I have three kits waiting for me work them, and now that I've seen your video I think I'm ready. I appreciate all the effort to show the details and give us tips and suggestions. Mike
It's just amazing listening to your voice and your perfect pronunciation for a non native english speaker like me. You also make very usefull videos. Thank you +waltersorrells
So many of your little side notes are actually huge lessons newbies like me had to learn the hard way... like using locator pins, using the first set of holes as a guide etc... really thorough tutorials here. Again, thanks for making this information available!
Walter I have never made a knife and most likely never will since my three score and ten have arrived, but after watching this video I really feel like I could if the need arose and I had the tools. I am mainly a woodworker on small furniture and crafts. Any way, you are a fine teacher and I like the way you edit your videos. God Bless
I must say I love how detailed you are with your videos, each one is really excellent. Thank you Walter for putting the time in to make such high quality videos. They are a real enjoyment for someone like me who has an interest in knives and knife making but not the opportunity to start practising.
Thank you for this video. I have been looking for basic tool tutorials for this for a while, but every knife maker uses their belt sander and band saw! This is just what I needed.
I love your videos Mr. Sorrells. You outline your ideas and thoughts very well in an easy to follow manner and you have me very excited to start knifemaking as a hobby because you don't over complicate things. Keep them coming!
Mr. Sorrells, the part about scotch bright. We do something in aviation called water breakout. Very much the same only we rinse with alcohol and continue till we hit what we call water breakout. That's where you know, water does not bead it falls off almost, or its pattern is uniform in a sheet. If a spot is noticed to collect water, it lets us know it is not a pure piece ready for further treatments. Also allows for better adhesive retention. Just adding to the pot of knowledge. I offer a legit test.
Thanks for the video. I have watched it many times and am in the process of putting together a knife from a kit. Slow progress is best for me, and the options you suggest make more sense while I am working through the steps.
Fantastic video and great looking knife. Honestly have never even considered making my own knives because I am a folding knife junky and there is so much more involved. But now I am thinking I might consider it. Even though it will likely take me forever to complete it looks like something fun. Thanks for the inspiration.
Hey Walter, as you've said you can hollow out the block by rocking it from back to forth. To avoid that you can move the block in a pattern of number 8.
In the UK, Workshopheaven has a couple of blade kits and various handle materials. They are predominately a woodworking tool shop, but also do the 3M line of lapping films if you want to make yourself a wicked edge style sharpener!
howzit bud i have done many hobbies through my life and you just inspired my next one thanks for the great videos and the detailed advice , keep it up bud!
question, so that the pins are not too loose, example if you drill a 1/4 hole is a 1/4 pin adequate or is there a diff size drill bit to use for a 1/4 pin. so you have enough tension . Fantastic video.
Great videos Walter. One question is there a better speed for grinding your blades on your belt sander as to different grits? Keep up the good work. Beautiful knives.
hi walter. I've made a few knives, your videos have really inspired me. When im putting on handle scales i always have a hard time judging where the handle should stop on the top of the knife like how far up the tang it should go. do you have any suggestions on how to figure out where the handle should stop? I guess its just opinion but im not sure.
+ingram450g Yeah, that's pretty much it. It's just how you think it looks good. I guess I generally leave about a quarter to half an inch of ricasso, depending on the size of the knife.
Walter, brand new,never made a knife and wanting to start with a kit. Any chance of you putting a list of tools used for this project? Files, rasps, etc
I´ve just received a Keresuando blade as a present. It's a tang blade and I'm not sure how to approach the handling. Could you do a video on handling tang knives? Thanks for all the great information you are sharing.
Thanks - that was very helpful - I am just making some handles for small japanese kitchen knives - I am trying to make the handle like a chisel handle (not 2 pieces) - do you have anything on this method?
+Steve SteveS Burning is a common approach. Another is the Japanese approach, which is to hollow out two pieces, with a chisel, then glue them together.
Is there something that can be used to clean the squeeze-out on the blade right after tightening with the clamps? I find that isoprop. alcohol and paper towels leave the steal dull and not really clean
You have not been thinking of making a traditional scandinavian knife sometimes? I have done a couple since i am from sweden, and it would be fun to see how you make one. You can google" Knivslöjd " and then click on pictures to see what they look like if youre interested.
Good video. I think I will use varnish rather than oil. I would be worried that the oil will stop the glue from sticking properly- i.e. it will seep under the glue. I also used 24 hour super strength Araldite which reaches full cure in 3 days.
+John Creasey Just the wood. If you want to mirror polish the blade (or just buff it to a satin finish), you'd need to do that before putting on the handle.
I know this video is somewhat old, but I have a question about the pins. Is it necessary to "mushroom" the ends out? Or is that unnecessary because of the epoxy and overall tight fit?
Hey Walter I bought a kit knife and am having issues with the angle I'm drilling through the scales... I have a power drill and the blade I have has a 1/8" hole for the pins to go through. Is 1/8" a less forgiving diameter then a thicker one? I want to invest in a drill press to have the angle fixed but wanted ask your opinion on the issue.. I ruined 2 sets of maple scales not am expensive mistake but I want to do this correctly.
+Eben at Work Yeah, it never works as well with a hand drill. But if you drill the first side, then use the second side as a guide when you flip it over, it usually comes out okay.
I ordered a knife from the first link, cheep (ish) international shipping to Canada using the cheepest shipping method, I bought the pins and the scales from some where else I used a nice canadian maple sample for the handle no I just got to cut and sand the thing down when I am done
I've personally made tons of knife blanks but never an actual knife. Every time i go to put the bevel on i screw up somehow. I'm purchasing a nice belt sander soon because i have the money (nothing like you have, just something simple)
+dor duieb Your should watch Walter's videos on how to choose steel for knife making or how to make a hunting knife. He recommends 440c and gives its properties.
what is the ideal blade or bavel thickness for let's say camping knifes or hunting knives ? when I made my first knife it got many cause of the really thin bavel I put on it..
+Walter Sorrells That's good to hear Walter. I see so many knifes being made from 3/16 or 1/4, but I don't understand why, unless it is more for the looks given the bevel contrast, or perhaps it's for people that don't know how to take care of their knifes and fear breaking the tip. I just can't substantiate carrying that much metal around.
Well it also depends on what you want to use your knife for .. For example: using it for camping probably needs a thicker bevel than a kitchen knife which is used for cutting meat or stuff
I always enjoy watching your video's Walter. It's just a shame that there aren't too many kit suppliers for Australia with affordable prices (Or at least none that I can find). I have some steel marked out ready to be cut, but I don't have a heat treatment plan for them as I have no idea what the steel is, I was thinking of just using my propane torch to harden the cutting edge only and making some test knives from the steel.
+Myles Prower Yeah, if you don't know what the steel is, then testing it is the only way to go. Unless you know specifically that this is some kind of tool steel, here's a reasonable possibility, of course, that the steel won't harden at all.
Amazon ships to Australia but they restrict a lot of dumb things, I can order some Zippo lighters for instance, but some designs aren't shipped even though there is no difference to what the item is. Knives are usually not shipped by them to Australia.
It's fine when you don't mess it up... one gouge would take a lot of work to get out. Cut them close before putting them in, I leave around 1/8" overhand on each side, or less, and sand down the rest.
16:55: after glueing it all together, hammer the pins so they are overstanding a bit on both sides! If You don't do that and the pin is even, You must grind also the scales a bit to get a nice Surface of the pin. Maybe You don't want that - especially when the scales are made of bone, or horn, it might be senseful to get a nice surfce of the pin before You glue all together. 23:20 to grind the inside of the Grip, You can also wrap the sandpaper around the file, so You have approxly the same diameter, that helps to keep the deepth of the inside-curve. 29:00 for hard Woods like this, I also like common salad oil. It don't need to be the finest extravergine... If You use a colorized oil like the shown gun stock oil, make sure to shake the bottle well before use!Sometimes the colourized particles sink down in the bottle and the upper part of the liquid is almost clear oil. But it's a nice and well explained video! Respect!
+ray minazzi I also have some black palm I got for knife scales. Have not been very successful with it. It seems brittle and splinters badly along the grain. Would be grateful for any pointers on that particular wood...
While the epoxy is still liquid, you can wipe it off with just water (on a rag or paper towel). No need for toxic solvents. Once the epoxy sets, things become more complicated.
from a hobbyist, without a plethora of fancy tools, thank you
I have three kits waiting for me work them, and now that I've seen your video I think I'm ready. I appreciate all the effort to show the details and give us tips and suggestions. Mike
WOW! I don't see how this could have been any more informative. Thank you.
It's just amazing listening to your voice and your perfect pronunciation for a non native english speaker like me. You also make very usefull videos. Thank you +waltersorrells
So many of your little side notes are actually huge lessons newbies like me had to learn the hard way... like using locator pins, using the first set of holes as a guide etc... really thorough tutorials here. Again, thanks for making this information available!
Walter I have never made a knife and most likely never will since my three score and ten have arrived, but after watching this video I really feel like I could if the need arose and I had the tools. I am mainly a woodworker on small furniture and crafts. Any way, you are a fine teacher and I like the way you edit your videos. God Bless
I must say I love how detailed you are with your videos, each one is really excellent. Thank you Walter for putting the time in to make such high quality videos. They are a real enjoyment for someone like me who has an interest in knives and knife making but not the opportunity to start practising.
that was amazing. it's a very nice knife. thanx for teaching me a few things
This is fantastic, I'm going to go and buy a kit knife and try this myself Thank you for posting this, it's a great video, very inspiring!
Great work.....pleasure to watch you.
Thank you for this video. I have been looking for basic tool tutorials for this for a while, but every knife maker uses their belt sander and band saw! This is just what I needed.
I never get tired of watching you make a beautiful knife. It is truly a pleasure!
I love your videos Mr. Sorrells. You outline your ideas and thoughts very well in an easy to follow manner and you have me very excited to start knifemaking as a hobby because you don't over complicate things. Keep them coming!
Mr. Sorrells,
the part about scotch bright. We do something in aviation called water breakout. Very much the same only we rinse with alcohol and continue till we hit what we call water breakout. That's where you know, water does not bead it falls off almost, or its pattern is uniform in a sheet.
If a spot is noticed to collect water, it lets us know it is not a pure piece ready for further treatments. Also allows for better adhesive retention.
Just adding to the pot of knowledge. I offer a legit test.
Walter have the best voice in the world! it gives my ears a massage :)
+brainache555 Agreed. It's like meditation. And being a knife nut like me makes it even better.
Simply put , That's BEAUTIFUL !!!!
Thanks for the video. I have watched it many times and am in the process of putting together a knife from a kit. Slow progress is best for me, and the options you suggest make more sense while I am working through the steps.
😚😥😍😘😶😎😂😁😀😊☺😄😶😏😅😋😐📎📏📏📐📐📏
Fantastic video and great looking knife. Honestly have never even considered making my own knives because I am a folding knife junky and there is so much more involved. But now I am thinking I might consider it. Even though it will likely take me forever to complete it looks like something fun. Thanks for the inspiration.
Hey Walter, as you've said you can hollow out the block by rocking it from back to forth. To avoid that you can move the block in a pattern of number 8.
This content is wonderful, you make videos that can be used as a resource for any denigration knife making.
Absolute legend , love your work.
I never actually made a knibe. It's just facinating to watch :)
Thanks for such an excellent video Walter.
You are special person we your videos.tanks 😊
Great video, I am going to try my hand at this. Thanks again.
Nice finish always need a thumb up. That is why you just got one from me..
I love the pattern in the wood!
@WalterSorrells Appreciate the video and the time you put into sharing your information.
Woo, thanks Walter
Nice video and thanks for the info - now to find the right belt sander and appropriate grit belts
fantastic video
Excellent video! Thank you.
Walter, "made my own blade, made my own mosaic pins, cut the scales from my own stock of Australian Wood.", very cool, Walter!
nice! I should have watched this before making my knife kit!
Best kit blade maker was Bob Engnath. He made the best stuff. RIP Bob.
purple heart is my favorite handle material
In the UK, Workshopheaven has a couple of blade kits and various handle materials. They are predominately a woodworking tool shop, but also do the 3M line of lapping films if you want to make yourself a wicked edge style sharpener!
howzit bud i have done many hobbies through my life and you just inspired my next one thanks for the great videos and the detailed advice , keep it up bud!
very good
Hey I am Australian wow go Australia!!!
question, so that the pins are not too loose, example if you drill a 1/4 hole is a 1/4 pin adequate or is there a diff size drill bit to use for a 1/4 pin. so you have enough tension .
Fantastic video.
Flatten the scales on the sidewalk. Cool video. I am going to give it a go.
nice job , and good explin , thx man
love ur videos
Love it when he says "In real life."
Omg I'm learning to make my thanks 🙏
good vid i learned a load of good stuff.had to sub
+Walter Sorrells Hello my friend are you still all booked up on custom made knives. thanks. great video as always.
Love the handle the knife was good too lol
Texas Knifemakers Supply is only 20 minutes from my house. lucky me.
Lol idk but I love watching this.
Endorphin Rush and o
Great videos Walter. One question is there a better speed for grinding your blades on your belt sander as to different grits?
Keep up the good work. Beautiful knives.
hi walter. I've made a few knives, your videos have really inspired me. When im putting on handle scales i always have a hard time judging where the handle should stop on the top of the knife like how far up the tang it should go. do you have any suggestions on how to figure out where the handle should stop? I guess its just opinion but im not sure.
+ingram450g Yeah, that's pretty much it. It's just how you think it looks good. I guess I generally leave about a quarter to half an inch of ricasso, depending on the size of the knife.
+Walter Sorrells ok thanks. I'll just experiment with it and see what I like best I guess,
What resporator do you us?
What filter?
And do you have a shop air filter?
If so which one?
Thanks
great video and tips brother :-)
Walter, brand new,never made a knife and wanting to start with a kit. Any chance of you putting a list of tools used for this project? Files, rasps, etc
I´ve just received a Keresuando blade as a present. It's a tang blade and I'm not sure how to approach the handling. Could you do a video on handling tang knives? Thanks for all the great information you are sharing.
Thank you for the tip
Could the shaping of the handle be done with a woodworking floor mounted belt sander?
Do the brass pins have to fit snugly in the knife blank holes to put on the handle scales?
Thanks - that was very helpful - I am just making some handles for small japanese kitchen knives - I am trying to make the handle like a chisel handle (not 2 pieces) - do you have anything on this method?
+Steve SteveS Burning is a common approach. Another is the Japanese approach, which is to hollow out two pieces, with a chisel, then glue them together.
Is there something that can be used to clean the squeeze-out on the blade right after tightening with the clamps? I find that isoprop. alcohol and paper towels leave the steal dull and not really clean
BIll Geo Acetone or lacquer thinner work well.
You have not been thinking of making a traditional scandinavian knife sometimes? I have done a couple since i am from sweden, and it would be fun to see how you make one. You can google" Knivslöjd " and then click on pictures to see what they look like if youre interested.
hi what kind of steel to use thank
Good video.
I think I will use varnish rather than oil.
I would be worried that the oil will stop the glue from sticking properly-
i.e. it will seep under the glue.
I also used 24 hour super strength Araldite which reaches full cure in 3 days.
No if anything some varnish might the oil hardens fine, besides u glue everything first
Did you buff the wood on the handle or just the blade?
+John Creasey Just the wood. If you want to mirror polish the blade (or just buff it to a satin finish), you'd need to do that before putting on the handle.
Walter Sorrells yeah I think so too
nice
Very nice video. You're going to have me doing this for a hobby, but S-h-h-h, don't tell the Missus ;-)
Should i spray lacquer on the knife blade to prevent rusting ? Or what are other solutions
+JoUm@a Just keep it oiled. Lacquer would rapidly chip off during use. Some people use firearms coatings like Cerakote, too.
How did you end up getting the tool marks out of the tang?
Hi Walter,do you have any experience with stabilized wood? Does that make sense or is it overkill?Thanks,John
+horatio71 I've used it. I think it's best for burl wood and other wood that isn't very strong.
I know this video is somewhat old, but I have a question about the pins. Is it necessary to "mushroom" the ends out? Or is that unnecessary because of the epoxy and overall tight fit?
It happens naturally as u sand them
here we have a handle making guide in disguise
+Film Factory What a great comment!
Film Factory ,,y
Big facts but the basics are very important
Hey Walter I bought a kit knife and am having issues with the angle I'm drilling through the scales... I have a power drill and the blade I have has a 1/8" hole for the pins to go through. Is 1/8" a less forgiving diameter then a thicker one? I want to invest in a drill press to have the angle fixed but wanted ask your opinion on the issue.. I ruined 2 sets of maple scales not am expensive mistake but I want to do this correctly.
+Eben at Work Yeah, it never works as well with a hand drill. But if you drill the first side, then use the second side as a guide when you flip it over, it usually comes out okay.
how did you fit in the pin stock?
I ordered a knife from the first link, cheep (ish) international shipping to Canada using the cheepest shipping method, I bought the pins and the scales from some where else I used a nice canadian maple sample for the handle no I just got to cut and sand the thing down when I am done
are the pins really necessary? i mean with all that epoxy shouldnt it be fine to skip the pins?
I've seen some knives WO pins but most have them just to make sure the scales don't slide or change over time, that's their real purpose
I've personally made tons of knife blanks but never an actual knife. Every time i go to put the bevel on i screw up somehow. I'm purchasing a nice belt sander soon because i have the money (nothing like you have, just something simple)
hey Walter, can you make a video on how to make a mosaic pin?
+Renegade Zed Already did! There's a link in the video. If you're mobile it won't show up, but on a computer, you can just click on it.
Walter Sorrells thanks a lot for the response!
Hi Walter.
I just bought a knife from e-bay, made from 440c stainless steel. Can you give some professional info about this steel? pros and cons?
+Jacob Norman can I heat treat it somehow to make it. hold an edge better?
+dor duieb www.cliffstamp.com/knives/reviews/blade_materials.html#S_440
+dor duieb Your should watch Walter's videos on how to choose steel for knife making or how to make a hunting knife. He recommends 440c and gives its properties.
what is the ideal blade or bavel thickness for let's say camping knifes or hunting knives ?
when I made my first knife it got many cause of the really thin bavel I put on it..
+Roman Preuth It's really just a matter of taste. My standard "go-to" stock is 1/8th inch thick, though.
oh thx I will probably try this out for my next knife Walter Sorrells
+Walter Sorrells That's good to hear Walter. I see so many knifes being made from 3/16 or 1/4, but I don't understand why, unless it is more for the looks given the bevel contrast, or perhaps it's for people that don't know how to take care of their knifes and fear breaking the tip. I just can't substantiate carrying that much metal around.
Well it also depends on what you want to use your knife for .. For example: using it for camping probably needs a thicker bevel than a kitchen knife which is used for cutting meat or stuff
I always enjoy watching your video's Walter. It's just a shame that there aren't too many kit suppliers for Australia with affordable prices (Or at least none that I can find). I have some steel marked out ready to be cut, but I don't have a heat treatment plan for them as I have no idea what the steel is, I was thinking of just using my propane torch to harden the cutting edge only and making some test knives from the steel.
+Myles Prower Yeah, if you don't know what the steel is, then testing it is the only way to go. Unless you know specifically that this is some kind of tool steel, here's a reasonable possibility, of course, that the steel won't harden at all.
www.knifeblanksaustralia.com hope that helps. (im in perth)
5tol3n My heart just got an erection in my chest when I saw that Karambit blank
get it on amazon if they have it in Australia
Amazon ships to Australia but they restrict a lot of dumb things, I can order some Zippo lighters for instance, but some designs aren't shipped even though there is no difference to what the item is. Knives are usually not shipped by them to Australia.
Walter, why do you file down the pins instead of using, say, a hacksaw to cut the ends off close to the surface of the wood?
im no expert but i would imagine that you could hack into the wood whilst doing this, but thats just my opinion bud
I use a saw and its fine
It's fine when you don't mess it up... one gouge would take a lot of work to get out.
Cut them close before putting them in, I leave around 1/8" overhand on each side, or less, and sand down the rest.
Can you post som links where we can buy exotic woods?
Tobias Schwobble www.knifemaking.com
Do you sell kit knives
would it be possible to use a bullet cartridge as a pin?
+Wiley Cat that is exactly why I was thinking that
hey Walter, do you know any website where i can buy knife steel?
Arwin www.knifemaking.com that’s the best In my opinion
Hei Mr Sorrells can you make a Bowie Knife?
What knife kit did you use to make the knife in this video?
howzit bud i just watched the video and i remember him saying that he made it himself
16:55: after glueing it all together, hammer the pins so they are overstanding a bit on both sides!
If You don't do that and the pin is even, You must grind also the scales a bit to get a nice Surface of the pin. Maybe You don't want that - especially when the scales are made of bone, or horn, it might be senseful to get a nice surfce of the pin before You glue all together.
23:20 to grind the inside of the Grip, You can also wrap the sandpaper around the file, so You have approxly the same diameter, that helps to keep the deepth of the inside-curve.
29:00 for hard Woods like this, I also like common salad oil. It don't need to be the finest extravergine...
If You use a colorized oil like the shown gun stock oil, make sure to shake the bottle well before use!Sometimes the colourized particles sink down in the bottle and the upper part of the liquid is almost clear oil.
But it's a nice and well explained video! Respect!
very nice,i think im will stick with leather.easer with nice results.22
what should I do with the file work on the spine? any special treatment?
also, any thoughts on black palm wood for the scales
+ray minazzi I also have some black palm I got for knife scales. Have not been very successful with it. It seems brittle and splinters badly along the grain. Would be grateful for any pointers on that particular wood...
+Joe Burks well I didn't end up using black palm because of the reasons you stated, but sharp tools and fresh sand paper is my advice
Thanks...
Try to get it stabilized
Baby wipes? Cool.
Is purple heart wood a good wood for a knife handle
+Jose Aguayo Its an enormously hard wood. If you don't mind a luridly purple handle, it's good stuff.
+Walter Sorrells I love purple
Then that's the perfect wood for you!
+Jose Aguayo
Try Padauk . Much softer but more red.
The purple in purpleheart will fade out rather quickly though.
one thing you can do is glue some sandpaper to a drill that way you have a makeshift dremel.
i get my kits off the street. that old broken leaf spring is better off in my back yard than bouncing around the road
While the epoxy is still liquid, you can wipe it off with just water (on a rag or paper towel). No need for toxic solvents. Once the epoxy sets, things become more complicated.
Baby wipes, hmm good idea!
Why do you not degrease it again after you scuff it?
Hwhat is he talking about, and hwhere can i get a knife blank. by the way, i would like a hwhite handle.
Where can I puy