I tried my hand at crafting a knife. I cut it out of the 2 man crosscut saw I had been cutting trade points from. It went better than I thought it would.

The saw

 

The knife - the scratches in the blade are from the file work I did to put the bevels in. I kinda like them. The spots are the pitting from rust. I was going for a "Traditional" Rustic looking knife.

 

 

 

Very nice, I like it! What did you use to cut out the blade shape?

I used a cut off wheel, on an air powered die grinder. I also bought some of these wheels for my dremel, they are the matted looking wheels and not the stone. I have yet to try it with the dremel.

While cutting it out, I held it by hand that way if it got to hot to hold I stopped to let it cool.

I'm thinking of doing it again. This time I'll take pics for a build-along.

That is excellent! I like the way you have the grain in the Osage kinda following the blade shape. Very nice attention to detail!!

What do ya want for it, I need to be carrying that rascal, I love the shape of the blade!!!!!!
 

Good job, Dustin.  That turned out really nice!

Guy

Great Job! Im getting ready to tackle my first knife too. What did you use for a polishing compound? I love the pits from the rust. Did you add blueing to the pits to have them stand out? I love that rustic look also.

Casey

Zmonster,
  There has been no compound on it, 600 grit sand paper. No Blue either, the pits just stand on their own.

Maddog,
 This being my first, I don't think I can part with it. Plus a few people have held it and said the handle just needed to be a bit longer for them.

This whole thing started as a competition at work. The rules where set.

1.    Everyone must use the same steel, from the same stock.
2.   Everyone must select their pattern, before construction begins.
3.   All work must be done at prescribe location and times.
4.   Construction must be completed NLT Christmas vacation.
5.   Knife can not exceed 10" total length.
6.   The use of local tools is required, no outside tools.
7.   Handle material must be organic in origin. NO plastic.
8.   Helping others is permitted ONLY in the use of dangerous tools I.E.  Torches.
9.   No monies can be spent on construction, robbing, steeling, pillaging is permitted.
10.   The finish on the handle may be something from home, but must be offered to other participants.
11.   You may keep your design secret, but all must acknowledge their pattern has been picked NLT 14 OCT 2007.
12.   At no point can a person use a new piece of stock.
13.   No outside help can be used; all work must be YOUR own.
14.   Rules are subject to change, with a vote.
15.   You will be disqualified for breaking a rule, and will not be subject to the grand prize of "Bragging Rights".

Work began..I used the die grinder for cut out, the went to a single cut bastard file for shapeing and adding bevels. Sand paper was limited to 80 - 600 grit.

So all a person needs is a way to do the cut out, it can be done with handle tools but would take some time. Then a file and sandpaper it all a person needs from there.

Everyone pretty much blew the dead line out of the water. There is one guy not done but real close. I'll get pics of them all when done.

Mines total length is 8 5/16"
3 3/4" cutting edge
3 1/2" grip area, measure along bottom of grip.

The change I have made for the next one is extending the grip area to 4" and that takes the over all length to 9".

Very nice knife. You done a great job.<><