How to make a knife using simple tools

You need tools to make tools, I’ve got a tool chest to fill up. This season we explore a third generation of tools. The first tools were made by hand in natural materials: stones and stick. The second generation in metal using stones and sticks and now that tools can be used to make even better tools… tool-tools if you will.
This time I made a knife, hafted it in cherry wood and used it to make a sheath in birch bark. The sand stones in this area are not hard or fine grained enough to sharpen hardened spring steel in a good way so I sharpened it before the hardening process and tempered it to a brown/purple color: approximately 270˚C (520˚F). When doing it in this order one need to be careful not overheating the edge or keeping it hot for too long losing its carbon. During the summer time birch bark can be harvested and used the same day. That way no added heat or hot water is needed, it does not crack. But do not harvest birch bark without the permission of the landowner. The tree normally survives bark harvest but is made sensitive to fungi and droughts.
I normally do not describe the craft process verbally in these videos. But I am careful not to miss decisive steps of the process. Watch carefully and you will be able to replicate the process... given time and patience. But the experience, seeing it done is the focus here. Seeing is doing. And do not be fooled, a knife is not made off-grid in 15 minutes. Particularly the wet stone grinding is a tedious process. I almost feel like a liar to cut it this short.
The blade took me approximately 12 working hours to make including all the camera work, walking between the work sites and an ugly haft made but not used in the end. Out of the 12 hours 2 h 40 min was spent on forging the blade followed by about 5 hours grinding. 30 min was used on making the sheath. 1 h on the haft used. And then 4 hours to do everything else.
Do not miss the videos where I made the earlier tool-tools. Like if you enjoyed it, also comment and subscribe if you have not already, that is the only way for the KZbin algorithm to notice me and recommend the videos to others.

[@chrisdaube5435]

Thank you for returning to basics. They have served humanity well. Cheers

[@gustavthane2233]

It has, and it likely will again. Keeping tha bond close will one day serve us well again, make us less sensitive.

[@ludvigodman5236]

Excellent. And the chest proves to be a great worktable.

[@gustavthane2233]

It does. Kill your darlings they say, cut your own chest I say 😉

[@adelheidsnel5171]

So glad to see a video of you again! Very well executed as usual

[@gustavthane2233]

Thank you, I appreciate it, there will be a few more the coming months, as soon as I get the time to edit.

[@uwatenage9]

Gustav, I can't tell you how much I enjoy your videos! they are so inspiring! I have watched and learned from ALL of your videos. tack så mycket!

[@gustavthane2233]

Thank you so much, I sometimes doubt the value of these videos but then someone comes along like you and tell me of its worth, motivates me to keep bringing the camera.

[@prestonlandolt]

Very well made! This is that kind of content that will just blow up randomly. One day and be very popular!

[@gustavthane2233]

Thank you. Well that would have been fun, we'll see.

[@yoman2854]

You deserve more views with the skills you have but hopefully more people will discover your channel soon!

[@gustavthane2233]

Thank you, yes, let's hope so. One day perhaps. As we wait I keep making the videos for you guys.

[@yoman2854]

@@gustavthane2233 🙏

[@madsrasmussen5536]

Nice job!

[@gustavthane2233]

Thank you

[@pauhblo8868]

Could you please make a spear?

[@tiresomekarma4054]

I just recently found your channel and I love the work that you do, I've been thinking about starting from stone tools and working towards the iron age and maybe towards the industrial revolution. There's another channel called "how to make everything" that started from the stone age and is working towards the industrial revolution, making everything from the tools they make. I'll be it not as high quality as yourself but a lot of useful information nonetheless. Keep up the great work. Edit ( also here's a link to some tools that you can make that'll help with splitting wood and woodworking related projects as I saw one of your wooden mallets break in a old video of yours ) kzbin.info/www/bejne/aorUg6J5g62UaM0

[@gustavthane2233]

Thank you. I appreciate it. Yes of course you should. Even without the camera it is quite rewarding to experience the origins of things. That animal hide I use to sit on in some videos I actually made out of tools that I forged myself, but off-screen. I also have a piece of steel lying around that I made from dirt... But it is so precious I never really get to making stuff from it. What I am trying to say is that we all need to rationalize something to make it work. I focus on tools, not materials. How-to-make-everything entertain by proving the principles behind a process rather than actually mastering the process itself. Their saw is a great example of how a modern saw file is used after the first tooth is made with the file made. Others make their own material but get help from a team of people or travel to the places where resources happened to be easily attained. I enjoy all of those sorts of videos but also acknowledge that we all rationalize something. When you have found your personal limitations and decided what´s important for YOU, just start making the videos. And let me know. I'd be happy to watch it. Edit, yes I have seen that sort of mallets too but they also seem to brake quite easily, no tool last forever ; )

[@tiresomekarma4054]

@@gustavthane2233 I'll have to start planning and making my own tools then. I'll let you know if I upload videos of me making my own tools.