Damascus steel

Make Your Own Bush Knife (Part 2)

We got our home forge set up in part 1 of this article. In this second and final part, we offer a quick review of the steps necessary to flatten and draw out raw steel into a workpiece and how to forge the blade, point and handle. We also review the necessary thermal treatments and finishing operations to the final product.

Bradley Richardson

June 5, 2020

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In part 1 of this article, we discussed how to get started forging your own knife. We considered the tools that you would need, the selection of a knife design, the selection of the right steel and making a simple forge for use at home. Now that we’ve gotten this far, it’s time to get to work.

Make Your Own Bush Knife (part 1)

This article is intended to guide the home forging enthusiast in setting up a forging shop to make knives. It is excerpted from my book on knifemaking, which was published in 2020 by Fox Chapel Publishing. Part I will take you through setting up your home forge; blade design and material selection; and making a simple forge using a propane torch as a fuel source.

Bradley Richardson

April 3, 2020

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The knife is one of humankind’s first tools. The first knives were made about 2.5 million years ago by battering sharp flakes from stone, oftentimes used with a wooden or bone handle.