4 Inch Drawknife Build

[R.F.Bennett]

Building A Drawknife with a four inch cutting blade from stock hardware.

You will need; Good metal file, hacksaw, sharpening stone, 1/2 metal cutting drill bit.
Materials; 1/8 X 1" cold rolled steel 9 inches long, Lutz 1C file handle or equivalent.
Helpful but not necessary; Chunk of beeswax, WD40, Small combination square, permanent marker.


http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?album=141&pos=0

Lay out your pattern and trace onto steel using a permanent marker. Note that the pattern includes 1 inch of the blade. So lay out one end, add 2 inches then flip the pattern over and trace the other end you could extend the length of your drawknife by just adding to the 2" section. Mark the center of the 1/2" drill holes and give them each a good hit with a center punch.


http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?album=141&pos=1

Drill the 1/2" holes for the radius where the tang and blade meet. Then using a hacksaw cut along the lines that intersect at the holes removing all the material with squiggly lines in image 2. Now is also a good time to cut the knife away from any extra steel if your bar was long. Rub beeswax on the sides of the sawblade to help it keep from binding. It would also be helpfull to insert your blade to cut on the pull stroke. Take your time, the cleaner the cuts now the less filing you'll have to do later.


http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?album=141&pos=2

The completed knife blank.


http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?album=141&pos=3

The cuts are dressed (Smoothed and rounded) using a coarse 8 inch metal file.


http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?album=141&pos=4

Bevel is filed on the top side of the blade. Make your bevel between 20 and 30 degrees. The harder the wood you intend to cut the sharper the angle. So an "All around" tool would be best at 25 degrees. Do not be tempted to bash away at this bevel with a bench grinder unless you have the capability of re-tempering the edge. If you do use a grinder use quick, lite strokes. If the steel turns blue you've overheated it.




Closeup of tang and bevel. Note the stops on the tang to keep the handle from going on too far. The ferrule on the handle will set against these.


http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?album=141&pos=6

The handles are drilled out with a 7/32" bit from the ferrule end. This is for an approximately 1/4" tang. No glue is needed once you drive them on they aren't coming off unless you break them. Sharpen with progressively finer stones and as needed rub in a good bit of boiled linseed oil into the handles and onto the blade to prevent rust. If used on fresh or wet wood clean it up and reapply the oil. If you use other nondrying oils such as mineral oil or WD40 this oil could rub off on your project and effect the finish. Use only Boiled linseed oil.


http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/displayimage.php?album=141&pos=7

I prefer the Lutz file handle because of the long ferrule it gives good support and won't split easily when the tang is driven in and at about $3.00 each US. It's just not worth my time to lathe them. You can get them through;

Lutz File & Tool Co.
Division of Maine Wood Turning Inc.
P.O Box 268
New Vineyard, ME 04956

Or I got mine from here:

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(mdg10p45ezddgu45pmwe2c45)/productDetails.aspx?SKU=21335

I also bought the files I used there. Very nice set for the price.

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(mdg10p45ezddgu45pmwe2c45)/ProductDetails.aspx?SKU=2005908&

No. Not an affiliate.

[Oceaneer99]

Outstanding job and write-up, Ray!

Garet

[gera]

Congratulations............real nice job!!!!!!!

[R.F.Bennett]

Thanks Gents, I hope to see some more of them posted here soon.        

[R.F.Bennett]

I can't believe this thing has been viewed 905 times and no builds. I have more to do, but I don't know 

[dave_t]

I like it a lot, but so far haven't dared to try metalworking. I bought my drawknife about seven years ago, this one... http://countryworkshops.org/drawknife.html... but wow, it has gone up in price a bit since I bought it. It may be too heavy-duty for most solid models though.

[R.F.Bennett]

All you need is a drill and files and it's only 4 inches.