cutting curves or ripping down material. These saws are great for initial wooden handle profiling and for processing handle material.
BELT GRINDERS
To many, the belt grinder is the ultimate tool for the knifemaker. Belt grinders are found in almost every modern knifemaking shop. These machines are most commonly used to shape blades, grind bevels, and contour handle material. These are designed to support many sizes of belts, including 1 × 30 in. (25 mm × 76 cm), 1 × 42 in. (25 mm × 107 cm), 2 × 42 in. (51 mm × 107 cm), and 2 × 72 in. (51 mm × 183 cm). I cover belt grinders in depth on here.
CENTER PUNCH
The center punch (nail punch or nail set) can be used along with a hammer to create a divot to mark the location of a hole to be drilled in a tang prior to drilling pinholes.
A 4–5 lb. (1.8–3.2 kg) sledge flattens steel quickly.
HAMMER
The hammer is an essential striking tool for those planning to forge a blade to shape. Used in combination with an anvil, hot steel can be manipulated at a fairly rapid rate. For a complete overview of hammers used in knifemaking, turn to 60.
DISC SANDER
The disc sander is an awesome tool when it comes to squaring and flattening handle material.
DRILL PRESS
The drill press is the most popular and ideal tool choice for drilling holes. When knife handle material and pins are assembled, it’s very important that the holes are perfectly aligned, and a drill press helps to guarantee that the drill bit is level.
TORCH
The torch is a handy tool to have in a knife shop. It can be used to soften particular areas of a blade, as well as to temper an edge. A torch can even be used as a heat source within a smaller forge (see here).
HACKSAW
Even if you have the nicest power tools on the market, the hacksaw is a great tool to have in the shop. It’s handy when it comes to small tasks such as cutting pin material, and can also be used to cut away waste material from a blade.
TONGS
Tongs allow you to hold hot steel during forging operations. Tongs are a great way to keep a greater distance from the quench tank while hardening a blade—sometimes a fiery task. For more on tongs, see
Parts of a Knife
Fixed-blade knives have no moving parts and are affixed in an open and usable position. Because there are no moving parts, fixed-blade knives are considered stronger and more robust than folding knives. Of course, this depends on how the blade is made. If it has a nice profile, well executed bevels, and a proper heat treat, a fixed-blade knife is almost always stronger than a folding knife.
There are many styles of fixed-blade knives, and the differences between them refer to the shape of the tang and how it has been attached to the handle material. These different types of handle construction have their own strengths and weaknesses. Once you’ve gotten a firm grasp on knifemaking, it won’t be long before you can use any of these techniques to create a strong and reliable handle.
ON THE KNIFE AS SURVIVAL CAMPING TOOL
A lot of survivalists will say that a knife is the ultimate “one tool option.” Meaning they can use the knife to chop, baton firewood, process food, and accomplish any small feathering or cutting tasks. I’ll agree and say that if I could only take one tool, a knife would be that tool. But don’t think that a knife will ever replace a good quality axe or saw. Whenever I’m out wilderness camping, I always prefer to assemble a set of tools rather than try to get by with just one. Having an axe and a saw along with your knife will save your knife from quite a bit of abuse. Extra tools are also an insurance policy for when things go wrong.
This is the knife that I make over the course of the book. Follow along to see the knifemaking process in action.
Welcome to Knifemaking!
I’d like to be the first to welcome you into the knifemaking community. When all is said and done, have fun and be safe. Take a step into your workspace, shut out the surrounding world, and create anything that your mind envisions. Allow yourself to make mistakes, and you’ll learn from yourself everyday. In this craft, hands and minds are more valuable than machines.
My Knifemaking Supplies
Some of my personal favorite knifemaking supplies are as follows:
Steels:
Natural Handle Materials: