Forging a blade to fit a folding knife.

A friend asked me to make him a Scandi ground blade to fit his folding knife. I decided to make two, starting with a forged blade instead of merely going with a stock-removal blade.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• bushcraft
• knife
• scandi
• folding knife
• blacksmith
• forging
• anvil
• forge
• O-1 steel

[gswiaczny]

I remember when you were just starting in forging knives. Your questions, some problems... Now you look like a pro and your knowledge is also bigger. It's pleasure to watch your videos. Best regards from Poland, Greg

[Makermook]

@gswiaczny Thanks, Greg :) I hope this continues to be a lifelong learning process.  I still have much to learn, but that's the fun of doing this. Well, that and sharing the experience.

[wolf5391]

hey mook btw the blades thickness should be exactly 3/32inch thick. i used 440c with my version and found that 3/32 steel makes the tolerances so tight. no blade play what so ever. the pivot is 3/16inch hole and if you polish the bronze bushings with 2000 grit wet dry or higher grit, it reduces friction in the pivot. hope this helps in your process.

[Makermook]

@wolf5391 It does help, thanks. I guess 3/32 is about right...I had just estimated 1/10 based on how it looked next to the 1/8" stock I had. I forgot to think in standard English fractions.

[jtphantom]

constructive criticism, it would be faster, simpler and more accurate to simply buy carbon steel stock, say 1095, or 01, whichever you want of the size just a shade wider than the original blade then trace it and stock grind it out, that way its already the right shape to fit in the handle and would require only heat treatment and tempering rather than forging, normalizing, annealing, HT and temper.

[Makermook]

@jtphantom Yeah, I plan to make a blade by stock removal too, but I wanted to see if I could forge a blade.  Stock removal is definitely easier, but this is a lot of fun.

[daveasharps]

if you don't mind me asking is this how you make a living?

[sickology187]

how much would that cost me

[sickology187]

how much would that cost me

[sickology187]

how would that cost me 

[dany1441]

Thank you for posting. Awesome to see a craftsman at work.

[bacsac4]

the hotter the work is heated the larger the grain,

by working at a lower temperature the grain

will end up finer

[captjeff78]

wow awesome knife! its an interesting idea, replacing a folding knife blade.... looking forwad to seeing the final knife!