Custom Knife Making

Round-Tanged Bowie Knife

• The Round-Tanged Bowie Knife is ideal for beginners. This is made of a blade that has a round-shaped tang to put into the handle, a guard, a pommel, a handle and some type of fixative to hold everything into place. This is a very useful combination of tools and items that is a great place to start.

Safety

• Safety precautions are essential. Custom knife making can be dangerous if you don't know exactly what you're doing. Sharp blades must be tightly and safely wrapped up in masking tape. Also, beginners should make sure to always wear goggles or safety glasses.

Warning

• Carbon steel alloys have the ability to produce dust that can be extremely hazardous to your health if you breathe it in. Because of this potential danger, knife making beginners (as well as seasoned pros) should always have a reliable breathing filter available.

Starter Kits

• Beginners learning about custom knife making should consider buying ready-made starter kits instead of attempting to assemble the various different parts themselves. There are a lot of different useful custom knife starter kits, including Bowie knife kits as well as folding knife kits.

Essential Tools

• Custom knife makers always need to have certain important tools on hand--including soldering irons, vises (which function as your "extra" hand), whetstone, files and sandpaper (of various grains). It's a good idea to make sure you buy high-quality tools, as an efficient tool will make your experience as a beginner in custom knife making significantly easier and more enjoyable.