To me, from me, by me

[lux]

Damascus steel Custom made KITCHEN cutlery set billet blank WB-873

ROVER.EBAY.COM

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Cutlery sets Damascus Steel Blank BILLET 2 pcs. custom Damascus...  
This is the company I got my blank from in India. I think I paid £14 for mine but remember you have to heat treat it yourself (it may not survive this process).
 
I wanted something cheap for my first go and a got help from a blacksmith with the heat treatment as I've not done it before. The blade has taken a great edge tho and will now be used at work and given some abuse. Total cost to me around £20 + my time.
 
I'm not talking orders unfortunately but if you do one yourself some of the members of arbtalk have incredible collections of timber you may be able to pick handle materials from.
 
Its nice to have your kind comments, it's a generous confidence boost from you all.

There are lots of good materials readily available for learning to make your own readily available. Old leaf springs tend to be good. I’ve made some nice stuff from old farriers rasps which have a high carbon content. Just remember to anneal them first.

[Dbikeguy]

I handle a few knives as i don’t have the kit to forge or temper really. English handmade knives have everything you could want material wise from blades to bolsters, handle blocks and fancy materials. Slightly easier route into custom knife making.
Mini belt grinder and a decent mask makes life a lot easier, most tropical woods will attack your respiratory system when sanding creating fine dust.

[lux]

I end up giving most of mine away. I really enjoy the making process mostly. They would clutter my workshop if I didn’t give them away.

[lux]

here’s the last farriers rasp i used. Stabilised maple burr for the handle. Brass pins made from and old door handle. Have it to a mate of mine when I was done making it. He seemed to like it.

[lux]

Last bit of Damascus I forged I made a ring and joined the band diagonally with solid 18ct gold all the way through. Started life as an oblong lump of Damascus and square bar of gold. Was fiddly business using a noble metal with steels. Tested my patience for sure.

[gobbypunk]

Wow Lux that’s amazing such a talent, I have never had a go at forge work but would definitely love to try my hand at it ,I find it totally fascinating .

[lux]

Thanks.
I’m mainly self taught. Every now and then I pester some blacksmiths I know to go and use their forges and pick up some tips but mostly it’s me messing around on a small propane forge and anvil in the workshop.

[gobbypunk]

Cool as , I will have to look out for a cheap gas forge , I do know a blacksmith but he’s a coke head so unfortunately very unreliable, so a question in the image of the knife made from the rasp would that have needed to be heat treated after shaping or not 

Thanks Mark 

[AHPP]

I do know a blacksmith but he’s a coke head

Many are.

[lux]

Cool as , I will have to look out for a cheap gas forge , I do know a blacksmith but he’s a coke head so unfortunately very unreliable, so a question in the image of the knife made from the rasp would that have needed to be heat treated after shaping or not 
Thanks Mark 

Yes it would. It’s a hardened tool in its original form so you need to anneal it first. Once annealed you can work with it with grinders , belt sanders , disc cutters etc etc. Once you have the shape and most of the angles you want to create whatever working edge you are after you can heat treat and quench it. Test the heat treat with a file and if it’s good give it a couple of tempering cycles in an oven. Do that before it cools completely. You will then be able to set the edge and polish the blade and get into the final sharpening and honing. For final sharpening I use Japanese wet stones and a leather block with a paste.
Farriers rasps are generally high carbon so they can be made extremely sharp but the edge will be less durable than a steel with lower carbon.