June 5, 201412 yr This is my first completed knife. I have made blanks but never made the handle until now. I used a broken Bellotta Farriers rasp, normalized 3 times, and drew down the existing tang. Then I forged the blade from 6" (original broken rasp portion) to 9" and worked on uniform thickness and a straight blade. I then split a piece of oak and burned in the tang on both scales. I drilled the tang and then hardened the blade to a straw/bronze over my stoves burner. I then made 2 pins out of brass brazing rod 1/2" x 1/8". I made the pins pointed on both sides, placed them in the holes in the tang and used my vice to force the pins into the oak scales. Then I drew an out line of my handle profile on the wood and used my belt sander to get the basic handle. Then I switched to 400 grit and finished up the blade and handle. I then used epoxy on the tang and pins to permanently fix the handle in place. Then I used boiled linseed oil on the handle. I buffed the knife and used bees wax on a small buffing wheel to further finish the handle.
June 6, 201412 yr Not to bad for a first knife. Did you check if it was a heat treatable steel? Some files (I believe the one you use is one of them) are case hardened and will not harden.
June 9, 201412 yr Author I treated it and it works great so far but I am going to try steak tonight so we will see how well it holds its edge.
June 11, 201412 yr Author Cut the meat well and just had to wash it with soap and water. I am going to hang it from my BBQ tool rack good place for it I think.
June 11, 201412 yr Nice! Looks like it may have found a home next to the bottle opener as well! Grilled meat and cold drink....a good thing! :)
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