and high-end materials.

It should come as no surprise then that Ralph says there is a huge upswing in companies manufacturing knives stateside. He specifically cited Buck Knives, who has been returning some models to “made-in-USA” status after previously being off shore produced. He also noted a growing trend of custom makers offering mid-tech/semi-production knives.

“They are growing the American market instead of stealing from it,” he observes. “That’s what we need in the knife industry.”

Celebrate American Craftsmanship with This Essential Book

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