Hi all...Jim here on Galveston Bay. I'm looking for information on getting a source for oyster knife blanks. I am presently turning handles on my lathe but I am looking for information on pouring handles out of polypro. If anyone has ideas or suggestions...please shoot them my way. Again, thanks for any help. Looking forward to reading the post and viewing the pictures. Incredible work!!! jim
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Oyster Knife...First Post
- Thread starter galvbay
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Or just make them yourself 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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I sell about 50 oyster knives a year.
An oyster knife is about as simple as it gets. Here is how I make them:
Take a 4.5" piece of .080-.090"X.500" steel and make a tapered rounded tip. The taper only needs to be the last inch at the tip. It should taper to a 1/4" radius nose. No need for distal taper.
Make a bevel all the way around the blade on one side only that goes back .10-.12".This leaves a flat down the center about .25-30" wide. At this point the blade will look like a round nosed tanto dagger
Bend the tip down 1/4" about 3/4" back from the tip. The side with the bevel is the top, and the bend is down from the top. If you prefer a straight oyster knife skip the bend step.... I sell 10 bent tip knives to one straight blade. The bent tip makes the knife more efficient at opening the shell, and safer to use. It only needs a small amount of bend.
Shape a simple 1.5" tang by grinding each side of the tang in .10". This makes two shallow shoulders. The end should be a simple 45 degree point. A few holes through the tang or some notches in the sides will be all that is needed to keep it in the handle. No need for a handle rivet unless you want one for looks.
Drill a 1.75-2" deep, 1/4" hole in a handle blank and rough shape or turn the handle. Leave the end at the hole flat. Any tight grain fairly dense wood works - Maple, olive, persimmon, bocote, zebrawood, rosewood, etc. I use stabilized wood.
Make a bunch of 3/4"round disks from thin ( 18-22 gauge is fine) brass/stainless/nickel, and punch or saw slots in them to fit the tangs. Don't worry if you don't get a super snug fit, a little gap in the slot won't matter after assembly. A little google-fu and you can find 3/4" discs for almost nothing each.
Heat up a scrap blade and burn in the slots in the handles by pushing the red hot tang down the 1/4" hole. Push the blade in right up to the shoulders.
When the blades are back from HT, test them in the handle slots. In a perfect fit, they should almost go in, or just fit snug. Enlarge slot only if needed. You will drive the blade down snug with a wooden mallet when assembling the blade.
When all is ready, put epoxy in the 1/4" hole, slip a disc on the tang, and tap in the blade with a wooden mallet. Wipe off the run-out and let cure.
Grind the excess disc metal flush with the handle and shape as needed. I sand the handle to 400 grit and only buff it. No need for a finish, especially with stabilized wood.
440C/AEBL/CPM-154....any simple stainless will work, or use 1080/1095/15N20/O-1 for carbon steel blades. If you send them out for HT ask for a hardness of Rc54-56. You don't want them any harder.
An oyster knife is about as simple as it gets. Here is how I make them:
Take a 4.5" piece of .080-.090"X.500" steel and make a tapered rounded tip. The taper only needs to be the last inch at the tip. It should taper to a 1/4" radius nose. No need for distal taper.
Make a bevel all the way around the blade on one side only that goes back .10-.12".This leaves a flat down the center about .25-30" wide. At this point the blade will look like a round nosed tanto dagger
Bend the tip down 1/4" about 3/4" back from the tip. The side with the bevel is the top, and the bend is down from the top. If you prefer a straight oyster knife skip the bend step.... I sell 10 bent tip knives to one straight blade. The bent tip makes the knife more efficient at opening the shell, and safer to use. It only needs a small amount of bend.
Shape a simple 1.5" tang by grinding each side of the tang in .10". This makes two shallow shoulders. The end should be a simple 45 degree point. A few holes through the tang or some notches in the sides will be all that is needed to keep it in the handle. No need for a handle rivet unless you want one for looks.
Drill a 1.75-2" deep, 1/4" hole in a handle blank and rough shape or turn the handle. Leave the end at the hole flat. Any tight grain fairly dense wood works - Maple, olive, persimmon, bocote, zebrawood, rosewood, etc. I use stabilized wood.
Make a bunch of 3/4"round disks from thin ( 18-22 gauge is fine) brass/stainless/nickel, and punch or saw slots in them to fit the tangs. Don't worry if you don't get a super snug fit, a little gap in the slot won't matter after assembly. A little google-fu and you can find 3/4" discs for almost nothing each.
Heat up a scrap blade and burn in the slots in the handles by pushing the red hot tang down the 1/4" hole. Push the blade in right up to the shoulders.
When the blades are back from HT, test them in the handle slots. In a perfect fit, they should almost go in, or just fit snug. Enlarge slot only if needed. You will drive the blade down snug with a wooden mallet when assembling the blade.
When all is ready, put epoxy in the 1/4" hole, slip a disc on the tang, and tap in the blade with a wooden mallet. Wipe off the run-out and let cure.
Grind the excess disc metal flush with the handle and shape as needed. I sand the handle to 400 grit and only buff it. No need for a finish, especially with stabilized wood.
440C/AEBL/CPM-154....any simple stainless will work, or use 1080/1095/15N20/O-1 for carbon steel blades. If you send them out for HT ask for a hardness of Rc54-56. You don't want them any harder.
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Stacy, can you post some pics? The write-up is intriguing but my little brain is having a hard time envisioning your work. 
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Dexter/Russell may sell blanks? We sold their commercial knives in north Florida years ago.
Man, I have shucked a bunch oysters! I do miss em!!!
Man, I have shucked a bunch oysters! I do miss em!!!