Making Carving Knives

This was a batch of 24 carving knives made to be a classroom set for teaching carving to high schoolers. It was a ton of work but I am glad I get to make the tools that might inspire creativity in others. I am not currently taking orders for carving tools, but I hope to have more available in the future, the best way to see when they are available is to follow me on Instagram @ljpenn_ where I post my completed projects.

[@paullambert4445]

I love my crooked knives made by Kestrel Tools in the San Juan Islands. Thanks for the video. 🔪🎸

[@anelpasic5232]

I used to make my crook knives from those bed frame steel bands that hold the springs together. They were a lot smaller than then ones you made, but they were extremely sharp and went through wood with almost no effort. Good looking knives though, I like the way you think.

[@dragonstonegemironworkscra4740]

Man alive! Thats sooo much hand sanding..... They look great though. Blessings sir Crawford out 🙏🔥⚒️🧙🏼‍♂️

[@LiamJPenn]

Thank you

[@electricAB]

Awesome work!

[@LiamJPenn]

Thanks

[@c0nnys1]

could you do a video on the salt tempering tank pls

[@LitoGeorge]

Ok, I did subscribe. I like the way you made these. Has me thinking..... appreciate also the techniques I didnt know. Where did you get your template for your different handles?

[@LiamJPenn]

I use very few templates, but for this sort of work it helps a lot. I just use a g10 template for blades and a thin wooden template of the handle shape. I just made it by cutting out a handle I liked then cutting a 1/4” slice off it

[@withoutdoors5230]

This work is brilliant dude! Fantastic job! How can I get one?? 😊😊

[@LiamJPenn]

Not currently able to make more but someday I’ll make a pile more

[@tinamoreland434]

Great video! my younger boys (9&7) love your channel! I know I'm watching this late, but I have a quick question. What kind of helmet/face-shield are you wearing? I noticed a hose(?) coming off the upper back of it while you were sanding the handles.

[@LiamJPenn]

Thank you! it is a 3m versaflo. i really like it, much nicer than a respirator, plus its got the face shield and hearing protection built in. makes it much more comfortable to spend hours at the grinder

[@tinamoreland434]

@@LiamJPenn Thank you!!

[@mellowcode]

thank you for actually saying what steel your using! no one remembers to do that

[@kirill87600]

God job! Its really pleased to look yor work. its looks like mini Japanese Yari Ganna (Yarri Kanna)

[@dimitrisdalas4529]

great job! could you please tell me what thickness of steel you started with?

[@JoeRonW93]

Oh that's a great idea, using a drill to clean up the inner curve of the blade! Awesome set of knives, really looks like you got good consistency with the bends

[@LiamJPenn]

Thanks! they aren't perfect but they are pretty good I think

[@RVsbladesnthangs]

I'm not usually a fan of stock removal... but I see now why you do it this way. Turned out really cool my man!

[@patricklaverde8438]

Hey, im starting to venture into knife making and a friend asked for a whittling knife, I normally just make my knifes out of 1075 steel because they don't have to be as sharp, what steels would you recommend for a novice like me to make a whittling knife? Im try to find the 52100 that you used but I cant find it In a thin stock And Im only cutting and shaping stock, I haven't forged anything yet because I don't have a anvil yet

[@LiamJPenn]

1075 should work! O1 might be another good choice but use what you have! Sharpening carving tools took some practice for me but once you get the hang of it, it goes well. Good luck!

[@GwaiHaida]

what do you make the pins out of ?

[@LiamJPenn]

1/8” copper

[@contraband1543]

Cant you tumble the blades instead of polishing for hours

[@LiamJPenn]

It’s possible, my worry would be damaging the blades or rounding them out too much. They are very thin at this point and by sanding I feel I have good control over keeping the bevel flat and smooth. All in all it didn’t take too long, I just had to do a bunch

[@cholulahotsauce6166]

I imagine some kind of two sided sandwich squisher die could put a consistent curve on them.

[@CoalIronWorks]

Great work brother! Keep it up!

[@LiamJPenn]

Thank you! 🤘🏼

[@0dbm]

Very professional Sharping that curved blade was scary Unbelievable work

[@apsuenbwyfer11]

hmm... to streamline bending the blades, maybe make a jig to clamp the hot blades between? Easy to use and consistent every time.

[@LiamJPenn]

I have been thinking about how to do that. It’s a pretty tricky thing to bend up, but I could probably come up with something

[@samuelmellars7855]

It wouldn't have to be a clamped jig either. Scroll jigs are common in blacksmithing work. A bit of metal in the shape of the bend, and a peg for the tip to be held with. Flat stick gets placed, not jammed, between the "form" and the peg, then bent to fit the form. Removing the bending force should allow the tip to be pulled back out, but it can also come out "vertically" if that is a better way.

[@LiamJPenn]

@@samuelmellars7855 something like that could work. The biggest complication is that the blades are tapered and ground to nearly sharp before bending and it is hard to keep them from twisting. I will probably experiment with jigs

[@samuelmellars7855]

@@LiamJPenn Oh yeah, I forgot to consider the possibility of twisting. Maybe scrolling pliers would be better. Clamp the handle segment in a vice, heat, and shape. But then there's the problem of matching the blade-pattern. Hmm. Maybe have the torch standing on its own, tongs with the blade in one hand, scrolling pliers in the other, then heat and tweak and check and repeat? Although I'm not sure how much twist the jig might give you. Maybe heat, form on jig, reheat and correct minor flaws. Oh! I've just remebered the "custom jig" idea. Weld several different round forms to pegs the same thickness. Then have one long peg of that thickness too. You can set up a temp jig in your vice for any thickness of stock, several different curve sizes. So if you are making only a few, you can set up a temp jig, that can immediately be remade into a different size/shape when needed.

[@Wielebny33]

[@tammymorningstar4794]

cleaning tray at the end ? 👍 Tam's other half

[@mrZLO11]

great job! made with a soul.

[@LiamJPenn]

Thank you

[@jinroh685]

That is very very cool!! Good works!!

[@cheesemonsterbeans]

What is the salt pot for?

[@LiamJPenn]

Tempering. Works well for me since knives can go straight to the temper when my oven is still cooling down.

[@jandeeg152]

Have you considered a sand/grit blaster, in stead of your drill and sandpaper?

[@LiamJPenn]

A sandblaster would be a really great tool to have, but im not sure this would be a good application for one. The worry in my mind would be that it wouldnt do a good job smoothing the surface, or that it might eat away at the edges which are really thin. That being said I haven't tried it

[@dgundeadforge17]

Where do you get your high grit and low grit belts from?

[@LiamJPenn]

I get belts from various places mainly depending on if I’m already ordering something. Mostly I buy from preferred abrasives and maritime knife supply

[@lukelofgren4108]

Very nice production process for a small shop like yours. I have trouble making more than 2 axes at once

[@LiamJPenn]

Production work is tricky but rewarding. I probably won't be making another batch this big anytime soon.

[@bellummulleb9387]

How to order?

[@LiamJPenn]

I am not currently taking orders, maybe at some point in the future

[@bellummulleb9387]

@@LiamJPenn ok sure, nice work 👌 hoping to have some of your work.

[@SEAKPhotog]

Very cool. I hear the local native carvers are loving the tools you're making for them.👍🏻

[@LiamJPenn]

Seems everyone wants carving tools now haha

[@SEAKPhotog]

@@LiamJPenn sounds like a terrible predicament for you!🤣

[@radiusnorth1675]

Inspirational video, thanks. What thickness of stock did you start with??

[@LiamJPenn]

.125”

[@radiusnorth1675]

Thank you

[@sikleqt]

Awesome video broski. Keep up the great work!

[@LiamJPenn]

Thank you!

[@hder8740]

Lovely!

[@Btines01]

Nice job man! This looks like a good challenge for consistency.

[@LiamJPenn]

Thank you! It was tricky but rewarding

[@ClenioBuilder]

👏👏👏👏👏🤜🤛

[@SchysCraftCo.]

Nice work

[@LiamJPenn]

Thank you!

[@martindonald7613]

Beautiful.

[@LiamJPenn]

Thanks

[@martindonald7613]

@@LiamJPenn I have a good friend who is a carver/sculptor. He spent several months in an Indigenous community assisting with a totem pole carving on Vancouver Island. Do you have a commercial outlet for your knives?

[@LiamJPenn]

@@martindonald7613 I mainly sell on instagram, no website yet