How to Make a Knife From a Sabre Blade
Serious fencers sometimes break a blade through continuous use. The blade may have been used to win a tournament, best a superior foe, or to defend yourself against a particularly challenging attack. The broken pieces speak of past great deeds. You may decide to salvage what you can of your weapon and make a knife from your broken sabre blade.
If your sabre blade is a family heirloom that somehow got damaged, however, you will get far better results seeking the advice of a professional knife maker. Consult an antique dealer before making a knife from an old blade to ensure that you are not about to destroy a valuable piece of history.
This article assumes that you have access to a fully-equipped metal shop, and that you have metalworking experience with stock removal techniques, and with the use of solder, torches, abrasive saws, grinders and other power tools. If you are not an experienced metal worker, please read "Poof! You're a Sword Smith" and work through the lessons at I Forge Iron.com before proceeding (see Resources).
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Things You'll Need
- Drill, 1/4-inch drill bit Old sabre blade Bench, angle or belt grinder Black marker Large propane torch Large pliers or vise grip Piece of 1/4 inch thick by 1 inch wide by 3 inch long brass Abrasive saw Jeweler's file kit Polishing wheel or cloth Brass drawer pull with 1/4-20 threaded hole 3-inch long piece of 3/4-inch diameter copper tubing 1 1/2 inches of 1/4-20 threaded rod 1 small spool low temperature silver bearing solder Emery cloth 80, 120, 240, 400 and 600 grit abrasive 1 coffee can full of water Heavy leather work gloves Wrap-around eye protection Ear protection
Instructions
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1
Decide where on the sabre blade to lay out your knife profile. This article assumes that you are using the tip end of the blade, as this is the most common request for rehilting broken blades. Decide what overall length, including 3 inch long, 1/2 inch wide tang that you want your knife to be, minus the pommel. Cut across sabre blade with an abrasive saw at the tang end of your new blade layout. Reserve scrap for a jewelry project.
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2
Use your choice of grinder to make the tang 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long, leaving an even shoulder on the blade on each side of the tang. Use an abrasive saw to make a 1/4 inch wide, 1 inch long slot, centered in the end of the tang. Use silver bearing solder and a propane torch to attach the 2 inch long, 1/4-20 threaded rod into the slot you just made.
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3
Drill 1/4 inch hole in the center of a piece of 3 inches long, 1 inch wide, 1/4 inch thick brass. Insert a jeweler's file into the hole and work a 1/2 inch wide by 1/4 slot into the brass. Widen the slot a little at a time until it will slide onto your blade tang with a snug fit.
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4
Grind, file and sand guard into a pleasing shape, using 80, 120, 240, 400 and 600 grit abrasives. Use a polishing wheel or cloth to polish your guard. Slide guard onto blade.
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5
Slide copper tubing onto tang. Attach the brass drawer pull by screwing it onto the threaded rod until the copper tubing is snug against the guard. Wrap tubing with colorful twine, leather cord, paracord or wire.
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Tips & Warnings
20-year veteran industrial and artisan blacksmith, sword and knife maker, Gypsy Wilburn, assisted with the accuracy of these instructions.
