Knife making and cutlery :D

[Nimos]

So I have been having this idea that I thought it would be fun to try to design my own cutlery, because I have some standard Ikea stuff and because I thought it would be cool to do it as well.

I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing and have just watched a 15-minute YT video so obviously, feel like an expert now But in all honesty, I think if I keep it simple I might be able to do it.

So I made some quick sketches in 3d of some designs, that I think would be cool and that I think is simple enough for me to do. The first image is the most basic design.

The second design is where I go crazy!!

So the plan is to use some dark wood and if I go crazy mix it with some white wood. I intended to buy the blades from Ikea and then grind down the handle so I can fit my own one's on them as those you can buy from the knife shops are very limited and don't really like the look and you can get some from Ikea really cheap, so if things against all expectations should go wrong I haven't spend a lot on it

Have anyone here tried making stuff like this before and can tell me if it's a bad idea or have some tips and tricks?

 

[Heyo]

So I have been having this idea that I thought it would be fun to try to design my own cutlery, because I have some standard Ikea stuff and because I thought it would be cool to do it as well.

I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing and have just watched a 15-minute YT video so obviously, feel like an expert now But in all honesty, I think if I keep it simple I might be able to do it.

So I made some quick sketches in 3d of some designs, that I think would be cool and that I think is simple enough for me to do. The first image is the most basic design.

View attachment 72648

The second design is where I go crazy!!
View attachment 72649

So the plan is to use some dark wood and if I go crazy mix it with some white wood. I intended to buy the blades from Ikea and then grind down the handle so I can fit my own one's on them as those you can buy from the knife shops are very limited and don't really like the look and you can get some from Ikea really cheap, so if things against all expectations should go wrong I haven't spend a lot on it

Have anyone here tried making stuff like this before and can tell me if it's a bad idea or have some tips and tricks?

I've never used prefabricated blades and I rarely do table silverware. Here are a few knifes I made, if you want to know more feel free to ask (specific) questions:

 

[Revoltingest]

If knives are "cutlery", then
why aren't shovels "diglery"?

 

[Nimos]

I've never used prefabricated blades and I rarely do table silverware. Here are a few knifes I made, if you want to know more feel free to ask (specific) questions:

Hunting knives and fishing knives seems to be what most people make, but since I do little of either, I want to make something I can use.

My initial concern is if the handle might be too slim, obviously the design in the images it is not written in stone, so comfort in using them is very important. Do you have any experience with making slim knives, do they break too easily or doesn't it matter? or do you strengthen them somehow?

I think I have to make mine slightly wider now that I look at them.

Also, do you have experience mixing wood, as you can see in my second image where I mix white and dark wood, I want it to be fairly slim as well, but that also means that it will have to be glued together, but do you know if that is a good idea or making it that slim is bound to break the first time you use it?

 

[Heyo]

Hunting knives and fishing knives seems to be what most people make, but since I do little of either, I want to make something I can use.

Mine aren't made for hunting and fishing either. In fact, they are table (and kitchen) knifes, just that those would have been used in the middle ages - or today by re-enactors.

My initial concern is if the handle might be too slim, obviously the design in the images it is not written in stone, so comfort in using them is very important. Do you have any experience with making slim knives, do they break too easily or doesn't it matter? or do you strengthen them somehow?

Steel is pretty resilient, the inox steel you'll be using even more so than my spring steel. Look at the second and third pictures. The tang is very narrow, about 2 mm and about 3 cm long in pic 3. It is driven into the wood while hot.
You'll most likely use a broad or full tang as in pics 4 and 5 and the knifes are unlikely to be heavily used.

I think I have to make mine slightly wider now that I look at them.

Also, do you have experience mixing wood, as you can see in my second image where I mix white and dark wood, I want it to be fairly slim as well, but that also means that it will have to be glued together, but do you know if that is a good idea or making it that slim is bound to break the first time you use it?

I haven't used it on knifes but you can use veneering and it will be as strong or stronger than block wood when glued together. What I haven't used yet is epoxy raisin. (Too modern for me.) You can embed practically anything in it including veneering.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

So I have been having this idea that I thought it would be fun to try to design my own cutlery, because I have some standard Ikea stuff and because I thought it would be cool to do it as well.

I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing and have just watched a 15-minute YT video so obviously, feel like an expert now But in all honesty, I think if I keep it simple I might be able to do it.

So I made some quick sketches in 3d of some designs, that I think would be cool and that I think is simple enough for me to do. The first image is the most basic design.

View attachment 72648

The second design is where I go crazy!!
View attachment 72649

So the plan is to use some dark wood and if I go crazy mix it with some white wood. I intended to buy the blades from Ikea and then grind down the handle so I can fit my own one's on them as those you can buy from the knife shops are very limited and don't really like the look and you can get some from Ikea really cheap, so if things against all expectations should go wrong I haven't spend a lot on it

Have anyone here tried making stuff like this before and can tell me if it's a bad idea or have some tips and tricks?

I've ground down old tools like chisels into camping knives. One of them is over two decades old and is my go-to camping knife! I don't have any real tips since I am not an expert, but I don't think it's a bad idea.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I've never used prefabricated blades and I rarely do table silverware. Here are a few knifes I made, if you want to know more feel free to ask (specific) questions:

View attachment 72672View attachment 72673View attachment 72674View attachment 72675View attachment 72676

I really like the rondel dagger!

 

[Heyo]

I really like the rondel dagger!

It isn't clear in that photo but it's actually a bollock dagger.
Here's a slightly better photo:

 

[Nimos]

You'll most likely use a broad or full tang as in pics 4 and 5 and the knifes are unlikely to be heavily used.

Not sure what a full tang is, is that the metal? If so then I don't intend to do that, but to drill a hole in the wood and then fill it with an epoxy clue.

I haven't used it on knifes but you can use veneering and it will be as strong or stronger than block wood when glued together. What I haven't used yet is epoxy raisin. (Too modern for me.) You can embed practically anything in it including veneering.

If what you mean by veneering is that thin piece of wood and then glueing it on some other then that is not my intention.

To illustrate what I plan to do just using a random blade and wood to show it.

I buy a wooden block like this, which should be enough for two handles I think:

And then a blade like this, obviously mine will be an Ikea knife or some old knife where I like the blades and knock off the handle so I get the pointy end.

Then make a hole in the wood and epoxy the blade in it and then shape the handle so it fits.

Basically like this guy is doing (You can just quickly skip through it to get the idea), except I don't have any machines and I intend to buy the metal parts to fit the blade so I don't have to make those.

 

[Viker]

I've never used prefabricated blades and I rarely do table silverware. Here are a few knifes I made, if you want to know more feel free to ask (specific) questions:

View attachment 72672View attachment 72673View attachment 72674View attachment 72675View attachment 72676

Methinks you'd might survive prison. Unless some of your creations were stolen.

 

[Viker]

It isn't clear in that photo but it's actually a bollock dagger.
Here's a slightly better photo:
View attachment 72704

It would make an excellent athame. As would the third knife down.

 

[Nimos]

Also, I redesigned them a bit and think I will make one of each just for fun so it's like a set or collection, what material I will use I have no clue as there is a lot to choose from, so these are just variations

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I've no expertise in making cutlery, but I have one rather odd little hobby -- I really like using my whetstones (from 400 to 10,000 grit) and strop to give new life to my knives, and my friends' knives. I find it quite therapeutic -- the repetitive motion on the stones -- and very satisfying because I think I do a really find job. Any knife I sharpen really will cut through a single sheet of newspaper cleanly, without pressure.

As someone who likes to cook, I know that a sharp knife is indispensible -- and a lot safer than a not-so-sharp one.

 

[Nimos]

I've no expertise in making cutlery, but I have one rather odd little hobby -- I really like using my whetstones (from 400 to 10,000 grit) and strop to give new life to my knives, and my friends' knives. I find it quite therapeutic -- the repetitive motion on the stones -- and very satisfying because I think I do a really find job. Any knife I sharpen really will cut through a single sheet of newspaper cleanly, without pressure.

As someone who likes to cook, I know that a sharp knife is indispensible -- and a lot safer than a not-so-sharp one.

You could always make your own blades, if you think that is fun, that is just beyond me at the moment, but I might try it at some point if I think it is fun.

But you can buy these steel plates that they use as far as I know, which comes in all different steel types as well:

 

[Guitar's Cry]

It isn't clear in that photo but it's actually a bollock dagger.
Here's a slightly better photo:
View attachment 72704

Ah! Yes! Wicked cool.

 

[Heyo]

Not sure what a full tang is, is that the metal? If so then I don't intend to do that, but to drill a hole in the wood and then fill it with an epoxy clue.


If what you mean by veneering is that thin piece of wood and then glueing it on some other then that is not my intention.

To illustrate what I plan to do just using a random blade and wood to show it.

I buy a wooden block like this, which should be enough for two handles I think:
View attachment 72710
And then a blade like this, obviously mine will be an Ikea knife or some old knife where I like the blades and knock off the handle so I get the pointy end.
View attachment 72711
Then make a hole in the wood and epoxy the blade in it and then shape the handle so it fits.

The classical method. You have to work very precise if you want to make them as slim as in your design. I'd probably take a much thicker piece of wood for the drilling and gluing and work it down later.

 

[Heyo]

It would make an excellent athame. As would the third knife down.

Some of my knifes ended up as athames and I also made some by order with the intent to use as athame.
If I get around to it I'll try bronze casting this year. I want to make something like this:

Pic from Antennendolch – Wikipedia

We don't know but it is speculated that they were mostly used as ceremonial daggers by the Celts.

 

[lewismilton]

So I have been having this idea that I thought it would be fun to try to design my own cutlery, because I have some standard Ikea stuff and because I thought it would be cool to do it as well.

I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing and have just watched a 15-minute YT video so obviously, feel like an expert now But in all honesty, I think if I keep it simple I might be able to do it.

So I made some quick sketches in 3d of some designs, that I think would be cool and that I think is simple enough for me to do. The first image is the most basic design.

View attachment 72648

The second design is where I go crazy!!
View attachment 72649

So the plan is to use some dark wood and if I go crazy mix it with some white wood. I intended to buy the blades from Ikea and then grind down the handle so I can fit my own one's on them as those you can buy from the knife and Infull cutlery shops are very limited and don't really like the look and you can get some from Ikea really cheap, so if things against all expectations should go wrong I haven't spend a lot on it

Have anyone here tried making stuff like this before and can tell me if it's a bad idea or have some tips and tricks?

Hello. I'm looking for a set that strikes a balance between durability and affordability. Stainless steel seems like a good option, but I'm open to suggestions if there are better materials out there. I also want to consider design and ergonomics for comfortable everyday use. Do you have any favorite brands or specific sets you swear by? Any tips on where to find good deals or what to look for when making a purchase? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Agent Smith]

I second the motion. We need good knives.

 

[Nimos]

Hello. I'm looking for a set that strikes a balance between durability and affordability. Stainless steel seems like a good option, but I'm open to suggestions if there are better materials out there. I also want to consider design and ergonomics for comfortable everyday use. Do you have any favorite brands or specific sets you swear by? Any tips on where to find good deals or what to look for when making a purchase? Thanks in advance for your help!

For me, cutlery just has to be pleasant to use and able to go in the dishwasher Not the ones I want to make obviously, as that is more for fun than anything else.

When it comes to kitchen knives, I do like Zwilling knives, they seem to be of good quality and not too expensive. And they have professional knives as well which are slightly more expensive if you are looking for higher quality. But I think they have a nice design and are good for everyday use. But obviously, you should never put them in a dishwasher as it can destroy the handle.

Zwilling knives