How It's Done
My Production Process
First of all, each of my knife blades are made with high carbon steel, typically 1095 or 15N20. I use the "stock removal" method which means I cut or grind the knife blade into the desired shape rather than hammering hot steel. The handles are made from several different materials including stabilized wood, reconstituted stone, leather, and birch bark.
Making the blade
I use a variety of templates to trace the outline of my blade onto the steel. If I don't have a template, I play with different designs/dimensions to make a new template. Once done, I use a combination of angle grinder, bandsaw, and large knife grinder to bring the blade to it's final shape.
Heat treatment to harden and then temper the steel.
Heat treating, specifically the tempering process is the most important step in the process. I use a propane forge to heat the blade and a regular oven (at high heat) for tempering.
Finishing the blade.
Once the blade is heat treated, it's time to design the handle. The knife could be a full tang, a through tang, or a partial tang construction. That's decided before heat treatment. After heat treatment, I decide on what materials I'll use to create the handle.
Final fit & finish
The part that makes the knife look nice. Carve/shape the handle to the desired size, buffing the blade and handle to remove remnant scratches, etc. The last step in the process.
