Page 252 - The Lost Ways

to happen at the point than anywhere else. A clear indication that the blade has been
overheated will be that the metal has turned blue.

If you have to harden your blade, you can accomplish the same sort of hardening with a
small plumber’s torch and MAPP gas. Don’t try it with propane, as it won’t get hot enough
to turn the steel red.

For the rest of the project, you can do things essentially the same way that they did it in
olden times. Sharpening a knife on a whetstone hasn’t changed much nor have the

methods for making a handle. You may decide to make a more complex handle shape
than they did back then, but since you’re grinding it, that won’t be much of an issue.

Don’t forget to make yourself a nice sheath to show off your new knife. A sheath not only
allows you to carry your homemade knife with you but also protects the knife from
inadvertent damage.

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