We make a hunting knife with our own hands: a step-by-step master class. Homemade knives

This is how I make my knives. Yes, this lesson is no different from the rest. Am I worried about this? No. And it looks like you too. After all, you are reading it.
I've only posted a few posts, but that doesn't mean I haven't done a lot of things.
Knife design
As the name suggests, this is a hunting knife. I could have come up with the design myself, but I decided to print the template from the Internet.
Transferring the outlines to steel

This stage comes after you got suitable material... I used grade 85 carbon steel. It has excellent properties and is easy to heat treat.
We outline the contour of the knife with a permanent marker. It can be sweaty, but you can do it. You were taught this even in kindergarten.
Cut out the workpiece

It's time to make the piece of metal look like a knife, but not a hunting knife yet. For this job I use an angle grinder with a cut-off wheel. So far, perfect accuracy is not important, it is always easier to achieve it with a grinder. Therefore, leave difficult places for him.
Working on a grinding machine and grinding the contour of the blade

Now the workpiece can be shaped like a real knife. Bring everything to perfection. Make the knife look better than you might imagine.
Or not. I'm not too worried about this.
More to the point: let its shape repeat the line that you have drawn with a marker.
Then you need to line up the edges. I made the blade look like a Scandinavian one. I did not take photographs, but for this procedure you just need to hold the blade at the right angle and grind it.
We drill holes for rivets

This is my least favorite part of the knife making process. For some reason, drilling holes in metal scares me. Perhaps because everything ends up with broken drills.
However, drill a few holes in the shank, depending on the location you want. I also cut a hole for the lanyard, but you can stick with the design you choose.
For the handle, I used 5mm silver nickel rivets. You can also use bronze rods, which are sold at major hardware stores.
Heat treatment

Heat treatment is my favorite part. What it is? I will tell. The piece of steel you are working on is very soft. So it is easier to cut, grind and give it the desired shape. The downside is that metal is too soft to be a knife. Therefore, it needs to be made more solid. The best way would be to heat the metal to red in a furnace, and then dip it in oil. The oil cools it down very quickly. The only drawback is that the metal becomes very fragile, like glass, and can break, for example, if you drop it. Therefore, it must be kept in the oven for several hours at a temperature of 200 ° C. The metal, moderately heated in this way, becomes a little softer until it becomes ideal for the knife blade.
And so I did. I warmed it up to 800 ° C and then dipped it in vegetable oil(the process caused a spectacular burning), and then put the knife in the oven.
When in doubt, there is an easy way to make sure the knife is warmed up to the correct temperature.
If in doubt about the temperature, you can easily check it with a magnet. If the metal stops magnetising, then the blade has heated up to 750 ° C. Let it sit in the furnace for a few more seconds and then refrigerate.
Handle pads

First you need to find suitable tree... I used black walnut because it looks good and I had it close at hand. But you can use any kind of hardwood, as long as it is well dried. Why dry? Because wet will deform and dry out over time, and completely ruin your knife.
So, cut off the overlays a little larger than the shank of the knife.
We drill holes in the linings

I have not yet found a way to do this properly because it is difficult to securely attach the pads in relation to the shank. Every time something goes wrong with me. In general, try and be wrong.
Punch holes in them somehow so that they line up with the holes in the shank.
Epoxy bonding

This is one of the stages that annoys me. I do not know why.
You will need a two-component epoxy (adhesive), preferably one with a long drying time. I find it difficult to work with resin that hardens in five minutes, it adds stress. I used JB Weld, but any two part glue should work. Sorry no more photos with the gluing process, but I was in a hurry and completely forgot about it. It's pretty simple. Mix the ingredients together on something like a piece of cardboard. Then, using an ice cream stick or something similar, apply glue to the pads, shank, rivets. Next, clamp the handles with a clamp, make sure that no glue gets on the blade and wait for the time indicated in the instructions. In my case, it is 24 hours.
Shaping the handle

Our pads and rivets are now firmly glued. Now is the time to shape the handle. I started with a radial flap angle grinder. He shoots the material pretty quickly, so you need to be more careful, but at this stage the circle is doing great. Basically, you need to work on the pads as long as the glue is visible on the handle.
Rounding the handle and fine sanding

I was not fond of photographing this process, but everything is pretty clear with it. Using the flap disc angle grinder, carefully round the overlays. Then we move on to the tape grinding machine for finer work. If the shape suits you, you can continue to sand by hand using fine-grain sandpaper, do it until you get bored.
Handle polishing
It is a pity that there are no photos of this stage, but there is nothing to show here either.
Apply a wood finish of your choice. I used beeswax with melted linseed oil.
Here comes the knife!

Congratulations, you just made a knife. Now a few cool pictures and you can use it.
This knife is cool, stays sharp for a long time and is easy to sharpen. In terms of its functionality, it is no different from the purchased one.
As you can see in the last photo, I made a Kydex scabbard for it.
Just in case, sorry for the quality of the images, the lighting in my workshop is not very good.
Thank you for your attention!
Original article in English

The advantages of homemade knives

Among the merits homemade products the following can be distinguished:

1. Free choice of knife type.

2. The use of materials at hand, which makes the cost of the finished item lower.

3. Possibility of self-design of the knife handle.

4. Satisfying creativity.

In principle, homemade knives, if you followed the manufacturing technique, are practically not inferior in quality to industrial products. Naturally, all stages of home production must be strictly followed. Also, keep in mind that in a factory, instead of people, almost all actions are performed by machines. At self-production you have to do a lot of work with your hands.

Varieties of products

Before making homemade knives, you need to decide what you need them for. So, we can distinguish the following types of products:

hunting;
combat;
household.

A feature of such products is that the first and second types require a permit, if, of course, you buy them in a store. Also, homemade knives differ in the shape and length of the blade, in the material used for the manufacture. The manufacturing process is the same for everyone. Sometimes there are only some nuances.

How to choose the required materials?

Homemade knives are not very difficult to build. However, this is painstaking work that requires a lot of patience and time. Before starting work, you need to be sure to select those materials that will be useful to you in the process. So, you should prepare:

1. Steel, the thickness of which reaches 2 mm or more. A file or wire rope can be used instead.

2. Wood or other material from which the handle can be made.

3. Varnish (if wood was chosen anyway).

4. Rivets for fixing the handle.

5. Fine abrasive paper.

Need in additional material of course it can arise. It all depends on what type of product you want to make.

The cable knife is very interesting. For example, you have the opportunity to get a very original handle from a shank. However, the most difficult stage is considered to be the welding of the scattered wires, of which the cable actually consists. Moreover, this process for a beginner without experience will be very difficult. You cannot make such a product the first time.

Forge welding is more preferable. That is, the cable needs to be heated, sprinkled with brown, re-heated, and then start hitting the material with a heavy hammer. The procedure is physically difficult.

What tool do you need?

Now let's talk in more detail about what exactly you will be working with. In order to make homemade knives, you will need the following tool:

Vise. Thanks to them, you can fix the workpiece for further polishing and sharpening.
Metal scissors or jigsaw with matching blade.
Hammer (if you will be using a wire rope or file).
Gas torch or other equipment for metal hardening.
Drill and drill of the appropriate size. This is necessary to secure the handle with a rivet.
Grinding machine with different attachments. Naturally, you can use sandpaper, but it will not be as effective, and the work will be laborious.

You will also need sketches of knives that you can draw yourself. In this case, pay special attention to all the parameters if you are going to build a military weapon. In addition, now you can find a ready-made drawing that will meet your requirements.

Step-by-step manufacturing instructions

Before making a knife, you need to thoroughly prepare. If the drawing and everything necessary materials with the tools, you can start working. And you can do everything in an apartment or in a garage. Please note, however, that the work is noisy and dusty.

Naturally, the metal should be hardened before work. So, the manufacturing process itself consists of the following stages:

1. Cutting out the workpiece. Its length is 20-25 cm, and its width is 2-3 mm. You need a vise to work. First, a rectangle of the specified dimensions is cut on the steel. Next, the outline of the future knife is drawn on it.

2. Processing the workpiece on a grinding machine. Moreover, it is necessary to work with the edges. As a result of the procedure, you should get the division of the future knife into two parts: the handle and the blade.

3. Roughing on a plane. Naturally, first you should choose the type of sharpening. It can be bladed (used in the manufacture of hunting knives) and razor (for the production of household products).

4. You have already figured out how to make a knife, its blank. Now let's start making the handle. For work, you can use wood, plexiglass or other material that can be easily processed. First, it should be marked and cut out. Next, a hole is made for the rivet. The handle can now be grinded to shape it properly.

5. The product should be sanded with sandpaper. Naturally, polishing is also required.

6. Sharpening and grinding the blade. This action is performed using a machine and sandpaper.

7. The final stage is product polishing. For this, felt and a special paste are taken.

In this way, combat knives and ordinary household items are produced.

Features of making a product from a file

Now it is necessary to consider the production process using other materials. For example, you will learn how to make a knife from a file. In principle, this process practically does not differ from the instructions already given here. However, it has its own characteristics.

First of all, know that a file knife will turn out to be quite durable and of high quality if done correctly. For example, it is imperative to harden the workpiece so that it does not break or crumble.

It is very important not to forget to do the metal tempering. This relieves stress in the workpiece that could damage it. In order for the future knife to be smooth and beautiful, an etching procedure is also needed. The preliminary sharpening of the product can be done using a machine. But finishing should be done with ordinary emery.

How to harden a workpiece correctly?

From what to make a knife, you already know. Now you should consider the sequence of the hardening procedure. So, first you need to thoroughly warm up the workpiece at a temperature of 600-700 degrees. The hardening time is 4-6 hours. You can heat the product in the oven, in the stove, or even on gas stove... but last option requires the construction of a special structure above the burner, with the help of which the temperature will be maintained.

The future knife should cool down together with the oven. From time to time during hardening, you can sprinkle the product with salt. After cooling down, it is necessary to do the metal tempering. This procedure is very simple. You need to place the workpiece in an oven heated to 200 degrees and leave there for an hour and a half. The knife should also cool there. After that, the hardening process will be completed.

As you can see, making a knife at home is not so difficult.

Etching features

To carry out the procedure, you will need:

Blank knife.
The container into which the liquid will be poured. In this case, the workpiece must be placed in this vessel.
Plain table salt.
Nail polish (color does not matter at all).
A means by which women remove manicure from their nails. It will be required in order to subsequently process the knife.
Mobile phone charger.

Basically, all of this can be found at home. So the procedure will not be difficult and lengthy. Please note that the process itself is quite turbulent. Therefore, choose a deep container.

It should be noted that this procedure necessarily carried out if you want to get a beautiful pattern on the knife.

Features of sharpening the finished product

This process is very important and requires some skill. Otherwise, you can simply ruin the workpiece or contribute to its breakage, the appearance of irregularities on the blade. Rough grinding should be done with a machine. This will save you time. However, don't overdo it.

Finishing must be done with care. It is best to use a regular whetstone for this and carry out the entire procedure manually. After sharpening, the blade is polished with a special paste and felt.

What to make a knife from, we have considered. But the procedure has a number of nuances that should be taken into account. The tips below will help you make a quality product that will actually be used.

1. If there are slight irregularities or burrs on the workpiece, process it with a file.

2. To avoid injury while installing the handle, wrap the blade with electrical tape.

3. When choosing a material, try to pay attention to its evenness and the presence of microcracks. This can greatly affect the quality of the future product.

4. Blade descents must be pulled out very carefully.

5. If you decide to choose a tree for the handle, then you can use a regular parquet board.

6. Manufacturing work of this product is quite noisy. Therefore, it is advisable to conduct it in the garage, and not in the apartment. Also, be sure to wear work clothes.

Now you know how to make a good knife at home. Good luck!

Hunting knives are an indispensable attribute of a real hunter. Although some believe that this weapon serves only to finish off the beast, good hunting knives are capable of solving many problems that a hunter faces.

The best hunting knives can be used for the following operations:

Finishing off the beast;
Skinning;
Butchering of an animal caught on a hunt;
Helps to equip the camp;
It can be used for cooking and cutting food.

Some hunters have several good knives of excellent quality, each of which is used for its own purposes:

Carving knives are used only for cutting prey and skinning (although some hunters also use a special skinning knife);
The "camp" knife is used only for setting up the camp. As a rule, this is a massive leucco knife or cleaver;
Food knives. These can be both ordinary kitchen knives and Finnish type utility knives.

Many hunters use a folding hunting knife for cutting products, which does not take up much space in a backpack, and in extreme cases can be used as a backup knife.

The history of the appearance of the first hunting knives

The first knives appeared at the dawn of human development and were stones with a sharp edge, which helped to cut the prey. Soon, flint knives appeared, which were attached to the handle, due to which a comfortable holding of the knife in the hand was ensured. Even then, the knife was a personal weapon, and each person tried to have his own knife. Among primitive hunters, stone knives were distinguished by their large size and mass. In addition, they were much more reliable than conventional knives, which were used for cutting prey, since a knife was often required to perform protective functions on a hunt.

It was at that time that knives were conditionally divided into 3 groups:

Household knives, most commonly used by women;
Combat knives, the main task of which was to serve as an additional weapon for a warrior;
Hunter knives.

After the discovery of metal processing technologies, the differences between knives of these types became more and more obvious, combat and hunting knives began to be decorated with carvings and precious stones. The knife served as an indicator of the owner's status. The dimensions of a hunting knife often exceeded even the dimensions of combat knives, since the length of the blade must be appropriate to kill a large animal.

Richly decorated hunting knives, along with military weapons, served as an excellent gift for leaders and various rulers. The handles of such hunting knives were often inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Even in our time, damask knives or hunting knives made of Damascus steel will be an excellent gift for any man. Handmade knives are considered the most valuable.

Fixed blade hunting knives

Fixed blade knives are most popular with hunters. This design is traditional for a hunting knife, and this knife is ready for use as soon as it is removed from its scabbard. In order to understand why it is better for a hunter to have a knife with a fixed blade, you need to consider the advantages of knives of this design:

The knife does not need to be opened before use, which means it is immediately ready to work;
When working, do not be afraid that the blade will fold over your fingers;
The blade of a hunting knife with a fixed blade can be much longer than that of a folding one, so it is more suitable for protection against a sudden attack of the beast;
It is rare to find high-quality steel on the blades on folding knives, as this significantly increases the cost of the knife.

A knife with a fixed blade has only one drawback, it takes up too much space and is practically not suitable for hidden carrying.

Knives with a fixed blade are of 3 main types, which differ from each other in the options for attaching the blades of hunting knives to the handles:

The most popular is rider mounting, when the blade shank enters the handle by 2/3 of its length. When buying such a knife, it makes sense to ask for a drawing that will schematically show the depth of the shank in the handle. You can, of course, try to check it with a magnet, but this is not a reliable way. Such a shank may not withstand the load, and the knife will break at the most inopportune moment;
Blade through is when the shank goes through the entire handle. In this case, the knife is quite difficult to break, although it is possible;
The most reliable option is an all-metal hunting knife, which has lining on both sides of the handle. Such knives are rarely found among hunters, since their appearance rather inconspicuous.

Most of the historical hunting knives were mounted on a rider mount. This is not due to the fact that I liked it that way, but because the metal was quite expensive, and they tried not to waste it in vain.

Folding hunting knives

Folding hunting knives do not formally belong to the category of "hunting". However, some well-known knife companies make folding knives for hunters. Many hunters of the older generation remember the USSR folding knife "Belka", which was intended for hunters, and knives with an extractor produced by the PC "Moscow Society of Hunters". Since these knives were not particularly suitable for hunting, in those days they preferred to use numbered hunting knives, which were sold in special stores, or various homemade knives.

Of the modern folding knives that claim to be "hunting" knives, one can note fairly high-quality multifunctional products from the firms "Wenger" and "Victorinox". These knives will be an excellent addition to the main hunting knife, the main thing is to choose the "right" model.

"National" hunting knives

National hunting knives are very popular among modern hunters. Naturally, these are not all models, but only a few that have proven their effectiveness in different climatic conditions... Finnish, Yakut and Scandinavian knives are the most popular among Russian hunters:

Finnish knives "puukko" have gained immense popularity not only in the CIS, but all over the world. These knives outwardly do not look like formidable hunting knives, however, their effectiveness has been proven for centuries. This knife is suitable both for cutting production and for various household tasks. Differs in a barrel-type handle and the presence of a shackle in front of the blade. The effectiveness of "puukko" as a weapon was repeatedly proved by the Finns during the Soviet-Finnish war. If you use "puukko" to protect yourself from the beast, you must definitely rest the end of the handle in your palm, otherwise you can seriously cut your hand. A knife of this type is not recommended for novice hunters who do not know how to handle knives;
Finnish leuku knives can be used to set up a camp. Knives of this type are more like cleavers. They represent a practically unchanged form of an ancient combat knife. Perfect for felling poles and brushwood, will help clear the way in the taiga. In case of danger, it will become a formidable weapon;
Yakut knives are the most ancient type of knives. Their shape is reminiscent of Stone Age knives, which were made from half a large bone. The special shape of the blade is perfect for slicing frozen meat and woodwork, it does not allow you to get stuck in the material. Can be performed for right-handers and left-handers;
Hunting knives of the Scandinavian type have also gained immense popularity around the world. Their main feature- these are special "Scandinavian" descents, where the cutting edge of the knife is formed directly by the descents, without supplies. Allows more efficient work on wood and frozen meat than traditional knives.

Hunting knife steel and handle materials

If you don't even want to make a DIY hunting knife, knowing the knife steels and materials used for the knife handles will help you with your hunting knife purchase. The list of the most popular knife steels is as follows:

The cheapest stainless steel used for hunting knives is 45x13. Kitchen knives are often made from it, as it is easy to sharpen and does not rust. Factory hunting knives from this steel are made extremely rarely, but homemade hunting knives are often found. This steel is easy to process, but also easy to blunt. It is not recommended to buy hunting knives made of this steel;
The next stainless steel that is often used in the manufacture of inexpensive hunting knives is 65x13. It is suitable for a tourist, but for a real hunter who often butts up large prey, it is poorly suited. Since it quickly loses its sharpening;
Steel 95x18 is the best option in terms of price / quality. Cuts well enough during 2-3 hunting trips;
Various tool steels, such as ShKh-15 or "diamond", are also excellent for knives, but require constant maintenance, as they are subject to corrosion;
Damascus steel on knives, in addition to having a good cut, also looks very original. Hunting knives made of Damascus steel are a real work of art;
Damask steel has a very "floating" quality. Throughout Russia, only a few blacksmiths know how to cook high-quality damask steel;
Modern powder steels have outstanding characteristics that surpass even the legendary damask steel. Knives made from these steels are usually very expensive.

Many different materials are used to make knife handles, from plastic to mammoth tusk. As a rule, natural materials are chosen for the handles of hunting knives. This is a tree of various breeds, horn, bone, type-setting leather. For spacers and bolsters, brass, copper or titanium are used. Handle out natural materials fits perfectly in the hand, although it requires systematic care.

How to make a hunting knife with your own hands

If you do not know how to make a hunting knife with your own hands, then a drawing of a knife, which can be found on the Internet, will help you. Having chosen the drawing that you like best, you can start making a knife. The hardest part is making a blade. It can be forged or machined from a suitable strip of metal.

If you can't cut the blade yourself, you can buy it ready-made and make a handle for it yourself. For the handle, you need to pick up a block of dry wood, which can also be purchased at specialized knife stores. You will also definitely need a bolster, which will have to be cut from a plate of brass or copper.

A through hole is drilled in the future handle, into which you will need to insert the blade shank. On the reverse side, the shank is riveted or clamped with a nut. After that, the handle is given a shape that suits you. Then the handle is sanded and impregnated with special oil. After the impregnation process is over, the handle can be polished with wax.

Sharpening hunting knives

A hunting knife must always be sharp. To do this, you need to learn how to sharpen it correctly. The sharpening process is bringing the cutting edge to a razor sharpness through the interaction of a sharpening stone and a knife blade. The better and harder the steel on the hunting knife, the longer it will take to sharpen it.

First, a cutting edge must be formed on a rough water stone. Then, gradually passing to stones with a smaller grain size, this edge is sanded. After sanding, the edge needs to be polished using leather with GOI paste applied to it. When sharpening a hunting knife, the main thing is to observe the sharpening angle.

The choice of hunting knives is extremely large, so you should be very responsible when buying a hunting knife. You should not buy the largest and most menacing knife, it will not even be able to perform work on cutting the carcass. It is better to opt for a universal hunting knife that will fit in your hand just for you.

Hello fishermen and hunters, I present to your attention a strong, beautiful, high-quality knife that you can make with your own hands. Such a knife will be a great friend for you during tourism, hunting, fishing and other similar events. Despite the fact that the knife looks very high quality, it is not so difficult to make it with your own hands. You will need a minimum set of tools for this, the most difficult thing will be to perform grinding and polishing if you do not have a grinder, a grinder, and so on.

But for a knife to be strong and of high quality, you need to choose good steel for it. Unfortunately, the author did not indicate which steel grade he used. But nowadays you can buy a blank for a knife of any steel grade. The most important thing is that the steel contains enough carbon for hardening. By the way, good steel is used in old Soviet files, various cutters and other tools. So, let's take a closer look at how to make such a wonderful knife!

Materials and tools used

List of materials:
- carbon steel for the blade;
- wood for linings;
- sheet brass for the handle;
- brass or steel pins;
- epoxy adhesive.

Tool list:
- belt sander;
- orbital sander;
- grinder with cutting and grinding discs;
- grinder;
- drill or drilling machine;
- drill;
- hammer;
- sandpaper;
- Japanese water stone or other sharpening tool;
- forging furnace and quenching oil.

Knife making process:

Step one. Cut out the main rough profile
First, prepare your starting material and apply a template to it. Ready template can be found on the Internet, for example, there are quite a few of them on the Pinterest resource. Scale the drawing properly and print it on a printer, then cut it out. You can cut a template out of cardboard, it will last for a long time, and you can also hold such a template in your hands and estimate how the future knife will look like.

Next, we transfer the template to the workpiece. For convenience, the author painted over the "body" of the knife in green... If the template is made of paper, you can simply glue it to the workpiece. Let's start cutting, for these purposes the author used an ordinary grinder. We securely fasten the workpiece with a clamp. There should be no problems with straight lines, but you will have to try with bends. To cut the bends, make a series of cross-cut slots. After that, you can cut out pieces of metal in sectors. Of course, there will be a lot of uncut metal left, but now it can be easily removed.

Step two. Primary grinding
After cutting, we need to finish the contour of the blade. For these purposes, we go with a knife to the grinder, remove all unnecessary. We also walk along the contour on a belt sander. Bends can be easily processed using a drill with the appropriate attachment. The best way to do this is a sandpaper nozzle.

Step three. We form bevels
This is a very crucial moment in the processing of the blade. We need to form bevels, that is, the angle of sharpening of the blade. To begin with, we make the markup, for this the author uses a caliper. It is also necessary to divide the future blade into two halves, so it will be very convenient for you to grind off the metal on both sides of equal thickness. This line is usually drawn with a drill of the same diameter as the thickness of the blade.

To begin with, take a file and apply the end of the bevel on the blade. Well, then we arm ourselves with a grinder with a grinding attachment and remove excess metal. When everything is ready, we carry out a finer processing on a belt sander. At the end, we go through the bevel with files, grind with sandpaper and polish if desired.

Step four. We drill holes
We drill holes for the pins in the handle of the blade. The wider the handle, the more pins you need to install. The author decided to install 5 pins. We mark the places and drill holes. If the diameter of the holes is large, use a small diameter drill first. If the steel is hardened, a drill bit with tungsten carbide... It is easier to drill steel if you lubricate the drill.

Step five. Tempering the blade
Now the blade can be hardened, for this you will need a blacksmith's furnace. Basically, you can just blow up the coals household hairdryer, the temperature can thus be obtained more than sufficient. Usually carbon steel glows yellowish, with this glow it can be cooled in oil. But all brands have become different, as well as hardening methods, this must be remembered.
When the blade is hardened, the metal should not be filed. After that, they usually make another tempering of the metal, otherwise it will be very fragile.

When the blade cools down, we clean it of oil, usually they are washed under running water using detergents... Next, the author polished the blade with fine sandpaper to a shine.

Step six. Moving on to making a handle
The author has a combined handle, it consists of brass and wooden plates. First, let's start with the brass pads, for this you need sheet brass, from which we cut out four parts for the front and back of the handle. Brass is cut perfectly with a grinder. Next, drill holes for the pins in the linings, and now you can install them on the handle. This will allow you to adjust the product to the shape of the handle. You will need brass pins, as a result they will become one piece with the overlays. The pins should be of such a diameter that they enter the material with little force. After installing the pins, they need to be riveted.

Next, you can proceed to the wooden lining, for this, look for boards of suitable thickness. We cut the boards to the required length and drill holes for the pins. We install the pads themselves on epoxy glue, this is the key to their reliable fastening. As for the pins, for these purposes the author decided to use steel pins, ordinary nails are suitable for such purposes. There is no need to rivet these pins, as we have everything on glue. Pull the pads together with clamps and let the adhesive dry completely.

Step seven. Grinding the handle
When the glue is dry, the handle can be processed. To do this, first cut off the pins, this can be done with a hacksaw or a file. Next, we go to the grinder and grind the planes, everything should be on the same level. You can also grind the handle to some extent and along the contour.

Now we will have those places where we could not crawl with a grinder. To process them, the author uses a drill. An emery paper nozzle copes with this task perfectly.

Step eight. Finishing
Finally, we put a polishing attachment on the drill and polish the brass to a golden shine. Similarly, we pass this nozzle along the contour. If some areas cannot be polished, they still need to be finished by hand with very fine sandpaper. Well, then polish the wood part or the entire knife on a polishing machine, if desired. When the pen is ready, apply oil to it. This will protect the wood from moisture and the brass will not oxidize.

For every hunter, fisherman or hiker, a hunting knife is a must-have tool that will help you cope with any difficult task or situation that takes you by surprise. Of course, you can easily purchase it in a store, in the market, or order it from a local master. But it is unlikely to satisfy the needs of an experienced user. And the dubious quality of a serial product, most likely, will not allow opening a can, let alone solving more serious problems. Handmade hunting knives are of high quality and look great if you seriously approach the issue of their manufacture. However, as a product made and developed by oneself, a hunting knife can be a reason for pride.

Making a hunting knife

So, the only right decision in order to acquire a really high-quality accessory is to make it yourself, adapting it to your needs as much as possible. Do-it-yourself hunting knives can be made not only by a professional, but also by a simple amateur. To do this, it is enough to have a minimum set of tools. Moreover, getting detailed drawings of hunting knives will not be difficult. If necessary, you can make them yourself, for this you do not need to have any supernatural skills.

Blade making

How to make a hunting knife durable and beautiful at the same time? The first step in making this cutting accessory is finding the blade. It is not necessary to look for special steel for a hunting knife for this, especially since it is not so easy to get it. It is enough to find a finished blade, old or broken, and modify it. Refinement may consist in changing its shape, cutting a handle that is maximally adapted to the hand, and making a scabbard. But still, if steel for a hunting knife is found, then this blade will be the strongest and highest quality with a beautiful metallic luster.

Handle making

Various materials can be used in the manufacture of the handle. For example, a wooden or ebonite handle can be very comfortable, but very vulnerable to impact or other physical impact. It is worth dropping such a knife on a hard surface, as the handle immediately shatters into pieces. The most durable knife handle can be obtained by casting it out of metal. Such a hunting knife will not be afraid of blows and falls, but even in a slight frost, it will simply freeze to the hand, not to mention high freezing temperatures. Thus, accessories with very fragile or metal handles are not suitable for intensive use due to their impracticality.

Very often, good handmade hunting knives are obtained from the horns of some animals, but most often these are the horns of a deer or roe deer. Due to the uneven surface of the horn, the knife lies well in the hand, which makes it as convenient as possible to use. In addition, this material is very durable and, despite this, easily lends itself to decorative processing, due to which you can give the handle a certain sophistication.

To get really strong hunting knives, the handle should be started by preparing the fiberglass by impregnating it with epoxy. In terms of strength, this material is not inferior to metal, but, unlike it, it does not freeze and is very light. Also, textolite is suitable for the manufacture of this knife element. This material is non-rotting, non-flammable and very durable. But when using it to make a knife handle, you must use a single piece. Gluing various elements or gluing a handle from several component parts will lead to a loss of its strength and, as a result, fragility. In order not to have to remodel hunting knives with your own hands, you need to think over all the stages of making the handle in advance.

Stages of making a knife handle

Having a ready-made blade, you can start making a handle on it. To do this, the plate must be ground on an emery or a file to give it the shape of a future handle. Then, using pre-prepared thin blocks of solid wood, you should fix them to the handle with epoxy resin or glue. Next, you can wrap the glued bars with a cord impregnated with epoxy resin, or use a colored cloth tape for this. Winding should be done with maximum force so that air bubbles and excess epoxy glue come out.

To create a finger rest on the handle of a hunting knife, use the same material, but wind it in several layers. After the epoxy dries a little, the excess can be cut off or removed with a file to give the final shape to the handle.

Smooth or embossed handle

If the task is to make absolutely smooth surface handles, then at the final stage it should be tightly wrapped with strong plastic wrap, or the irregularities should be well sanded, and then polished. If, on the contrary, the final version should be embossed or rough, then on the surface impregnated with epoxy resin, it is necessary to apply grains of river sand or other abrasive and leave the product to dry completely. When the resin is completely cured, the excess abrasive residue should be removed from the surface.

If the knife handle plate is much smaller than the intended handle, then it can be placed in a pre-prepared metal tube or hollow handle. The existing cavity can be further used to store various necessary little things, thus increasing the functionality of the product. For example, you can put threads and needles or matches there, but provided that the cavity is completely protected from moisture. It is impossible to know what situation you will find yourself in in the future.

Making a scabbard

The scabbard, as one of the important elements with which good hunting knives are equipped, must meet certain functional requirements. The knife should not fall out of them, but should be firmly fixed and at the same time easily and easily accessible if necessary. The scabbard must be collapsible, which makes it possible to thoroughly clean it. With intensive use of the knife, dirt, food debris will settle in the sheath, creating an environment for the development of microorganisms and harmful bacteria. Non-collapsible ones are permissible for collectors and connoisseurs of aesthetic beauty, and not for practitioners who use a hunting knife almost every day. After all, it is, first of all, a tool, a means for cutting, planing and performing other important functions.

Stages of making a scabbard

To start making the scabbard, you should first prepare a wooden case for the knife. To do this, drill and grind a cavity in the workpiece that is strictly suitable for the size of the blade. From the same material, the lid should be cut out, corresponding in size to the first element. When juxtaposed, the two parts should form a one-piece cover. In order for the scabbard not to differ in style from a hunting knife, they must be trimmed with exactly the same coating. After the finish is finished, the component parts should be fastened together in several places with screws, best of all decorative.

Making a trench

The scabbard hangs on a belt with a special loop - a trainer. To make it, you can use shreds of leather, a thick lace, or a piece of sturdy rope. The size of the strap should correspond to the width of the belt and fit freely on it. It attaches to inside scabbard. Can be glued with glue, epoxy or screwed. This does not really matter, it is important that the scabbard is firmly attached and does not get lost during movement. Do not make the tripod very long, as a knife too low will create inconvenience. A too short trainer will make it difficult to remove the weapon from the scabbard.

Additional accessories

For the greatest convenience and functionality, a knife sharpener is sometimes attached to the scabbard. It is necessary for long-term use of the tool. You can also make small secret pockets for storing various little things. You never know what may lie in wait far from home and civilization. You can also attach the signal mirror to the scabbard by pre-processing the cutting edges. Modification options depend on the characteristics and conditions of use of a handmade hunting knife. But do not be too zealous, as some adaptations may turn out to be completely useless.

When making a knife for the first time, even using well-drawn drawings and instructions, most likely, it will not be possible to avoid any oversights and shortcomings. But don't stop there. Each next self-made cutting assistant will be better than the previous one in functional terms and, taking into account all the past flaws, will not be able to compare with the analogue of factory production. Hunting knives, the manufacture of which is extremely thought out and not carried out in a hurry, must be of high quality and meet all the requirements necessary for the use of these products.

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