Content

• To step
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

There is nothing worse than being insufficiently prepared! Now this doesn't mean you'll ever find yourself in a situation where you have no choice but to forge your own knife, but who knows? It could happen and if it does, you will be glad you read this article!

To step

1. Sharpen your knife with a fine file, then with a whetstone. Then use a buffing compound impregnated with buffing compound to remove any dents and make the blade razor sharp.

Tips

• The anvil should be at a certain level, right by the blacksmith's knuckles. If the height is not correct, you may experience low back pain and not be able to forge correctly.
• Take your time.Making a knife is something that will get better the more time you put into it.
• Don't expect your first knives to be good unless you're already proficient in blacksmithing - it takes months or years of practice to get it right. To learn it, first make simple tools, such as hammers, dowels, nails, etc. This can also prevent the knife from resembling a spoon during a forging course.
• Work the metal evenly on both sides to make it uniform.
• Only work the metal when it is red from the heat or warmer, but do not make it so hot that sparks will splash off the metal. Some metals lose their chemical bonds and become brittle when they cool down, such as iron and cast iron.
• Do not hit the metal too hard with the hammer, even if it is flat flat or you will leave a big ugly dent in it.
• If you want to take the easy way, just use thin metal no greater than the thickness of a brass key; Forge it cold (without heating it) into a shape of your choice, file an edge and then sharpen it with a whetstone or a fine grinding surface.
• Choose metal that has a long life. Ultimately, steel is the best metal to make a tool or product, but it can be expensive and difficult to forge. Do not use softer metals such as tin, zinc, etc. If you only have small quantities, melt them together, but be careful with the melting and boiling points of each metal, as well as with mixing.
• Do not touch the metal until it cools to a point where you can see the color of the metal you started with.
• It is easier if you make a mold out of clay and pour the metal before using the anvil so that it has a shape and is easier to sharpen.

Warnings

• If you only extinguish the edge of your blade (step 9), there is a chance that the blade will warp.
• Metalworking is very dangerous, so be alert, focused and careful when working with the forge. If you see a piece of metal that you know you haven't cooled, use the pliers and not your hands.
• Your knife will become sharp, so don't test it on your thumb!
• Do not put your tools near or in the forge for more than 10 seconds, and do not touch them with your hands, let them cool in the air.

Necessities

• Metal
• An oven
• Tools (such as a hammer)
• Experience with metalworking
• Sensitivity
• Possibly a medical professional