How to Fashion a Knife out of Scrap Items
You don’t need to forge, hammer or otherwise make a knife from scratch as long as you have some basic material. The following project is a simple and effective way to make a real knife that is stable, durable and very easy to put together. It only takes a few minutes and you can customize it to make all sorts of variations once you get the basic process down.
Suggested Items
A small metal plate for the blade
Scrap wood for the handle
Drill
Drill bit for the screws
Counter sink bit
Saw
Shears
File or cutting stone for sharpening the blade
The first step is to determine the size of the blade and handle. You can either use two pieces of wood that are cut in the same pattern for the handle, or you can cut out a deep grove in the center of a single block of wood to make a space to insert the butt of the blade metal as well. The blade will rest between a third and a quarter of the way down from the top of the handle while the rest will stick out. A third of the way should produce a more stable finished product that can withstand more pressure while cutting. Feel free to design the handle to a style of your liking. However, it’s important that you cut the metal down to the same width, or a hair narrower than the handle. This will allow the edges to recess into the handle and prevent it from irritating or damaging the skin while you use the knife.
Cut the metal accordingly. Try to make the bottom piece of the metal as rectangular as possible so that it will be easily secured to the handle. Make a general cut for the blade end that produces the size and style of the cutting edge that you want to have. Don’t worry about sharpening and honing the blade at this time. Once the metal and wood have been cut and shaped, you can start the build.
Preparing the Handle
There are a lot of differing opinions out there as to whether or not it is good to use a single or two piece handle. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Two piece handles are easier to put together as long as you duplicate the same design for both sides. Cutting out a slot in a block of wood for the handle can produce a finished product that is more durable, but you run the risk of cracking the wood or making the slot too big that can contribute to instability once the blade is installed. Consider both options and choose the one that works best for you.
In both cases, you will need to seat the blade into the proper position of the handle and mark the spots where the holes will be made to hold the screws. One option is to drill out the holes in the metal with the counter sink bit first and use them to trace out the spots on the handles. Another option is to drill the holes in the handles and then trace out the location on the blade. The trick is to seat the blade first so you know the position of the holes before you start fabricating them. You also want to position the holes at an angle so that they are offset for maximum stability.
All you need to do now is drill out starter holes in the wood and then attach the screws. You want the screws to make the holes through the wood in order to provide the tightest possible fit. You also want to screw in the head deep enough so it is either flush with the handle or recessed into the wood. Once the screws have been fully inserted, cut them off on the opposite site so that the stubs are recessed into the wood. Sand down the stubs to remove any shards of metal and test the stability of the knife. You may need to add another hole or two to secure the blade in place. Once you’ve finished, you can sharpen and hone the blade.
While this is far from perfect, and you have plenty of room for improvisation in order to make this knife better, this project gives you a general idea of how to get the job done. Try it for yourself and see how easy it is to fashion a basic knife out of these common materials. You never know when you may need to make one in order to have a cutting tool at your disposal.
