Here is the second attempt at this. I would have posted it sooner but for that whole car accident thing….

To improve on my first attempt I made the blade bigger and folded a ridge over in order to add spine strength.
I used a fired .50 BMG round to make a handle by folding the metal over a third time for thickness and then pounding the tang of the blade flat and inserting it the mouth of the case, and then pounding the neck of the case flat. I punched out the primer and used lock wire passed through the hole for a lanyard loop, and then added GUN tape for handle grip and comfort. I didn’t want to spend hours rubbing this one on the gun shroud so I used a better sharpener this time and put one hell of an edge on the ammo can steel. Scrounging all other materials in which to make a knife I used the plactic drum from the LMG to make a smaller utility blade using a 7.62mm GPMG casing. They are shown in the pic next to my issued bayonet for size comparison.

[img][IMG]http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll200/taurus-135/impknife002.jpg[/img][/img]

[img][IMG]http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll200/taurus-135/impknife001.jpg[/img][/img]

The results
-the newer ammo can knife was a 100 percent improvement over the first. It can do very light chop work, rips through strapping and cardboard with ease. It actually has a better edge than my bayonet, although it doesn’t last very long.
-the edge dulls fast, but using a proper stone quickly fixes it.
-adding the folded spine prevented it from flexing like the first design
-the .50 casing handle was very easy on the hands
-the added point makes stabbing possible
-the plastic knife was almost useless, when used for very light work it could do some light stuff (like spreading jam on bread from an IMP, opening foil pouches etc)

As a side note, my friend Bigmothertrucker on this forum, asked to see my new designed ammo can knife(most likely to poke fun) I handed it to him with the standard warning “carful, it’s really f***** sharp” Naturally he decided to rub it across his hand to see, like all idiots somehow manage to do and proceeded not only to cut through his glove, but deep into his hand as well......... Idiot….


My new design cuts the flesh of dumb people very effectively.

I realize not everyone has these materials available, but almost any other type of sheet metal could give similar results I imagine.

I think I will take this thing on my next hunting trip to see how it can stand up to field dressing.

Nice work my friend. I've seen beat up old hunting knives that not only were undoubtedly less sharp than your improvisations but were also in far worse condition.

A few weeks ago a guy handed me his 'bear knife'. He kept telling me how many elk had been dressed with it over the last 20 years and he'd only sharpened it twice!

It was so dull it couldn't have taken the pelt off of a stick of butter! Good thing he only uses it show the bears how much of a man he is.

once again..nice work..have you thought about making one from
a tent stake??--

That reminds me of one of the "hobo knife" ideas I saw somewhere. Its just a steel can lid folded not quite in half to make kind of a small ulu knife. The better tools you start with the better knife you'll have in the end. But something is always better then nothing.

I've used brick strap, the steel strips lumber and other materials come bound together with, along with tin snips to make very effective, very wicked barbed arrow heads on home made arrows. They pierced very easily through milk jugs at about 10-15 meters.

I've also used cut up aluminum cans to make needles for lacing leather.

Considering the availability of sheet metal a set of tin snips would be a very useful addition to anyone's tool kit. Unfortunately a bit too heavy to carry around everywhere. Along with a small triangular file, there's all kinds of useful tools you could make.

In a real, honest to goodness survival situation, it might be worth it to make improvised tools and use them and keep your better tools in reserve. Every time you take your knife out of its sheath you might lose or damage it. If you can use a can lid or an ammo can to cut up dinner or twine, that keeps your Benchmade or Randall in its sheath.

Nice work! I would shudder at the thought of you in prison... You would corner the market in shivs! LOL...

Seriously tho, it does emphasize the ability to make additional tools when you need them to keep from abusing your original ones!

You as^h$$e!!! I can't believe you posted that.

I think we've all done stuff like that. I once checked to make sure a stapler was empty by pushing it closed with my thumb. 2 punctures later I realized that wasn't too smart.

ha ha ha ha ha

You should have seen the look on your face.

btw...sweet gloves in those pix!

I like the bullet handle idea. Very clever