I've ground a little steel in my 80 years, (and read a few books on it) and I've seen a few nice knives made from files and such. And Nick's is a nice one. Takes skill to get a blade like that without jigs involved. What Nick means by "too hot" will show up as a BLUE IRIDESCENT color on the steel.That means the steel has reached 900 degrees F. Almost impossible to see on the surface of the file until the "teeth" are gone, but easily seen on the "shiny" part. Blue color doesn't matter much on the handle area, but avoid it on the blade.Keep using your water dip. Every blue spot will be a soft spot which will stay there unless the knife is heat treated again.
I found one in a barn sale box(6 inch folding knife) ..Made From a file in 1840's and carried in the US CIVIL WAR...(Expert realized) Had name scribed and a Heart on one side and Diamond on other which were the Union Army Regimental emblems he fought with. If you get Old era files,NOT WOOD RASPS...(You want Nicholson's,Black Diamond etc ) not Case hardened ,you can make a blade as fine as any you can buy.. I get Pre 1970 Files for Mill metals from my local salvage yard..Even some that are 19.5 inches and all High carbon..Many of those are 1095 steel,(same Tops and Ontario uses)...If made properly,they can be and have been through history,the very finest..You can take the rat tail of the file,heat it glowing red with a hand torch and quench it in warm water or warm oil...Then place it in a vice and hit with a hammer...If it bends over it is JUNK AND DO NOT USE IT FOR A KNIFE....If you bang it with a hammer and it snapped like glass,it is HIGH CARBON CONTENT and use it for a knife....You only do the rat tail,and clamp vice in fat part of file that is left alone because that part you leave alone..Bang,snap,great for knife.......Bang, bend it is junk and Probably low carbon wood rasp or case hardened..Slammer knives that have great edge retention from files....If someone messed up,is because they used bad file or did not have good process...Go see Tops or Ontario knives,that is how great you can shoot for to get your file, because most likely the same 1095 steel the file is made...
Very cool. I highly suggest EAR protection as well.. I have MAJOR tinnitus from NOT wearing ear plugs when I was a younger lad.... I am VERY VERY sorry for it now.... PLEASE protect your hearing!! Nice knife!
Dude, I love the simplicity of all your stuff. I always get so caught up in the finer details in other knife making videos. Yours remind me that I actually don't need a $10,000 shop setup. Keep it up!
I had a whole drawer full of old files given to me. I had no clue what the hell I was going to do with em. Well... now I know! lovin' how that came out! You have some skills my man.
That's a sweet little blade! A couple of items you left out of your list of required tools -- an eye for shape/form and a sure hand using power tools. Some people have both naturally, others have to work at them, but anybody can have them both if they're willing to put a little time into it. Really enjoy your videos.
So I'm about to make a knife using an old file that's broken in half. I'm gonna keep the tang on it and fit it into a piece of hammer handle then pin it and sand it right down :) Very simple knife mate, sexy curves and a nice compact cutting edge. Well done. Iv pinned your vid for later inspiration.
Just bought some large files from a stall at a festival here in the UK so im going to try your simple method dont get me wrong yours looks awsome but ill definitely be puttung a handle on it good job brother and thanks for the video
hey nick i just searched up how to make a knife and you were the first one that i saw of how to make a knife and i really liked how you explained everything. you have now become one of my favorite you-tubers ever.
Thanks for making this video. It inspired me to give it a try for myself. I used a combination of a bench grinder and an angle grinder. I was so excited to get started I neglected to make a video. It was a lot of fun. I decided to add wooden scales to the grip. Right now I've got the wood clamped to the grip with epoxy. I'm going to let it cure overnight before I attempt to shape the wood to make it more ergonomic. I've learned a lot from this build so far. I think my next one is going to be better. I didn't take much time to plan this one out. I just sketched up a reasonable knife shape and jumped into it. :) It's a 10" total length with a blade length of 5 3/4". The scales are hickory. I'm not pinning it this time. Between the wood grain and the file surface on the grip, I think the epoxy should hold just fine. If it ever falls off, I can revisit it.
Nick, Your videos Never disappoint, I know your name will be spoken among the wood and metal working community more and more as long as you continue to share your knowledge with us! Thank you!
Great job, Nick. I'll be making an attempt at one of these this week. Keep the vids coming for us guys with limited blacksmithing tools (and talent}. Joe from Kelso
Nick, that knife is gorgeous! Thanks for the simple DIY tips. I'm really looking forward to making my own. I've never worked with metal because it always seemed intimidating but I guess this is a good start :)
Nick you are the most talented and creative guy i have ever seen. From PVC Bows to knife making... i mean apsolutely outstanding. Well done man. I hope our paths cross someday so i can learn a thing or two from you!
I've done this with a half round 1/4 file, ground both sides to a stout blade going to a point(like 3inch dagger) but still kept the width then in oven for 50mins then heat the tang to melt back the plastic handle. Absolutely great for awkward plastic packaging, cutting cable ties without slicing your fingers off
I made a knife from a file probably 30 years ago. It still holds a great edge and has dressed out more deer than I could ever remember. It's a great way to make a nice knife for practically nothing as you can pick up an old file anywhere. They can be a little tricky sharpening though as the tempered steel is extremely hard and it takes a little while to get a razors edge.
Great work Nick! I absolutely love how it turned out, the elegant lines and the cool factor of the file handle. I bet that would actually provide for some decent grip right? This is actually one of my favorite knife types. Small slender fixed blade perfect for slicing. I find I reach for this kind of knife far more than those big bushcraft knives when I go camping/hiking... You should make more 'less tools' videos. It goes back to the DIY nature of this channel imo.
This is the best video for me so far since I can start tomorrow... Off the get a bench grinder and already have the toaster oven that hits that temp.... Thank you so much... Cheers!! ... I'm excited! :-)
excellent job, not everyone has the eye and "feel" to freehand work on a wheel like that without overheating, and getting the even taper. One thing i might add is that different files are different tempers and steel, if ,,,after you begin grinding and it either heats too quickly or wont hardly grind, you may have a file that is incompatible with these projects.
This is wicked cool.. recently I tried one myself (but with wood scales)... not nearly as nice looking! Your stuff has a wonderful aesthetic quality... it just looks awesome, while being functional, whereas many of us can barely make something functional!
Nick, I love you're enthusiasm and I am planning on doing something similar to your bushcraft knife set from the machete build, keep up the great work!!!
Cool knife neck! I have actually made knives from files a number of times myself in the past and I normally leave the rat tail on the file and use it as a hidden tang. The nice thing about that is that it is soft enough to drill with out annealing the whole knife to a softness that drillable.
That's a good suggestion! That would be a great way to making a full-hardness woodcarving knife without any heat treating at all. Thanks for watching and for your suggestion!
BackyardBowyer Thanks Nick I generally used antler for the handles and would pen them. But one could use other materials. I would mark where the tange would end on the handle material and then drill after the epoxy would set up. Hope to see you do something like that. Have enjoyed your videos for some time now. Thanks again!
Steve buckskinner 54 some advice if you would be so kind, your saying files are hard enough to hold an edge yet soft enough to drill through without annealing? Do you know why this would be, are they just a softer steel or is it a lack of heat treatment from the factory? Nick still tempered this, was that necessary? I am new to making knives so any advice would be helpful.
Very sorry! And thank you for your comment as I need to clarify my comment. What Nick did was correct in annealing it in order to be able to drill the holes in the tang. But the rat tail tang on a file is always soft and does not need to be annealed. I've always used the tang that was on the file instead of breaking it off like many knife makers do and use it as a hidden partial tang. I hope that helps. Thanks again!
Loving this kind of project! Really nice end result too. You should go through the final sanding process next time... Bowie knife with a file using the tang for the handle with maple scales with 3 pins
My first attempt was not nearly so great:/ I do not know how you manage such a smooth and even angle on that bevel with every pass. Mine were all over the place! Great job!
It really helps to go extremely light, almost not touching the grinder and going back and forth over and over. The grinding marks will be uniform and blend together. Hope this helps. Thank you for watching!
This is the method I used to make my first knife. It is a good way to make knives fast, especially if you have some worn out tools that are no good anymore, like a file. Files seem to have the best steel, even the cheap ones, but my first knife was of lower quality steel. Did not take a heat treat well, but hey, I was like 8, ha.
Aren't you going to make a wooden handle for that knife? I think it will look awsome. Great job and thank you for the "simple" instructions. I'm going to start on my knife tomorrow , cause all l need is a bench grinder and l have one.
*hears no noise*
*turns volume all the way up*
"HELLO FELLOW BACK YARD BOWYERS!"
Relatable
I did that too...
Haha me too
Me too
Same
I've ground a little steel in my 80 years, (and read a few books on it) and I've seen a few nice knives made from files and such. And Nick's is a nice one. Takes skill to get a blade like that without jigs involved.
What Nick means by "too hot" will show up as a BLUE IRIDESCENT color on the steel.That means the steel has reached 900 degrees F. Almost impossible to see on the surface of the file until the "teeth" are gone, but easily seen on the "shiny" part. Blue color doesn't matter much on the handle area, but avoid it on the blade.Keep using your water dip. Every blue spot will be a soft spot which will stay there unless the knife is heat treated again.
Made my first file knife the other day and I can say that file knives are perfect for food or small camping stuff
I found one in a barn sale box(6 inch folding knife) ..Made From a file in 1840's and carried in the US CIVIL WAR...(Expert realized)
Had name scribed and a Heart on one side and Diamond on other which were the Union Army Regimental emblems he fought with.
If you get Old era files,NOT WOOD RASPS...(You want Nicholson's,Black Diamond etc ) not Case hardened ,you can make a blade as fine as any you can buy..
I get Pre 1970 Files for Mill metals from my local salvage yard..Even some that are 19.5 inches and all High carbon..Many of those are 1095 steel,(same Tops and Ontario uses)...If made properly,they can be and have been through history,the very finest..You can take the rat tail of the file,heat it glowing red with a hand torch and quench it in warm water or warm oil...Then place it in a vice and hit with a hammer...If it bends over it is JUNK AND DO NOT USE IT FOR A KNIFE....If you bang it with a hammer and it snapped like glass,it is HIGH CARBON CONTENT and use it for a knife....You only do the rat tail,and clamp vice in fat part of file that is left alone because that part you leave alone..Bang,snap,great for knife.......Bang, bend it is junk and Probably low carbon wood rasp or case hardened..Slammer knives that have great edge retention from files....If someone messed up,is because they used bad file or did not have good process...Go see Tops or Ontario knives,that is how great you can shoot for to get your file, because most likely the same 1095 steel the file is made...
Very cool. I highly suggest EAR protection as well.. I have MAJOR tinnitus from NOT wearing ear plugs when I was a younger lad.... I am VERY VERY sorry for it now.... PLEASE protect your hearing!! Nice knife!
I have watched natural cure, chinese massage technique videos on here and it helped me out a lot. Good luck brother.
Underrated comment. Nothing manly about being deff or that high pitch eeeeeeee. Protect your senses folks, its smart not weak.
what .. ??
I worked in a spring factory as well as law Enforcement and I will second the hearing protection as tinnitus is horrible...
Are you his mommy
Nick, you have a seriously good eye for that type of stuff! My attempts would be seriously jacked up.
You've inspired me to try and make a knife from an old file. Thanks for sharing. Great video
I wannna make a file from an old knife.
Dude, I love the simplicity of all your stuff. I always get so caught up in the finer details in other knife making videos. Yours remind me that I actually don't need a $10,000 shop setup. Keep it up!
I had a whole drawer full of old files given to me. I had no clue what the hell I was going to do with em. Well... now I know! lovin' how that came out! You have some skills my man.
That's a sweet little blade! A couple of items you left out of your list of required tools -- an eye for shape/form and a sure hand using power tools. Some people have both naturally, others have to work at them, but anybody can have them both if they're willing to put a little time into it. Really enjoy your videos.
So I'm about to make a knife using an old file that's broken in half. I'm gonna keep the tang on it and fit it into a piece of hammer handle then pin it and sand it right down :)
Very simple knife mate, sexy curves and a nice compact cutting edge. Well done. Iv pinned your vid for later inspiration.
Just bought some large files from a stall at a festival here in the UK so im going to try your simple method dont get me wrong yours looks awsome but ill definitely be puttung a handle on it good job brother and thanks for the video
hey nick i just searched up how to make a knife and you were the first one that i saw of how to make a knife and i really liked how you explained everything. you have now become one of my favorite you-tubers ever.
Thanks for making this video. It inspired me to give it a try for myself. I used a combination of a bench grinder and an angle grinder. I was so excited to get started I neglected to make a video. It was a lot of fun. I decided to add wooden scales to the grip. Right now I've got the wood clamped to the grip with epoxy. I'm going to let it cure overnight before I attempt to shape the wood to make it more ergonomic. I've learned a lot from this build so far. I think my next one is going to be better. I didn't take much time to plan this one out. I just sketched up a reasonable knife shape and jumped into it. :)
It's a 10" total length with a blade length of 5 3/4". The scales are hickory. I'm not pinning it this time. Between the wood grain and the file surface on the grip, I think the epoxy should hold just fine. If it ever falls off, I can revisit it.
I do not know why i like nice simple shaped knives without handles. Good work. : )
Nick, Your videos Never disappoint, I know your name will be spoken among the wood and metal working community more and more as long as you continue to share your knowledge with us! Thank you!
Cool and understandable!
Literally such a nice job. Can’t believe how good that grind is, if you didn’t tell anyone no one would have known it was eyeballed.
You did that really well with just a bench grinder. Blade looks amazing.
Great job, Nick. I'll be making an attempt at one of these this week. Keep the vids coming for us guys with limited blacksmithing tools (and talent}. Joe from Kelso
Lovely work. Appreciate the time you devote to sharing these things. Very inspiring.
You, sir, are a true craftsman. You never cease to amaze me with what you create with such simple tools.
You are the best!! I've made knives for years that didn't work out. Here I go again and I have all the tools.
Nick, that knife is gorgeous! Thanks for the simple DIY tips. I'm really looking forward to making my own. I've never worked with metal because it always seemed intimidating but I guess this is a good start :)
Nick you are the most talented and creative guy i have ever seen. From PVC Bows to knife making... i mean apsolutely outstanding. Well done man. I hope our paths cross someday so i can learn a thing or two from you!
Absolutely brilliant mate, I love it, I have a bench grinder and an old file so I’m going to give it a go and let you no the know the results…..
Masterful knife! I absolutely love the finished product.
This is a cool look for a knife set.
I enjoyed that my friend.....I especially enjoyed the absence of complications and bs thank you. Just subbed.
I've done this with a half round 1/4 file, ground both sides to a stout blade going to a point(like 3inch dagger) but still kept the width then in oven for 50mins then heat the tang to melt back the plastic handle.
Absolutely great for awkward plastic packaging, cutting cable ties without slicing your fingers off
and Pooft! a beautiful blade made effortlessly. All kidding aside. You have one heck of an awesome talent.
Great video! One question, after tempering do you let it air cool or do you quench, and if so, water or oil?
Nick, you made it look so easy. Beautiful job. I'm now going to my tool room to find a spent file.
You do beautiful work. I like the simplicity of your method. Thank you for posting this!
Thanks for the simple breakdown and clear explanation, man! I want to try making one
I made a knife from a file probably 30 years ago. It still holds a great edge and has dressed out more deer than I could ever remember. It's a great way to make a nice knife for practically nothing as you can pick up an old file anywhere. They can be a little tricky sharpening though as the tempered steel is extremely hard and it takes a little while to get a razors edge.
Beautifully simplistic and utilitarian.
Landrew0 Thanks for watching!
That's a sweet little knife, it would pull double duty as a Flint striker too, awesome video thanks for sharing.
Good one. I like re-purposed materials like this. You helped maintain the Zen of the universe.
And made a cool blade...
It's so amazing I will defenitely do this. Next week I will get aelectric grinding machine. And this is the first thing. Gonna do with it xD
very nice. a welcome addition to any kitchen.
Sir, you are one very talented and skillful individual! It is a pleasure to watch you create.
That was insane I didn't think it would b possible im very very impressed
I like that you make it very simple ..nice simple knife
Thank you so much for this video! Great manageable project for a novice and you kind demeanour really made this enjoyable. Thanks again 🤙🏼
Great work Nick! I absolutely love how it turned out, the elegant lines and the cool factor of the file handle. I bet that would actually provide for some decent grip right? This is actually one of my favorite knife types. Small slender fixed blade perfect for slicing. I find I reach for this kind of knife far more than those big bushcraft knives when I go camping/hiking...
You should make more 'less tools' videos. It goes back to the DIY nature of this channel imo.
This is the best video for me so far since I can start tomorrow... Off the get a bench grinder and already have the toaster oven that hits that temp.... Thank you so much... Cheers!! ... I'm excited! :-)
Excellent craftmanship.
Very nice project. Thanks for sharing!
Great Job, Nick. I really enjoy all of your work as well as your books. You are building a legacy, man.
I do like that copper in the handle area. The knife came out really nice for using just a bench grinder. Great job!
That's a sweet knife. Well done, Nick.
Excellent job , very impressive.
Crawfish traps all over the wall! I like it!
Beautiful execution with excellent result.
Oh my... That knife looks amazing!
Dude. Your videos are always so good and informative. Keep it up. You are very crafty. You should be an engineer.
That's a very nice looking knife... Bravo...
The best use for old worn out files!
Waited about 20 seconds at the end of video waiting for the release, thought it was slow motion lol. Cool video man.
excellent job, not everyone has the eye and "feel" to freehand work on a wheel like that without overheating, and getting the even taper. One thing i might add is that different files are different tempers and steel, if ,,,after you begin grinding and it either heats too quickly or wont hardly grind, you may have a file that is incompatible with these projects.
This is wicked cool.. recently I tried one myself (but with wood scales)... not nearly as nice looking! Your stuff has a wonderful aesthetic quality... it just looks awesome, while being functional, whereas many of us can barely make something functional!
Nick, I love you're enthusiasm and I am planning on doing something similar to your bushcraft knife set from the machete build, keep up the great work!!!
beautiful work, very elegant looking blade.
Like all your knife making videos.
+MacQ1955 Thanks!
thanks, great video because you where prepared and ready to perform the task. thanks again.
turned out great my man! looks beautiful!
Keagan Felker Thanks!
That's an awesome knife! Especially with the limitations you put on yourself. Keep up the great stuff! Define Your Legacy!
Cool knife and a well presented video!
Cool knife neck!
I have actually made knives from files a number of times myself in the past and I normally leave the rat tail on the file and use it as a hidden tang. The nice thing about that is that it is soft enough to drill with out annealing the whole knife to a softness that drillable.
That's a good suggestion! That would be a great way to making a full-hardness woodcarving knife without any heat treating at all. Thanks for watching and for your suggestion!
BackyardBowyer
Thanks Nick
I generally used antler for the handles and would pen them. But one could use other materials. I would mark where the tange would end on the handle material and then drill after the epoxy would set up. Hope to see you do something like that. Have enjoyed your videos for some time now. Thanks again!
Steve buckskinner 54 some advice if you would be so kind, your saying files are hard enough to hold an edge yet soft enough to drill through without annealing? Do you know why this would be, are they just a softer steel or is it a lack of heat treatment from the factory? Nick still tempered this, was that necessary? I am new to making knives so any advice would be helpful.
Very sorry! And thank you for your comment as I need to clarify my comment. What Nick did was correct in annealing it in order to be able to drill the holes in the tang. But the rat tail tang on a file is always soft and does not need to be annealed. I've always used the tang that was on the file instead of breaking it off like many knife makers do and use it as a hidden partial tang. I hope that helps. Thanks again!
Bryson Gainey Also referred to my original comment. Thanks
Cool looking knife! You do a fine job!
Very cool afternoon project.
That knife came out beautiful!
Outstanding. Great video Nick. Thanks.
Sometimes, Nick--you're just amazing. Now I must buy your books...Thanks! :)
I love this design.
Wow fingershooting like a badass over here
Great work! Now I'm going to make one like it! Thanks!
When you said lung protection, I immediately pictured a suit of armour xD haha.
Very dope! Wish I had that kind of artistic inclination.
Loving this kind of project! Really nice end result too. You should go through the final sanding process next time... Bowie knife with a file using the tang for the handle with maple scales with 3 pins
ninjaplease Thanks for the suggestion!
HUZZAH!!! i am once again a fellow backyardbowyer great to see you again nick!
You made that look easy. Great job.
Thanks Nick really enjoyed the tutorial. I was impressed with your design.
My first attempt was not nearly so great:/
I do not know how you manage such a smooth and even angle on that bevel with every pass. Mine were all over the place!
Great job!
It really helps to go extremely light, almost not touching the grinder and going back and forth over and over. The grinding marks will be uniform and blend together.
Hope this helps. Thank you for watching!
This is the method I used to make my first knife. It is a good way to make knives fast, especially if you have some worn out tools that are no good anymore, like a file. Files seem to have the best steel, even the cheap ones, but my first knife was of lower quality steel. Did not take a heat treat well, but hey, I was like 8, ha.
You got some mad skills with the grinder.
Nick, I enjoyed your DIY knife from a file. Nice job!
Now I gots ta finish my knife...
keep up the good work. ..
tanx...
Very nice and simple! I like it ! thanks for the video
Love the simplicity of this knife and the harbor freight throwing knifves. Could you make a Bowie knife?!
I can if you have 500 bucks.
great video and very inspirational. Thank you so much for posting this, i cant wait to start making knives.
Great lookn knife. Love your videos. Thanks
That dude is like the Bob Ross of knife making. He's just out here making happy little knives....
Excellent work, Nick!
I know this video is quite old now, but can you remember a rough amount of time it took you from start to finish?
Nick, you do beautiful work!
Aren't you going to make a wooden handle for that knife? I think it will look awsome. Great job and thank you for the "simple" instructions. I'm going to start on my knife tomorrow , cause all l need is a bench grinder and l have one.
Nice little utility knife, Good looking with a lot of potential to.
I think a sword from metal pipe would be really cool to see on this, nice job with the knife too!
i achieved ultimate relaxation when the rain storm kicked in at 3:13