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My son decided to take up knife-making, and he just texted me this picture of his VERY FIRST knife-making attempt. I don't know about you guys, but I'm pretty impressed, particularly since he made the thing entirely from scratch. He said he machined the blade and shank from a single piece of steel he bought at Lowes, and he made the micarta blank by layering heavy paper bonded with resin and then shaping it.

I asked him about the quality of the steel, and he said it is nothing special. It's just a piece of blank steel that Lowes sells for fairly cheap.....and that this one was just for practice.

Not bad for a first try at all. He will only get better with trial and error but it looks like he is off to a good start. We need a custom knifemaker on here to compliment the holster makers. Pretty soon this will be a one stop shop forum for everything we need.

tam i used to get leaf springs at work from time to time. a guy that was a knife maker would buy them. bad / broken / bent leafs have only scrap value so cheep high quality steel should be no issue.

He did a really nice job. I like the shape of the blade.

Pretty good! It's not easy, I read years ago about using old files to make blades, I did make a couple, but mine weren't very pretty. I will have to say I managed to get them hardened though.

Here is his second effort. Same low grade steel in the blade. This one was also just for practice, but he has refined his technique, and the handle is better done.

Tam,

I used to work with a guy that made knives... he said files were great blade steel... just have to de-temper them before getting started. I was led to believe that buying good blade steel was costly and the files were a less expensive way to get good steel.

edited to add that your son did great for a beginner... I'm thinking we'll see a wicked custom knife for your birthday or Christmas next year!!

Here's my son's third effort, and also he is starting to make micarta 1911 grips:

sweet looking grip on that one.

Very nice TAM, your son is gifted!

And I don't mean that in the "he-wears-a-helmet-for-his-protection-gifted"...

PUCKER wrote:Very nice TAM, your son is gifted!

And I don't mean that in the "he-wears-a-helmet-for-his-protection-gifted"...

You mean, "rides the short bus?"

Your son has talent.

A now deceased friend tutored me in knife making (he was a retired metallurgist) and it would be fair to say without his guidance and home shop/tools, I won't be making another.

The metal he routinely chose was 440 Vanadium steel and micarta (most of the time) for handle material.

I never counted the hours of work to make a knife, but I'd estimate 20/25.

Knife making is hard work.

Your son has my respect for his skillful work.

Great work!

FWIW, there's definintely a market for high-end, custom Bowie knives. The serialized ones from known makers can go for thousands. (If only we could carry them!)

Also, puukko knives, kukri knives, corvos knives, and other culturally identifiable blades seem to have strong collector's markets in the U.S.

I wish one my hobbies had the potential to earn money. . .

Yes, and there's a high end market for hand made, multiple blade, folding knives.

My friend could make them, but then some talented people could probably make a V-8 engine out of old Campbell soup cans...

not bad TAM, not bad. he's getting pretty good, I like the handle.