Knife Making (Saw Blade)

Making a knife out of a saw blade.

Tools:

-Angle grinder or Dremel or Hacksaw

-Bandsaw or couping saw

-Belt sander

-Hand drill

-Metal file

-Honing stone or sand paper

Material:

-Marker

-Used saw blade

-Epoxy glue

-Wood glue (is using wooden dowels)

-Scrap wood (for handles)

-Dowels (Brass or wood)

-Sand paper (80 to 220grit)

-Finish (equal parts - polyurethane, mineral spirits, linseed oil)

-Clamps

-Cup with water and ice mixture

Safety:

-Safety glasses

-Gloves

NOTE: I got the idea to mark the back of the blade from Archerytalk.com

Using a marker draw out the shape of the blade you wish to make. Cut the blade shape out using an angle grinder with a metal cutting wheel. Check that the blade is not getting to hot during the cutting process, if the blade feels hot dip it in cold water.

CAUTION: Wear safety glasses while cutting, additionally freshly cut metal will have sharp edges, please be sure to wear gloves when handling.

Safety: Safety glasses and gloves

Trace the shape of the blade onto a piece of wood. Cut the wood handles using a band saw or a couping saw.

Clean the blade with mineral spirit before installing the handle. Using two part epoxy glue adhere "one side" of the wooden handle only to the blade and clamp the assembly.

Once the epoxy has set, mark out where you wish to drill holes for the dowels. Drill through the metal and the wooden handle.

Using epoxy glue set the other half of the handle (no holes in it yet) and clamp the assemble until the glue sets.

Once the glue sets, drill through the handle using the existing holes in the other half of the handle.

Insert wooden or brass dowels (in this case 1/4" diameter).

Once the glue sets cut of excess dowel.

Using a metal file sharpen the blade (not too sharp, yet).

Using 80grit sandpaper sand the handle to shape, once the basic shape is formed, use finer grit (150, 220, etc) sandpaper.

Sand the metal with 220grit of finer for a smooth shiny finish (i did not go above 220grit).

Using a belt sander round/flatten the handle until the metal and wood are aligned.

Mixed and applied a mix of equal parts of polyurethane, mineral spirit and linseed oil (3 coats). Once the finish dried and cured. I sharpened the blade using a honing stone.

That is it, the entire process took only about 3hours (this includes the curing of the glue).

Optional:
I used a flat file at an angle to cut a pattern on the back of the blade. The using a permanent marker darkened the depressions to accentuate the pattern.