In addition, there are many different bowie knives, with blade sizes ranging from large to small and with handles that are easy to grip firmly. These knives can be used for hunting, camping, as well as kitchen chores such as cutting or chopping.
The blade of modern hunting knives is typically made from stainless steel or the toughest Damascus steel. Metals used in manufacturing are an important aspect of determining sharpness, toughness, corrosion resistance, and final polishing.
Most outdoor enthusiasts use straight hunting knives. They can be folded, lock-back, or used for skinning and gutting, but the basic straight hunting knife is the best for multiple tasks.
Read Also: Best Damascus Kitchen Knife Sets
REQUIRED MATERIALS TO MANUFACTURE THE MASTERPIECE KNIVES:
Handles are often made of exotic woods or bones, as well as leather to contour them to their final form.
Knives are customized according to their purpose based upon the materials selected for their blades or handles. Material such as leather and nylon is selected for field use because they are the most durable and functional.
Our next step will be to start the manufacturing process after we’ve selected the best stainless steel material.
1. DESIGN CRAFTING
Your first step is to find the most suitable design option according to your needs. To achieve the best outcome, try several sketches of your design on paper.
As a result, you will be able to mix and match infinitum and come up with unique results. You can take out your inner insider artist by using free resources and showing your vision in steel.
If you don’t like drawing, there’s another option for you: use a free CAD program called DraftSight to draw the best possible design. To determine the dimensions correctly, you take a hard copy of the design.
2. HEAT TREATMENT PROCESS (ANNEALING)
Your design is now in your mind before you begin. A Bowie knife’s greatness can be achieved by annealing or heating the metal.
It is not necessary to anneal the metal, but it will make the process of molding, drilling, and grinding easier. A blade made under these conditions without heating would be extremely brittle and subject to cracking under hard use.
The steel must be annealed in a heating oven if you have one. There is nothing complicated or difficult about this procedure.
Instruction:
- Bury the rasp in a metal toolbox filled with clean, dry wood ash after heating it to nonmagnetic conditions. The burying of the metal will help to insulate it and allow it to cool gradually. As the steel cools, it becomes softer, making it easier to handle.
Do not rush the cooling process; once you start drilling, filling, and grinding, it will be worth the wait.
3. DESIGNING THE KNIFE
The real work begins once the metal has cooled. Follow the hard copy design when cutting the rasp. As soon as the teeth have been cut, they should be ground off from all rough sides. Because of the memory of the rasp, the knife is given a distinctive look and provides a nice, flat surface for working.
Smoothening procedures can be carried out with an angle grinder, but the basic tools will also suffice.
As soon as you have ground off the teeth, you can drill according to the design you have drawn. It is very effective to spray dark-colored paint on the metal.
4. FINAL NOTCHING AND CLEANING
Using a hacksaw or cutting wheel, you may now give the piece a final shape by notching it out. It will be easier to complete the task this way. Files or angle grinders are used after the steel is removed in bulk from the design drawn.
Instructions:
- You will find it easier to remove small metal pieces from the finalized knife design than to make large cuts. As a result, the knife may be damaged or altered in shape.
5. DRILLING HOLES AND FILLING PINS
This is the point at which the blade begins to take shape. The design has been drawn in accordance with the sketch, and now it is time to determine the material that will be used for the handle.
You have a variety of options when it comes to manufacturing durable handles, you can go from mild to wild. You may wish to consider wooden or leather handles if you would like to remain on the traditional side. The tang of the handle can be elongated to increase its strength and grip.
The holes need to be drilled in order to attach pins to the handle material. The threads can be used as built-in clamping bolts to ensure a tight and solid fit.
6. GRINDING OR MACHINING
Having cleaned up the profile and drilled all necessary holes, it is time to grind the rough areas of the profile before preparing the blade for hardening.
Alternatively, a bench-top grinder or even a good, sharp file can perform the same function, as can your trusty 4-inch angle grinder.
To ensure less work is required after hardening, the bulk metal is simply removed evenly from the blade or cutting edge.
Be careful not to grind and grind, resulting in a thin, easily breakable knife edge. Leaving at least a penny thickness on the edge will prevent overheating and decarburization after the cutting edge is formed. You’ll get the longest edge life this way.
Finish off the rough edges with sandpaper or a flap disc.
Instructions:
- Make sure you remove all deep, heavy scratches, as they may cause cracks and joints during the hardening process.
7. HEATING AND QUENCHING
The steel needs to be hardened now. A forge or torch can be used to achieve a critical temperature that will render the blade nonmagnetic.
Heat the blade slowly, bringing it to the required temperature, and then check it with a magnet. As soon as the cutting edge reaches a nonmagnetic level, dip or quench it only for hardening. Strengthen and toughen the knife by leaving its spine slightly softer.
Oil or water can be used for quenching purposes. When the blade is submerged in oil, it will lose all its color and turn black.
Quenching oil can be made from a variety of materials, each of which is preferred by the individual. You can use Canola oil, mineral oil, or ATF transmission fluid depending on the type of steel you are using.
Instructions:
Mixing hot steel with oil can lead to a fire, so be careful and take appropriate precautions. The following precautions should be taken:
- A well-ventilated area
- Space should be free of flammable materials
- Personal protective gear should be present
- A fire extinguisher is a must
8. HARDNESS TESTING
Once the blade has cooled, remove it from the oil and clean it. To accomplish this task, you can use a brake cleaner or use dish soap and warm water.
Are you currently considering how to determine the hardness of the material?
There are two simple ways to check this. In the event that the blade is hardened successfully, you will see a clean steel area on the cutting edge where the carbon scale has been removed.
Second, a sharp and fresh file can be used to check for hardened blades. You should be able to slide the file over the knife’s cutting edge easily and it should not bite into it. Go ahead with tempering if you are successful in this process.
9. HEATING OR TEMPERING
During tempering, the blade is heated again at a lower temperature than during annealing. Heat is applied to reduce brittleness and increase toughness.
You may once again use a heat-treating oven. Toaster ovens and basic household ovens may also be used.
The first step is to place your blade in the oven. As the steel oxidizes on heating, the clean portion will change its color. The color-changing indicates the completion of the heat treatment and temper.
Temperature increases cause the color to change from an intense gold to a shade of bronze straw, then to a light purple, which will finally turn into a dark blue or almost black.
During use, the blade should be hard enough to maintain the cutting edge, yet soft enough not to chip or break.
Instructions:
- Place a sheet pan on the bottom rack of the regular household oven in order to achieve an even heat distribution. The heat will be kept closer to the element and temperature fluctuations will be minimized as a result.
10. FINAL FINISHING AND POLISHING
A high quality, strong, and tough Bowie knife is manufactured at this stage by hardening and tempering the blade, which is then ready to be final finished, and will have a fine cutting edge.
A final edge can be obtained by removing only a small amount of steel. Avoid overheating the blade during the removal of steel by going slowly instead of rushing. If the steel remains bright and glossy, you are doing well. The blade’s temper will be lost if any discoloration occurs at this stage as a result of overheating.
The process of polishing and sharpening can either be performed by hand or by using a machine.
As part of the previous steps, grinding and filling will also result in a finished edge for the bevels. The surface should be polished at a minimum of 220 grit. Higher-grit polishes will produce a smoother and more shiny surface, and they will be less likely to rust due to more fluid cuts.
MANUFACTURING OF A HANDLE FOR A BOWIE KNIFE:
Now that you have made the blade, you are ready to begin manufacturing. We will proceed step by step.
SELECTION OF MATERIAL:
Handles can be formed from a variety of materials, as we discussed earlier. An exotic wood handle, animal bone handle, leather handle, nylon handle, or any other material can be used. The material of the handle is carefully chosen to provide a good grip, a durable composition, and a pleasing aesthetic appearance.
DESIGN TRACING:
The next step is to lay out the scales and trace the handle design after selecting the material.
Instructions:
- Avoid using permanent markers when marking the design. To avoid permanent stains or stains on natural or unsterilized materials, use a pencil.
DRILLING THE HOLES:
You may need to drill holes according to design considerations or for blade attachment.
Instructions:
- A drill press will help to confirm that the holes are square and accurate after making a light mark with the drill.
SMOOTH, DRILL, AND BONDING:
Always assume that a smooth-looking handle material is finished and fine. Several light sandings will be necessary to flatten the scales. For better bonding, the surface has also been roughened.
Place glue on the flattened inside surface of one scale and then glue it to the other using a drill press.
SHAPING OF THE SCALES:
As another step in the process of profiling the front of the scales, a light glue bond is used to bind the scales together. Due to the difficulty of cleaning the front without scratching and scuffing the blade after attachment.
SEPARATE THE SCALES:
Taking the edge of your everyday carry blade, place it between the scales after the holes have been drilled and rough-shaped. With a gentle tap, you can easily separate them, and you can now add any spacer you choose.
TRACE AND ATTACHMENT:
Make a trace of the handle shape on the spacer material and cut it out. The separator should now be glued to the inside of the scales. It is necessary to use different bonding agents for different materials.
BONDING AGENTS:
GATHERING THE ASSEMBLY:
As soon as you’ve prepared the separator and scales, it’s time to assemble them. Joining can be done with brass bolts, which are simple and traditional.
The bolt can also be threaded to add an additional mechanical bond to the handle assembly. Once the parts have been fitted, spray them with brake cleaner to ensure they are dust and oil-free and have a smooth bonding surface.
PINS SETTING:
Having joined and added pins, you are now able to use an angle grinder, a file, or a hacksaw, depending on what you were using previously. You will be able to flush your pins if you clean off the head of the bolt.
Instructions:
- When setting the pins, use a slow pace as the brass heats up quickly, reducing the strength of the adhesive bond.
FINAL CLEANING AND SHAPING:
At this point, you are almost finished. All that remains is to clean up the handle and shape it in such a way that it fits comfortably in your hands. Take your time when performing this cleaning.
Cut and chop with this knife in order to determine what, where, and how the material should be removed. Sandpaper can be used to polish and finish the handle.
It’s done! It is in your hands to create the knife of your dreams.
Final Words: Manufacture The Masterpiece Knives
To build the iconic masterpieces of Bowie knives, our manufacturers follow the entire process. Each knife is handcrafted and has a high level of quality and durability. Customized knives can be ordered based on your specifications. These knives are incredible and extraordinary, so save your time and purchase them now.
