Here is an old method to make a knife. It is dangerous if you are not careful. Succeed, and you will be one of the few to have made their own blade.
Here is what you need for this project:
- a shovel
- a file to make the knife
- a file to sharpen the knife
- a bag of charcoal
- lighter fluid
- matches or lighter
- air pump
- pan with water in it
- gloves tongs
- material for a handle
- glue
- a hammer
- an outdoor space
You must first make your workspace outside. Imagine an old blacksmith’s shop or a factory where they make steel. You will be dealing with intense heat and need to have a lot of clear ground around you. Let everyone know what you’re doing before they stumble upon the forge you are making. You will need a file to begin with. This will become your knife. Now you dig a small pit and fill it with barbecue charcoal bricks. Sprinkle these with lighter fluid. Set them on fire until you have a glowing pile, See details.
You need to get this as hot as possible. I used a bicycle pump to put air into it and raise the temperature.
Now put on a pair of gloves and hold the file with metal tongs. Put the file into the fire until it glows red. Pull it out and beat it into knife shape with a hammer. Take the file and drop it into water after you have shaped it. This strengthens it. Repeat this process till you have the shape and the beginnings of the edge and a place for the handle.
When you have the blade you need to make the handle. Most files have a pointed end that makes a good place to fix one. I had a deer bone that I hollowed out and put this point in. I held it with strong glue. Another solution is to use wood and hold it with leather straps. I also decorated the handle by burning my name into it.
You can sharpen the knife with another file or have a mechanic grind it. Some local meat departments will sharpen knives for free. Please be sure you don’t burn yourself! If you do, wrap the place in ice and call the doctor. Maybe you should view all this information as something to tell someone at a party to brag about your abilities, don’t even make the knife! You don’t have to impress them by taking it out of your pocket and passing it around.