File to Knife Build-a-long (lots of pics) ****COMPLETED****

[Emmons]

Knife from a File Build-a-long

The following will show how I make a knife from a file.

Tool List:
Drill Press with assorted size drill bits
4” Angle Grind with cutoff wheel, sanding disc, and grinding disc
1” X 30” Belt sander with 6” Disc sander combo
Dremal Tool with assorted bits
Wet sand paper in 150, 240, 320, 400, 500, 600, and 1200 grits
Various Files
Vise Grips
Super Glue
Two part epoxy
Sharpie Marker
1/8” MDF
Safety Glass
Work gloves
Micrometers
Hacksaw
Hammer
Center punch
C-Clamps
Water Stone
Old File

I start will an old file that is large enough for the knife I plan on building.  In this case the knife is 8” long with a 3 ¾” blade, 1 1/8” from spine to the belly.  The file is annealed in my charcoal forge, by heating it to non-magnetic.  Once the non-magnetic temperature is reached the file is then buried in a bucket of hardwood ash.  This allows the steel to cold slowly.

     

I designed this knife with a free CAD program and printed it out.
     

Cut out the print and glue to 1/8” MDF, cut and shape to the print to make a pattern.
     

Using the pattern outline the knife on the file.
     
     

Start cutting out the knife using the 4” Angle grinder and Dremal.
     
     
     

[Emmons]

Using the belt/disc sander grind the knife to the final shape.
 
 

Now I remove the file grooves and start thinning the material with the Angle grinder and a sanding wheel.
 
 

After grinding the file grooves.
 
 

Next I start to flatten the steel using the disc sander.  This also reduces the thickness closer to final thickness I want.
 
 

[Emmons]

Continue working on making both sides flat and parallel by mark the whole knife and remove material with a large flat file.  I try to get about 90% flat before moving to the next steps.
 
 
 

Draw bolster on the knife, mark, and center punch pin locations.  On this knife I will peen two 1/8” brass pins for the bolster and use three ¼” mosaic pins for the handle.
 
 

Drill holes to size and added large diameter lightening holes between them.
 
 

[Emmons]

I then grind away material in the center of the handle area.  I do this by first using the angle grinder and then the small diameter wheel on the belt sander.  This helps to lighten the knife more and gives it a good balance point.
 
 
 

Mark the complete handle area and flatten with a large flat file until there is a flat perimeter where the handle will be.
 
 

At this point I layout and start the file work on the spine.  Here I’m making a simple pattern. I like to do the file work at this point, because there is still enough material to make changes if I screw up the pattern.
 
 
 

[Emmons]

After completed, I color in the file marks and sand the spine with a sanding block.  This shows me how it will look when the knife is completed.
 
 

Layout and rough grind the bevel using the belt sander.
 
 
 

I then finish the bevel on my homemade file jig.  The jig allows me to maintain an angle to get a perfectly flat bevel grind.
 
 

[Emmons]

Finished bevel.
 
 
 
 

Next I use a water stone to make sure both sides of the knife are flat.  This also helps clean up the file marks and reduces the sanding required for a nice finish.
 
 

Now the knife is clamped and block sanded.  First I sand the ricasso and flat, and then sand the bevel.  Starting with 150 grit sanding in both directions until all the stone and file marls are remove, then progress to finer and finer grits sanding in one direction (handle to point) until all mark from the previous grit are removed.  I only sand to 500 grit now as this procedure will be repeated after heat treating the knife.
 
 

[Emmons]

 
 

The knife blade is now finished until after heat treating.

Now we are going to make the bolster.  For this knife we will use brass with a rounded front and angled back.

I start by cutting a round that is 3/8” thick from a piece of large diameter brass stock with a hack saw.  Then split this in half to get both bolster.
 
 
 

Then use the disc sander to grind one side of each bolster flat.
 
 

[Emmons]

Position the bolster on the knife in the position you want, hold in place using vise grips.  Then mark the top and bottom shape.
 
 

After marking the top and bottom remove the extra material to get the bolster close to the final shape.  I use a hack saw and dermal tool here.
 

Now I super glue one bolster to the knife blade in the position that I want.  When the glue is dry I drill the bolster using the holes in the knife as a guide.
 
 
Next glue the other bolster in place.  Line up the front of the bolster as close as possible.  After the glue dries drill the bolster using the previously drill bolster and knife as a guide.
 
 

After the holes are drilled use a punch on the inside of the bolster to knock them off the knife.  Sand off any glue and fit the bolsters together with some pins or drill bits.
 

[Emmons]

With the bolsters pinned together shape and final sand the front.  Also grind the rear of the bolsters flat.  Then relocate on the knife.
 
 

With the bolster pinned on the knife, shape the top and bottom to match the knife.  Here I use the Dremal with a sanding drum.
 

The bolsters are now complete until final finishing and assembly of the knife.  Remove them and pin together.
 
 

More to come!!

[robtattoo]

 

Excellent tutorial James. Looking forward to th rest!

[Danny Rowan]

Rob, how was Africa, have not seen your story????

Great tut.

Danny

[madness522]

Great start.  Thanks for including the finer details and not just skipping thru the highlights!

[Leftieshot]

Great job!  I like the bevel, finishing jig!

[skullworks]

Saaawwwweeeettttt tutorial! Great job and a fantastic looking blade!

[Emmons]

Thanks Guys!!

It will be a day or two until I can post the heat treating, handle, assembly, and finishing parts.  I am be no means a real knife maker, I have only made around 10 knife so far.  All of them from files.  I have added some tools since the first knife and plan on adding more, so the steps I take change a little over time.  Maybe I will keep this one for myself, as I do not have a knife I have made.  I have given them all away so far.

James

[skullworks]

You my friend are indeed a knife maker! Without a doubt!

[Chris Surtees]

       

[JEFF B]

awesome right there!!  

[OconeeDan]

Nice tutorial!

[Emmons]

I like to try a new or more advanced technique on each new knife I make.  After thinking about this knife last night, I decided to try and dovetail the bolsters.  I took the complete bolster and ground down the back edge on the disc sander with the table set at 30 degrees.
 
 
 

Next I rough out the handle.  I am using a piece of Walnut from one of my favorite hunting areas in the US.  First flatten on side on the disc sander.  Then I cut the piece in half and cut the approximate angle of the bolster from spine to belly.
 
 

I then grind the front portion that mates with the bolster.  This is done on the disc sander; the table should not be changed from when you ground the bolster.