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How to Make Flint Knives

While flint knives may have been a staple of existence for our ancestors, today they are usually nothing more than a fun little hobby̵2;unless you happen to find yourself stranded in the wilderness with nothing but a rock and a smile, of course. The construction of flint knives is a relatively rudimentary process, requiring a few simple tools and a lot of time. But, for those with the patience, it can be an enjoyable and satisfying exercise.

Things You'll Need

Flat, sharp-edged flint rock
Chipping tool (Chisel or chisel-shaped rock, bone, or antler)
Pointed flaking tool (Sharp chisel, or pointed bone or soft iron)
Leather strip

Instructions

- 1
  Hold the flat piece of flint in your hand and strike it with the chipping tool. Angle your strikes so that they are glancing blows, delivered near the edge of the flint blade. This is both to shape the blade and to prepare the knife-blade for sharpening .
- 2
  Continue to chip away at the flint stone until it is in the approximate shape of a knife blade. The blade itself should only be about six inches long, and it should not be very thick as this will hamper your ability to cut things with it.
- 3
  Chip parts of the flint away from the bottom three inches of the blade so that the bottom section is narrower than the rest of the blade. This is where you will wrap the leather strips around to form the handle.
- 4
  Sharpen the blade portion of the flint with your pointed sharpening tool once you have finished chipping it into the desired shape. Do this by pressing the sharpening tool against the blade near the edge then pushing outwards. This will cause small flint flakes to chip off.
- 5
  Continue to sharpen the blade until you have covered the full length of the knife, then repeat the process for the opposite side. This process will take quite some time, and must be done carefully as a misstep at this point could ruin your knife.
- 6
  Wrap the handle portion of the flint with the leather strip and tie them off securely. Place the approximate center of the leather strip against the handle, then wrap both ends of the strip around so that you wind up with two small lengths of leather left over once the handle has been wrapped.Tie off the strips with a simple square knot at the very bottom of the knife so that the knot does not irritate your palm when you hold it and use it.

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