Bloodworth

Custom Knives

BLOODWORTH CUSTOM KNIVES
ROGER SMITH
 

So you think you want to make a knife…..I think that is a great idea!

Over the years of making knives, I have had many people come to me and say they would like to make a knife, or they bring me what it is that they have or are attempting to do.  In most cases the knife is about less than half done or doesn’t resemble anything close to what the original intent was.  That is because the maker didn’t plan on how he was going to make his first knife or what he was going to be able to use to build the knife.

Here are some things you may want to consider.

DESIGN
Keep the design of your knife simple.  Swooping curves and false edges and with multi-directional guards along with thick blades are complicated and a lot of hard work to finish properly.

SHAPING AND GRINDING YOUR KNIFE
Consider the tools you have or plan to use to build your knife.  If you only have a bench grinder with stone wheels, you are going to have a tuff time grinding a 10” bowie with a ¼” thick blade.  How about a small drop point hunter or utility knife made out of 1/8” steel. I have had a lot of fun making small hunting knives with nothing more than some files and a hack saw.

BLADE STEEL
Old files are NOT the best choice to build a knife out of.  Take the time to get a piece of good steel.  You can order steel that is easy to heat treat and ready to grind from one of many Knife Supply dealers.  If you know or can find a knife maker, ask if you could buy a piece of steel from him.  There is a good chance he may just give you some steel to work with.

 

So, if you want to build your first knife, please think about these things and put some thought into making a plan that will allow you to be successful and make a knife you will be proud of.  If you have questions or are ready to start your class, please call or text 208-866-3162 and we will talk more about “BLUILDING YOUR FIRST KNIFE “.

Thank you,

Roger Smith

Bloodworth Custom Knives