Making your own knife?

[NikolaTesla]

I'm buying a small Opinel to carry around with me. But I've been so stupid I can make my own knife (or a blunt piece of metal ^^), I have the tools, but what I don't have is a forge to quench and harden the steel, and also I do not have steel. Where can I get some steel? (preferably for free)

Any help/recommendations would be great, thanks.

Where could I get some steel, I have a saw but it's very thin...

 

[Adze]

http://www.greenpete.co.uk/knife-making/

 

[youngbushcrafter]

google where to find steel and there are some great tutorials on youtube for homemade forges

 

[bushwacker bob]

O1 Steel.
http://www.cromwell.co.uk/CTL4133405F

 

[NikolaTesla]

All I have to do is make a forge now, could you use a camp fire and wait until it embers, then blast some air at it?

Also I have some steel here, it is from a chainsaw, where the saw grips onto.

 

[ex-member Raikey]

a barbeque and a hair dryer / air bed pump is as good as anything for heat treating,

just learnt to identify the colours / temperatures and then you can temper in a domestic oven,

Just ask the wife to move the Findus crispy pancakes over a little,...

 

[lannyman8]

old leaf springs make great blades, as do circular saw blades, or any tool steel, old spanners screwdrivers etc etc etc....

just cut or grind to shape finish to around 320 grit then heat treat....

jobs a fish

 

[Zingmo]

No one has mentioned "OF" steel.
Also known as "old file".

Z

Sent from my fondle-slab via tapatalk.

 

[ex-member Raikey]

jobs a fish

you make it sound easy brother,...

 

[Chiseller]

you make it sound easy brother,...

An gets the results to back it.....still in awe at my 'LannySon'

sent using my sausage thumb

 

[Adze]

No one has mentioned "OF" steel.
Also known as "old file".

Z

Sent from my fondle-slab via tapatalk.

It's what Pete Green uses in his tutorial - site linked above in the first reply. Well worth watching if you've not seen it, imho.

 

[spandit]

I wonder if old golf clubs would work?

 

[NikolaTesla]

Can I use a chainguide (don't know the name) from the chainsaw as steel?

I have drawn my knife to scale just need steel.

Thanks!

 

[spandit]

Can I use a chainguide (don't know the name) from the chainsaw as steel?

I have drawn my knife to scale just need steel.

Thanks!

It's called a bar and if its spare, give it a go! They're not usually solid, though so might not be too thick

 

[NikolaTesla]

It's called a bar and if its spare, give it a go! They're not usually solid, though so might not be too thick

So if it's not solid, it is not good enough to use?, I have to cut it into one piece as there is some gap in the steel...it's about 5mm thick, so I guess it's good.

What I understand so far is, grind to shape you want, then temper, then polish, put an edge on it and handle it?

Thanks!

I'm also wondering how I'm going to put an edge on it, I have an angle grinder, bench grinder, files...

This is the type of knife I want, nice and plain.

http://imgur.com/oY8Se Excuse my terrible English...