Does anyone have the URL to this thread either here or on assaultweb? (i think that was where  it was originally posted).  Thanks in advance.

It's not that hard to do all you need is a bench grinder some files and if you have a belt sander that does wonders for the blade and makes it look a lot nicer.

If you have any all this stuff go to a hardware store a pick up some metal from there it's a lot harder then a file and will not brake on you as easily because there is nothing that will piss you off more then that it is also a lot eraser to make a handle for the knife.

Look for metal that is a little thicker then you want the blade then you will have some room for error.

Just in case you want to know I have made about 25 hand made blades my first was one made from a file also.(Have no been able to do it for a year because I moved and left all the tool for my Dad to play with I miss it.)

Also get a good dust mask because there is nothing that makes you more sick then hacking up loggy and being able to lift it up with a magnet. If you need more info just e-mail me

Thanks for the info. I really wanted the link, since it was a description of the process including some heat treating, making handles, etc.  I have the grinder, no belt sander though, so I'm ready to get crackin'.

If you start with a good file and take it slow so as not to "burn" the blade, no heat treatment is necessary when making a knife from a file.  Cheap files, on the other hand, are often simply case-hardened and make lousy knives since the layer of hardened metal gets ground away in the process of shaping the blade.

Heat treating is one of the hardest things to do if your doing it with out an oven (Not the oven in your house unless it can get up to 1500+degrees.) It is also different for every kind of metal just so you know.

Go to this web page the guys who are in here are the best and they would love to help you out. They may also have the info you need .
[url]www.bladeforums.com[/url]

Go over to AssaultWeb---Bows and Blades forum and look for Bossman. He's making a sword now...

"Also get a good dust mask because there is nothing that makes you more sick then hacking up loggy and being able to lift it up with a magnet."


CRAP!  Now I gotta find a towel to clean this laptop off after you made me laugh so hard I spit a drink all over it.

Uh roger on the mask.  No magnetic luggys...
Thanks noname.

Start here and work your way down.  
[url]http://assaultweb.net/ubb/Archives/Archive-000009/HTML/20010716-13-000093.html[/url]

[url]http://assaultweb.net/ubb/Archives/Archive-000009/HTML/20010716-13-000100.html[/url]

[url]http://assaultweb.net/ubb/Archives/Archive-000009/HTML/20010716-13-000101.html[/url]

[url]http://assaultweb.net/ubb/Archives/Archive-000009/HTML/20010716-13-000105.html[/url]

[url]http://assaultweb.net/ubb/Archives/Archive-000009/HTML/20010716-13-000112.html[/url]

[url]http://assaultweb.net/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000148.html[/url]

Good read for you who had questions on how the stuff gets done.  Also the last one is on heat treating japanese style.  Neat stuff.  

You're welcome!

Go to the forums section at [url]www.customknifedirectory.com[/url]

go to www.knifeforums.com and look under the "Newbies Forum" then look at the topic "absolute cheapskate way to make knives"by Jonesy (don't know how to post it so I e-mailed it to you) started in Jan. 2001 also if you do a search they will tell you how to "remove the hardness" by heating in a fire or BBQ grill.  All kinds of useful do-it-yourself info

John

there is a company called anzaknives.com , that produces knives from old files, they are purty nice too

ive been following the Bossman homemade knife post, and have started on 3 blades, but have yet to finish them. i got some new files from home depot for about 7 bux, i got the largest ones they had there so i could make a bigger knife.