Here are some progress updates.
I have the blade blanks shaped and drilled for the four knives I am making in this batch. They still need to be beveled and then heat treated. I am going to use corby bolts on these knives for an extra level of mechanical fastening and simplicity during assembly. Getting the counterbores for them aligned correctly is going to be interesting, though, unfortunately most of the inexpensive piloted counterbores I can find are sized for screw tap drill sizes and not the round numbers I need which are 1/4" counterbore and 3/16" pilot.
Additionally, today I made a 1/16" thick slotting saw for making the kerf to mate the half-tang blades to their handles. It is just soft O1 tool steel from the same stock as the blades. It just fits in a normal file handle -- I used the screw-in type -- which is a time saving trick I learned from
@creasman 's float build thread (Although he then went on to make the handles himself, too.) I also realized I might be able to use it to make thicker miter spline kerfs for boxes or picture frames. It can be used by just clamping the handle stock to be sawn in a vise with jaws that are flush to each other & aligned with the slot you want to make. You use the tops of the jaws as a reference surface for your cut, I put tape over them just to limit scratching. It can tear out a bit on the close side during use but because of the shape of the handles that is not a big problem, that material will be removed.
There is no set to the teeth so I guess we will see if I get binding on pieces that want to grab it instead of pull apart as they are sawn in half. The test piece I did first seemed to want to pull apart instead so it was not a problem. Once clamped again the results are extremely good.
The one complaint I have with it is it cuts very slowly. It is 8 TPI, I might go far lower if I was to make another one.