Whether you’re looking to make a knife for yourself or as a gift for someone, learning how to make one with clay can be a rewarding experience.
First, consider which type of blade you want to create. There are three main types; a full tang, a partial tang and a through tang.
How to make a knife with clay
Clay is a natural mineral found in many places around the world. It is a versatile and durable material that can be used for many different purposes, from building to art.
It has been studied by geologists and is known to be a ubiquitous material that plays an important role in global sedimentary, biological, and environmental processes. The properties of clay are largely determined by how well it binds to water.
This property of clay is also called plasticity, as the surface chemistry attracts water electrolytically. The resulting properties include water retention, porosity, aeration, and strength.
To make a knife with clay, you will need clay of the right color, a craft knife, and a rolling pin. The best part is that you can easily re-use the same clay for a variety of projects. The key is to be patient and follow the directions of the maker. This will result in a beautiful piece of artwork!
Materials
For making a knife with clay, you will need a number of different materials. Besides the clay, you will also need tools to help you in the process of making the blade.
A file is one of the most important tools used for sanding and removing imperfections from the clay. They come in a variety of shapes and levels of grit for varying levels of sharpness and can be purchased from most hardware stores.
Another essential tool for cutting the clay is a two-blade knife. These knives have stainless steel blades on either end.
The handle is made of wood and gives you a firm grip on the blade. These are an excellent option for beginning knife makers as they are easy to use and don’t require too much maintenance.
Knife handles are an excellent way to express your style and uniqueness. Traditional woods like maple, walnut, and olive wood are popular options for this type of handle. But you can also use more exotic woods such as rosewood, mesquite, desert ironwood, and pink ivory.
Techniques
Once you’ve chosen your metal and have prepared your clay, it’s time to get creative! Start by creating a clay pattern that you want to apply to the handle of your knife.
Using a template, trace the shape onto your blade. This will help you to keep the shape consistent as you work.
Next, roll out a brick of clay that is slightly thinner than the thickness of your blade. Then, break apart pieces of colored clay and place them on top of the base clay to create a terrazzo look.
Now, use your rolling pin to gently press the pieces into the base clay and roll them into a log shape. This will give your knife a textured look and will also prevent the handle from warping during baking.
Once your handle is rolled and pressed together, you can use a small amount of water to smooth out any imperfections as the clay dries. This will help to fill in any cracks and make your knife look finished.
Finishing
The finishing touches to a knife include installing the handle and polishing the blade. They also help make the design more pronounced.
The handle is typically glued into place and pins are used to hold it in position. It is also possible to use epoxy glue and the tang of the blade to hold the handle in place.
To cover the edge region and form the clay ashi, Yoshindo uses a black clay that is composed of approximately equal parts ground charcoal, clay and kanahada—finely ground red iron oxide. This clay has more effective thermal properties.
After applying the clay, he leaves a few centimeters of steel exposed between the cutting edge and the clay boundary that defines the hamon pattern. This is to prevent the clay from hardening the edge too much and not terminating exactly where the blade does, which will result in a poorly defined hamon.
If you apply the clay too thick, residual heat from the spine will spread into the edge and soften it. Alternatively, if you have applied the clay too thin, the spine and edges will harden.