Bit by the Dirk bug

[BuchananBiker]

So i just can't fight it. I want to make a dirk. Now I flew through making my sgian duhb, and i surely do like it. But for something like this, I want to take my time and really do a good job on it.
So I started tonight selecting a good piece of steel. A length of tool steel was selected. I cut a piece down to 19 3/4 inches by 3 inches by 1/8 inch.





Now I didn't want to jump right on a grinder, because the heat would de-temper the steel, so I made a couple crude cuts with a liquid cooled band saw. Then I rough ground the basic shape I want.



I didn't get any farther, because I didn't have the antler with me I want to use for a handle. In the next few days, I want to plan out the hilt, the handle and pomel and really take my time crafting each part. I plan on this being a working blade and taking it hunting and camping (preferably with a flintlock rifle i have my eye on).
As stuff happens, I'll keep you posted.
But first, I need to figure out a better way to transport the stupid thing on a motorcycle. haha

[Chirs]

Nice. I'm looking forward to the saga.

[Mipi]

Hopefully this will be a step-by-step instructions.

[Brasilikilt]

Tool steel...liquid cooled band saw?? Sounds like you work in a machine/fab shop or have some pretty nice toys at home :-)

I sure hope you jazz the handle up with some brass fittings or poured pewter!

[Mark E.]

Just a reminder-a dirk is NOT just a big sgian. Think balance, differential tempering, fuller positions, point types, grind type and what you plan to use it for...

Also, I would de-temper via a torch-that way, you can start from the bottom up and ensure you get the temper you want, instead of something questionable, and it is much easier to work. Just me. The type of steel you buy can guarantee a temper will take-how you get it there is usually the end of the process.

[zirrow]

... by 1/8 inch.

is that a just a trick of the camera angle or is the steel 1/4"?

[BuchananBiker]

Nope, not a trick of the light. Just a typo while I was working third shift, after finishing up second shift at another job.

Good catch!

[Brasilikilt]

I second what Mark E. said, but depending on what type of tool steel you have, un-tempering by torch may not be the way to go.
While this would be fine for a lot of steels, some steels air harden and could get so brittle that it cracks or shatters.
If possible, find out what kind of tool steel you have. If there's no sure way of knowing, you could always cut off a small piece to test.

[BuchananBiker]

So I've pondered this a bit. Since I plan on bringing this hunting, camping and hiking I'm going to rethink the hilt and handle a bit. I'm still going to give it an antler grip, but I'm going to make it a full tang. This dirk is going to have a hard life, so this just seems to me to be the right way to go.
And being a bush tool and not meant for sword fights, it's gonna get a scandi grind.
With any luck, I'll have time tonight to do a little more work on it.

[Dale Seago]

And being a bush tool and not meant for sword fights, it's gonna get a scandi grind.

If you WERE going to be traditional and have it represent a cut-down broadsword or backsword blade, it would be a "Moran" style or convex edge.

What really drives me buggy about DIY dirk projects is the way they're so often misproportioned -- the biggest (literally) things being handles 'way too long, and blades much broader and thicker than sword blades were.

Historically, dirks weren't "meant for sword fights" either: They were stabbing/slicing weapons meant for puncturing and cutting, um, meat. If you ever want some good clues as to how they probably were historically used, the dagger-fighting sections of surviving medieval and Renaissance-era European training manuals would be useful.