https://www.wikihow.it/Costruire-un-Pugnale
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Building a dagger is not a simple thing, but with time, patience and attention to detail it can be done.Choose the best materials, create a design you're happy with, and then cut out all the parts before putting them together.
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Choose the most suitable steel. As a general rule you should get steel with a medium to high carbon content.One of the best options is 1095 steel, which is 1.27 millimeters thick.[1]
- 1095 steel is quite economical, easy to handle and simple to work with.
- Another possibility to consider is L6 steel, which also contains a small addition of nickel.It is equally easy to treat, but is a little less resistant.
- Other types of steel commonly used in the making of knives and daggers are 01 steel, W2 steel and D2 steel.
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Purchase protective material. The "guard" is the strip of material that separates the blade from the handle.Brass is the best material for this purpose.
- Try to get a brass bar that measures approximately 2.5cm wide and 4.76mm thick.The length you'll need depends on the size of your dagger, but typically you won't need more than about 5.5 inches.
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Choose a good wood for the handle. Even though modern knives have plastic handles, you should focus on natural materials such as solid wood when making your dagger for a better design and authentic feel.Solid wood is also easier for beginners to work with.
- A good choice is amaranth wood.You can also try pomifera maclura wood, yew, eucalyptus or manzanita.
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Let the wood shrink and dry. Wooden handles can shrink when exposed to heat and moisture, risking cracking.One of the best ways to avoid this problem is to let the wood dry thoroughly before using it.
- In the summer you can simply leave the wood in a car exposed to the sun for a week or two.
- Alternatively, you can set your oven to the lowest temperature and cook the wood for a few hours.Always keep an eye on it and remove it if you notice any smoke or blackening.
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Decide how long you want the blade to be. There is no "correct" length, so you will probably have to make an estimate to decide on the length of your dagger.When you first design a dagger you should think about a length between 3 and 4 inches.
- You can make a sketch of the blade first and measure it to get the exact dimensions, or you can decide on the dimensions first and then make the sketch.Both options are acceptable.
- Also consider the width.In theory the width of the blade should be between 2.5 and 5 centimetres.
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Determine the length of the handle. The length of the handle should be based on the size of the blade and your hand.
- First, take your hand size into consideration.The handle should be a little longer than the width of your hand, so you can grip and control it better.
- Then compare this measurement with the dimensions of the blade.The handle should never be longer than the blade, but neither should it be shorter than half of it.It should also be the same width as the blade at its widest point.
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Draw everything. Take all the time you need to draw the dagger and clearly indicate all the measurements.
- You can do the drawing by hand on paper or cardboard, or you can also create the project on the computer first.Choose the method you feel most comfortable with.
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Cuts steel. Use a hacksaw to cut a piece of steel as long as the sum of the handle and blade lengths.
- Hold the steel in place with a vise as you cut.
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Lay out your design on top of the cut steel. Cut out the design you made earlier and place it on top of the piece of steel.Carefully trace the outlines of the drawing using a black marker.
- Alternatively you can temporarily glue the design to the piece of steel using a water-soluble adhesive.
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Roughly cut out the overall shape. Use the hacksaw to cut out the steel following the outline of the design;just remove the bulk of the excess metal.
- The idea is to get a rough shape, you don't need to get the precise shape of the blade at this stage.
- Continue holding the metal in place with the vise.
- Alternatively, you can also use an electric jigsaw for this step.Set the jigsaw to the highest speed and take frequent breaks to lubricate the blade with paraffin.If you don't lubricate the blade, it may overheat.
- The part of metal that remains under the handle must be narrower than both the blade and the handle itself.
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Sand the metal. Finish the precise contours of the dagger using a metal file.There is no need to sharpen the blade at this time, but you will need to adjust it until you get the precise shape.
- If you need more power than the metal file can offer, you can try using a belt sander or jewelry saw.
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Dull the blade. Fix the blade to the edge of the table using the vice and with the file adjust both edges so that they are equally inclined towards the center.The edges must be sloped on both the front and back sides.
- Use a metal file to smooth the edges.Beveling should always be done moving forward, never alternating forward and backward movements.
- Use both hands and try to apply as much force as possible.
- Keep the blade secured with the vise at waist height.This way it will be easier to use all your body weight when applying pressure and the process will not cause muscle pain.
- The ideal bevel angle is approximately 30 degrees.Try to keep this angle as constant as possible along the entire blade.
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Light a fire. The easiest way to do this is to use a barbecue grill or backyard fire pit.
- If using a grill, set a block of medium-sized briquettes on fire and air until they begin to turn red.
- If using a garden fireplace, light a pile of medium-sized wood mixed with charcoal briquettes and fan the flame until it gains strength and becomes stable.
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Put the blade in the fire. Take the metal from the handle part using pliers and insert the steel part that acts as a blade directly into the fire.Hold it in place, turning it occasionally, until the steel turns red.
- The steel must reach a temperature of around 800 degrees.
- You can use a magnet to check that ideal conditions have been achieved.In fact, when the metal is hot enough, the magnet should no longer be able to attract it.
- At this point the steel will be very brittle.
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Cool the blade. Immerse the blade in a container of high-temperature oil.Let it sit in the oil for several minutes.
- Hold the blade upright while it is submerged in the oil.
- Almost any type of oil is fine.Engine oil works very well, but you can also use vegetable oils and transmission fluids
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Heat the blade. Place the blade in a preheated 200 degree oven.Let it heat for about 20 minutes.
- With this process the metal is cooled, but the blade must be at a temperature between 175 and 290 degrees to harden properly.
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Let the blade cool. When you notice that the blade has turned a yellowish color, it means that the metal has hardened properly.Allow it to cool to room temperature by placing it in a safe place.Advertising
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Drill holes in the part of the metal that will be part of the handle. Use a drill press to make two holes in the metal that will allow you to attach the blade to the handle.
- The holes should be placed along the center horizontal line of the blade.Keep a space of at least 5 centimeters between them.
- Each hole should have a diameter of 6.35 millimeters.
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Cut out the two halves of the handle. Place the dagger drawing on top of the piece of wood and trace the outline of the handle with a pencil.Repeat this one more time to get two separate pieces and use a hacksaw to cut them out.
- When you have them cut out, the two pieces should be a little longer and a little wider than the handle you want.
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Cut out the brass guard. Place the brass bar on the dagger, positioning it between the blade and the lower part which will then be covered by the handle.Determine how long you want the guard to be, then cut the bar to your chosen length.
- There is no need to shape the guard after cutting it out.
- Use a hand or power saw to cut brass.Hold it steady using a vise while you cut it.
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Create a gap in the guard. You will need to make holes with the drill and then widen them with a file towards the length of the metal guard;the slot must be wide enough to just fit the blade.
- Using a drill press or power drill, make five small holes aligned along the center line of the guard.This series of holes should be no longer than the width of the blade.
- Use a metal file to remove the material between the holes.The slot thus obtained must not be wider than the thickness of the blade.
- Make sure the slot is wide enough to fit through the metal handle, but not wide enough to slide over the entire blade.
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Poke holes in one of the handle pieces. Slide the brass guard into the dagger and place it in place, then attach one of the wooden handle pieces along the corresponding metal part.Use an electric drill to make holes in the metal so that they go through the wood.
- Make sure the handle and blade are perfectly aligned.If they are not aligned precisely, the holes in the handle will be in the wrong position.
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Poke holes in the second handle piece. Place the second wooden piece of the handle on the other side of the metal piece and hold everything in place with the vise.Drill two holes in this piece of handle, extending the holes already made in the other piece of wood and in the metal.
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Cut two brass dowels. The dowels should be about 1/4 inch wide and long enough to fit into the series of holes along the handle.
- It is better to make dowels too long than too short.If they seem too long, just file the excess so that, once inserted into the handle, they are perfectly level with the wood on both sides.
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Glue the two handle pieces together. Mix some heavy-duty epoxy and apply it liberally to the inside of both halves of the wooden handle.Place the two pieces on the dagger in their respective positions.
- Do not let the epoxy resin dry.
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Drive the dowels in with a hammer. Place a dowel in each hole and use a hammer to tap them into place.
- Once the dowels are in place, wipe off any excess glue using white spirit.
- Hold the dagger in place with a vise and let the resin set.The vice must not press on the dowels, because they could deform as the resin dries.
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Refine the dagger. Use sandpaper to refine the blade until it shines.
- You may need to hold the dagger in a vice while you polish the blade.
- Use different types of sandpaper, starting from a lower grit (200 is fine to start with), progressively working up to a higher grit (1200).
- This step completes the entire procedure.
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Warnings
- Always wear safety glasses throughout the process, especially when cutting and tempering steel to make the blade.
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Things you will need
- Safety glasses
- Workbench
- Vice
- Electric hacksaw
- Hacksaw
- Carbon steel, type 1095 or similar
- Brass bar
- Brass wire rod
- Solid wood
- Paper or cardboard
- Black marker
- Metal file, belt sander and/or jewelry saw
- Barbecue grill or garden fire pit
- Charcoal briquettes
- Oven
- Pliers
- Column drill and/or electric drill
- Epoxy resin
- Sandpaper
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