Use A File To Make A Handcrafted Knife

Use a file to make a handcrafted knife

- Alex Hollings

GETTING STARTED

Knife making can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be. You can create some incredible pieces using things you either already have lying around or that are cheaply available at your local hardware store.

While there are lots of companies out there that specialise in selling high-quality steel forged specifically for knife making, a more affordable place to start is at the bottom of your toolbox, says Paul Brach, a knife maker for more than 30 years. Old tool files, in particular, make for great knives because they tend to be made out of higher-quality steel and are already formed in a workable shape.

Plus, there’s something special about working with what you have. ‘There is a certain satisfaction that comes from giving new life to these things rather than letting them go to waste,’ Brach says.

DESIGN YOUR BLADE

For your first attempt, Brach recommends a standard survival knife shape similar to the US Marine Corps Ka-Bar design. This shape’s long cutting edge is bolstered by a tapered edge on the top of the blade, making it well suited for both cutting and piercing. The steel of the blade extends through the handle (commonly referred to as ‘full tang’), and it retains its full thickness along the spine of the blade, making it very strong.