I'm the same way. Why buy when I can learn the skills needed, and make it myself. Some of the few that I recently started. I enjoy knives and when I couldn't find "the one" I was looking for, I made one of my own design. Being an Indiana Jones fan I always wanted a bullwhip. After finding out how much one would cost me, I bought a few books and now have a bullwhip the cracks loud as hell I made out of parachute cord. Soon I will be moving up to leather for whip making. I wanted to use horn for re-scaling a couple of my razors, but can"t find any long enough. I did some research, and this spring when I clear out the shed I will start making horn blanks. Now that I have read through this thread, after I get off work (oops I guess I should get back to work) I think I will begin some soap making.
"Gotta go... Spidey senses tingling..."
P.S. thanks for the step by step.