Simple homemade woodcarving knife

[David LaFerney]

If you would like to give woodcarving a try, but don't want to spend a lot of money an old kitchen knife can be easily repurposed into a pretty good carving tool. This one is made from a stainless steel steak knife which can be bought in secondhand stores for less than a dollar.

I used a hack saw to cut the blade down and then ground it to shape and sharpened it - being careful not to overheat it and ruin the temper. I have made several of these in different shapes - some clearly marked made in China - and they all take and hold a fine edge. Who would have guessed? Even so, when you are at the salvage store try to get knives that are solidly made and decent quality.

A tool shaped like the picture and another with a somewhat pointier shape will get you well into carving wood spirits and the like for little if any cash outlay.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Neat idea, I like that.

 

[weekender]

What a great idea


Sent from somewhere?

 

[twyforge]

In all honesty, if you could cut it with a hacksaw, there probably was no temper to worry about ruining.

 

[David LaFerney]

Not necessarily true. A - I didn't say it was easy to cut. B - The metal is thin and the required cuts are short. C - I only buy good quality hack saw blades. D - No one said it's supersteel - but it IS a knife to begin with, thus knife steel of some kind, and it's a fair bet that it won't be improved by overheating.

Seriously, this makes a very servicable tool. No claim that it's anything like the greatest.