How to Make a Knife From a Hacksaw Blade

Hobby knife blades can be made from hacksaw blades. Any hobbyist knows that the cost of supplies like knife blades adds up quickly. Many times, the hobby store does not sell exactly what you need. However, with a little ingenuity, you can make the hobby knife blades you need for a fraction of the cost of store-bought supplies. This article assumes that the reader has a working knowledge of metalworking terminology and techniques, is familiar with the use of a Dremel tool and metalworking hand tools, and knows how to lay out a knife profile on a chosen piece of metal.

Things You'll Need

• Hack saw blade (carbon steel only, not bi-metal or carbide toothed)
• Dremel tool with abrasive cut-off wheel
• Coarse and fine grinding wheels
• Medium and fine sanding drums.
• Coarse and fine sharpening stones
• Old hobby knife blade to trace tang and blade
• Black permanent marker
• Carbide scribe or scratch awl

Instructions

1. 

   Coat the surface of the hacksaw blade with permanent marker, then scribe your tang and desired blade shape onto the surface using a scribe or awl.

2. Use a cutting wheel to cut the profile of your blade and tang. Keep the blade cool with water so that the blade does not lose temper. The blade loses temper if the steel changes color during grinding.

3. 

   Lay the old hobby blade on top of the new one to make sure the tang is same length and width as the manufactured blade. Some popular brands have a hole in the tang, but this is not necessary; a slot like the one in the image will work fine.

4. Grind profile and edge bevels with grinding wheels, then sand all surfaces with the sanding drums. Check tang for proper fit. Adjust as necessary.

5. Use sharpening stones to hone the bevels to a razor-sharp edge. Your new blade is now ready to use.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use bi-metal or carbide-toothed hacksaw blades for this project. Only the teeth of those types of blades have been hardened, so your blade will not hold an edge and will need such frequent sharpening that you will very quickly rub away your blade. Because hacksaw blades are thin, it is very easy for the steel to overheat. Untempered steel is more likely to snap or shatter, which can cause serious injury. Tie back long hair into a bun and wrap it with a snood or scarf to prevent it from being pulled into the air intakes of your Dremel tool. Pulling hair into a pony tail is not enough.

References

• What NOT to Do When Using Your Dremel Tool