Making knives from old handsaws

[Tony]

We have a new article that can help while away your time during the lockdown.
Have a look at Dave Budd's new article on making knives from old handsaws.

 

[demographic]

If you get hold of old style (before induction hardening teeth and when they still had nice wooden handles) saws you can sometimes even use the brass chicago bolts for knife scales.
Although a Disston badge might be a bit big for a knife handle.

 

[Robson Valley]

I bought a 30cm/10" circular saw blade in a junk sale for $2.00. Lots of rust.
I figure to cut maybe 4 Ulu and Umialik from that blade.
This thread inspires me to plan the scraps for some nice little straight blades, too.

 

[Broch]

I've made small carving and leather trimming knives out of 6" circular saw blades in the past. I've got a 10" one in the workshop waiting for 'the day' - it will fit in the furnace to anneal it first

Oh dear, I'm running out of time to do all the projects in this lock-down period - I do hope they extend it for longer (only joking folks).

 

[Dave Budd]

it's amazing what tools are sitting in people's sheds and can be turned into knives/tools with very little work The saw I used in that article did have induction hardened teeth, but not all modern saws do (granted you will need to pay more than a few quid for one new though!). In the past I've cut blades out of old spade/shovels, lawn mower blades, hedging shears, scythes, sheep shearing style shears, builders' trowels, etc. None of those really need reheat treating in a pinch either. If you have access to a forge, then any tool can be reworked!

I've got another 3 articles on a similar vain to this that I need to finish off, which might offer some more uses for the old saws too.

 

[crosslandkelly]

I made this from an old circular saw blade a couple of years ago. The Ulu not the block.

 

[Robson Valley]

Umialik I should think, it has two legs. Ulu have just one leg. The antler handle is a nice touch.

1. Relative to the shape of the saw blade, I sure would like to see the orientation of your pattern.
2. Need to crib your chopping board design. Bias cuts with a table saw to make the shape?

 

[crosslandkelly]

Umialik I should think, it has two legs. Ulu have just one leg. The antler handle is a nice touch.

1. Relative to the shape of the saw blade, I sure would like to see the orientation of your pattern.
2. Need to crib your chopping board design. Bias cuts with a table saw to make the shape?

I clamped a jig on my table saw, set the blade depth, then pushed the block down on the saw, to make a series of slices.

 

[Brizzlebush]

We have a new article that can help while away your time during the lockdown.
Have a look at Dave Budd's new article on making knives from old handsaws.

Completely brilliant.

 

[Robson Valley]

Thank you very much. I bought a rusty 10" saw blade at a junk yard for $2.00.
I have and use a selection of 5 Asian cleavers. But what's another one or two or three, huh?

I bought Ulu from The Ulu Factory for my kids but they think of the knife as an ornament and don't use it.

I've switched to wood carving with the adzes and crooked knives of the Pacific Northwest First Nations.
Thought I should make my own Ulu and/or Umialk to learn how such knives perform in the kitchen.

 

[crosslandkelly]

I've found they are very good for finely chopping herbs and veg, the rolling action in the shaped board is great.

 

[Robbi]

they don't half chop the ends off fingers though

 

[Tony]

I made this from an old circular saw blade a couple of years ago. The Ulu not the block.

View attachment 58220

Nice stuff, I might well have a go at one of those, although I need to finish cleaning the workshop first

I think the beauty of the hand saw knives is the minimal tools needed, , it can be done with snips, hacksaw and file sort of thing...

 

[crosslandkelly]

Nice stuff, I might well have a go at one of those, although I need to finish cleaning the workshop first

I think the beauty of the hand saw knives is the minimal tools needed, , it can be done with snips, hacksaw and file sort of thing...

Here's Mors making it look easy.