Knife Making Course

Lesson 1 • Essential Tools and Equipment

Surveys the core hand tools, power tools, and measuring instruments needed. Students learn to set up a functional beginner workspace.

Lesson 2 • Steel Selection and Properties

Introduces carbon and stainless steel families and their trade-offs. Guides material choice based on intended knife use.

Lesson 3 • Design Principles and Blueprinting

Teaches how to translate a knife concept into a scaled drawing. Accurate blueprints reduce material waste and guide every later step.

Lesson 4 • Knife Anatomy and Terminology

Covers every structural part of a knife from tip to pommel. Establishes shared vocabulary used throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Grinding Primary Bevels

Introduces hollow, flat, and convex bevel geometry and grinding technique. Consistent bevel angles define blade performance and aesthetics.

Lesson 2 • Cutting and Profiling the Blank

Covers transferring a template outline and cutting the rough profile. Accurate profiling reduces grinding time and material loss.

Lesson 3 • Filing and Hand Finishing the Blank

Develops hand-filing skills for areas the grinder cannot reach cleanly. File work refines geometry and prepares surfaces for heat treatment.

Lesson 1 • Anvil, Hammer, and Tong Selection

Identifies anvil features, hammer weights, and tong jaw styles suited to blade work. Correct tooling reduces fatigue and improves forging control.

Lesson 2 • Forging the Bevels and Tang

Develops technique for setting primary bevels and forging a full or hidden tang. Forged bevels reduce grinding time and improve grain flow.

Lesson 3 • Forge Setup and Fuel Management

Covers propane forge assembly, burner tuning, and fuel safety. A correctly tuned forge reaches forging temperature efficiently and safely.

Lesson 4 • Drawing Out and Tapering Steel

Teaches hammer angles and blow placement to elongate and taper bar stock. Efficient drawing out conserves heat and reduces hammer blows needed.

Lesson 1 • Troubleshooting Heat Treatment Defects

Identifies causes of cracks, warps, soft spots, and decarburization. Systematic diagnosis prevents repeated failures in future blades.

Lesson 2 • Forge and Kiln Heat Sources

Compares propane forges, electric kilns, and salt pots for heat treatment. Matching the heat source to the steel ensures repeatable results.

Lesson 3 • Hardening and Quenching Techniques

Covers soak times, quench media selection, and interrupted quench methods. Proper quenching locks in hardness while limiting warp and cracking.

Lesson 4 • Tempering for Toughness

Teaches tempering cycles, temperature ranges, and their effect on hardness. Tempering converts brittle martensite into a tough, usable blade.

Lesson 1 • Achieving a Satin or Mirror Polish

Teaches buffing compounds, polishing wheels, and hand stropping for high-gloss results. Polish level is matched to the knife's intended use.

Lesson 2 • Progressive Abrasive Finishing

Guides students through grit sequences from coarse to fine on the grinder and by hand. Each stage removes the scratches of the previous stage.

Lesson 3 • Normalizing Grind After Heat Treatment

Addresses scale removal and geometry correction on the hardened blade. This step restores accurate bevels before fine finishing begins.

Lesson 1 • Shaping and Contouring the Handle

Develops grinding, filing, and sanding skills to shape the handle to ergonomic contours. Comfortable grip geometry reduces user fatigue.

Lesson 2 • Handle Material Selection

Surveys wood, synthetic, bone, and composite handle materials and their properties. Material choice affects grip, durability, and visual appeal.

Lesson 3 • Adhesive Selection and Glue-Up

Teaches epoxy mixing ratios, surface preparation, and clamping pressure for handle bonding. Proper adhesion prevents handle failure under stress.

Lesson 4 • Handle Finishing and Sealing

Applies oils, waxes, or synthetic coatings to protect and beautify the handle. Proper sealing extends handle life and enhances grip texture.

Lesson 1 • Whetstone and Waterstone Sharpening

Develops consistent angle control and stroke technique on bench stones. Stone sharpening builds the foundational skill for all hand sharpening methods.

Lesson 2 • Specialty Edge Profiles

Introduces serrated, recurve, and asymmetric edge geometries and their sharpening methods. Specialty edges serve specific cutting tasks and require adapted technique.

Lesson 3 • Edge Geometry Fundamentals

Covers edge angle, edge thickness behind the edge, and their effect on cutting performance. Geometry choices are matched to the knife's intended task.

Lesson 4 • Stropping and Honing

Covers leather strop use, honing compounds, and ceramic rod technique. Stropping aligns and polishes the apex for a razor-sharp final edge.

Lesson 1 • Filework and Decorative Spine Work

Teaches file patterns on the spine, choil, and guard for decorative effect. Consistent filework requires precise layout and controlled file strokes.

Lesson 2 • Guard and Bolster Fabrication

Develops skills for fitting, soldering, and finishing metal guards and bolsters. A well-fitted guard protects the hand and defines the knife's style.

Lesson 3 • Etching and Surface Treatments

Covers acid etching, forced patina, and electrolytic etching for blade aesthetics and corrosion resistance. Surface treatments are matched to steel type.

Lesson 4 • Final Quality Inspection and Testing

Establishes a systematic checklist for geometry, finish, fit, and edge quality. Objective testing confirms the knife meets functional and aesthetic standards.