A Christmas Project
 

Hi Everybody,

My name is Joey and I'm new here to the forums, and knives and swords alike. A friend of mine is coming back home from university for Christmas vacation, and we've been thinking of getting together to work on a small project. We thought trying to take on making a set of daggers would be a great one. The only problem is, we've both never really made knives in our lives.

I think this is a great idea, and would like to make a serious go at it. We were thinking of starting small, with readily accessible materials like steel and just cold working our daggers.

My question is this, could any of the members of this forum suggest a strategy for approaching this project? Any tips on how to go about fashioning a blade, via links, books, personal experience, etc, would be greatly appreciated.

I thank who ever replies to this in advance, and apologize if I have posted on the wrong section of this forum.

Regards,

Joey Pettipas

[editted for spelling]

I'd advise checking out The Complete Bladesmith : Forging Your Way To Perfection, Jim Hrisoulas. It's available on Amazon.com.

Welcome to the forum. :)

Thanks :) I'm going to check Chapters.ca first, because they're the closest major book store in my area. I'd like to get the book before my friend gets back home, so I can be in the midst of reading it before hand. If that doesn't pan out I'll try our public libraries, then hit up amazon for an order.

I suppose we could always make our first attempt unguided, but I'm sure that'll be pandemonea.

Perhaps Sword Forum International would be another good place for you to gather information on bladesmithing.

Thank you TVV, I've just started looking at the site you posted. It's great =)

Some good tutorials here

http://hossom.com/tutorial/jonesy/

http://www.knifenetwork.com/workshop/index.shtml

http://www.knifeforums.com/ubbthread...at=&Board=UBB2




Good luck!

Steve

Awesome links Steve. I did a lot of reading on the site that TVV had mentioned and have just started browsing over the sites you've posted. The Absolute Cheapskate site seems like an extremely easy first approach, and the Knife Network site looks to be promising.

I was thinking of making a double-edged dagger on the first go, but maybe that's a little difficult for a first attempt. I guess I wasn't even really sure on the exact style or design to begin with anyway.

Never the less, I am getting closer to an attack plan now thanks to the help you're all providing me with.

I'll have to post pictures of the monstrosity I make here as soon as it's all together.

Joey,

Here are some links you might find usefull. It was usefull for me.

Good luck and let us know the end result.

BCB


http://www.knifelinksportal.com/

http://www.engnath.com/public/intable.htm

http://www.brisa.fi/

http://www.gatherwood.nl/

I'd also suggest that Atlanta cutlery has some interesting kit knives and blades for sale (note: I'm not affiliated with them, except as an occasional customer).

www.atlantacutlery.com

They have dagger blades (some that are really cheap) and an Arkansas toothpick kit.

Or you can do as I did as a teenager: I cut down a machete blade with a bolt cutter and mounted it as a sword. I certainly learned a lot about how NOT to mount a blade (the blade is now of constant width, as in a ninjato or some dhas). Recently, I found the blade again and rehilted it as a dha, and I learned about handle shock in those long-handled blades (fun stuff! I wish I had the money for a real dha!). If you like that idea, you could go to www.coldsteel.com, buy one of their two-edged machetes, and try rehilting it as a proper seme. Or not.

Have fun! I did stuff like that in high school and college, and it's a lot of fun and a real learning experience.

Hey guys, here's my _extremely_ crude first attempt. I spent some time grinding away at this thing this morning, I still have a ways to go yet. She's about 10 inches long.

I'm not quite ready to quench what I'm calling a knife here yet (lots of grinding and sanding to do yet), but when I do, what type of oil do I use and are there any alternatives?

Thanks for any input!

=)

That looks like a good start, Joey!