3-D Printing a Knife? Is it the beginning of the end of custom knives?

[jaymeister99]

I was thinking today about the 3-d printer we use at work and discussing how they can now be used to make stainless steel and titanium objects. Its now possible to print a stainless knife and a handle on a printer. I would imagine it would be a few years away before any "real" steels make it to the 3-d printer.

Is the art of custom knives going to be in jeopardy in a few years?

 

[somber]

No. You can't print a feeling.

 

[Grayzer86]

No. You can't print a feeling.

Well said. I think people will always have an interest in custom knives that are made by hand. No matter how's fancy a printed knife could be made, its still more or less a machine made production knife in my opinion.

 

[redd1981]

nope. trust me on this one. it may help us on other fronts, but it wont take away the need for real knives. JMHO

 

[leifjl]

Aren't the metal 3d printers and the materials they use prohibitively expensive? Also, CNC machining should've had that kind of impact already, and it really hasn't. Although microtech does a lot of CNC work I believe. Generally they are just too expensive a machine to use making knives on.
People that buy custom knives aren't going to be buying 3d printed knives instead either.

 

[Overmountain]

No. You can't print a feeling.

No, but there are knives that are made nearly 100% by machine that I consider custom and that have a great esoteric quality... take Nathan's fighter he did as an excercise in nearly 100% machining of a knife. He has an artistic eye and that shows in the final product whether it was CNC or all done by hand. I think anyone that would seriously be considering a custom knife purchase can see the same thing whether all by hand, cnc, 3d printer...

 

[jaymeister99]

A 3-d printer can be had for under $1000 bucks. A metal fabricating 3-d machine I don't know the pricing, but low end I would figure at least five figures.

As for being expensive, that's relative. Will people be buying $1000 machines to make a custom knife in a few years. I doubt it. Would people spend $50-100 dollars to buy a "custom" knife made by someone on a 3-d printer a few years from now? I would think so.

 

[jaymeister99]

Well said. I think people will always have an interest in custom knives that are made by hand. No matter how's fancy a printed knife could be made, its still more or less a machine made production knife in my opinion.

As much as I would really like to agree with that, I can't. I mean me personally, yes I would have a special feeling for a real handmade knife! I would bet most of the people that buy a custom knife would too. Someday that custom knife maker may be making the knives 100% on a 3-d printer. Someday a custom knifemaker may just sell a file online for an instant download!

But the average Joe who can get a "custom" printed knife for much less than a hand ground knife? The guy who won't buy a custom knife because he would rather buy that production knife for a fraction of the cost? What if he could have a "custom" printed for a fraction of the cost? What if someday he might even be able to print that knife for (almost) free?

IMO the average person won't care about the feeling, unfortunately.

 

[Sandow]

As the materials and methodologies in 3d printing advance, we are likely to see the approach used for low volume production and one offs. I'd be surprised if there weren't already some people that print mock ups in plastic to see if they like the handle and whatnot. The tech has a ways to go before metal printing is reasonably priced for applications other than prototyping and medical implants. The reality is also that while fusing powdered metal into the right shape isn't that far off, there will likely remain a need for heat treatment and significant finishing work. That said, as demonstrated by CPM, sintered metal has some interesting advantages in certain applications and we will eventually see very good knives printed out.

There is probably an equal chance of amorphous metal alloys being cast as excellent knives too though. RC limits are in the mid 40s and the alloys may not be food safe, but they are actually capable of producing a monomolecular edge like glass. Might make for some superb scalpels and such currently but given time, good all around knives too.

All that said, there will always be people that want a knife hand forged by a craftsman with skill and vision.

-Sandow

 

[leifjl]

As much as I would really like to agree with that, I can't. I mean me personally, yes I would have a special feeling for a real handmade knife! I would bet most of the people that buy a custom knife would too. Someday that custom knife maker may be making the knives 100% on a 3-d printer. Someday a custom knifemaker may just sell a file online for an instant download!

But the average Joe who can get a "custom" printed knife for much less than a hand ground knife? The guy who won't buy a custom knife because he would rather buy that production knife for a fraction of the cost? What if he could have a "custom" printed for a fraction of the cost? What if someday he might even be able to print that knife for (almost) free?

IMO the average person won't care about the feeling, unfortunately.

I think you're kind of freely interchanging custom and production in your statement. Someone who's looking to buy a custom knife is looking to buy just that. Someone looking for a cheap knife is looking for just that. They are, for all intents and purposes, mutually exclusive.
The idea of downloading a knife model designed by a custom knifemaker is a cool idea, but it really amounts to a kit knife. Which is again a certain type of customer.
A 3d printer really doesn't do anything new it just does it in a new way.

 

[somber]

No, but there are knives that are made nearly 100% by machine that I consider custom and that have a great esoteric quality... take Nathan's fighter he did as an excercise in nearly 100% machining of a knife. He has an artistic eye and that shows in the final product whether it was CNC or all done by hand. I think anyone that would seriously be considering a custom knife purchase can see the same thing whether all by hand, cnc, 3d printer...

Differing opinions. I guess the the final say is what the customer thinks. If knives printed or made 100% by machine are purchased by someone it really doesn't matter what I think! I can assure you that an equal knife made by hand will command a higher price though.

 

[kornphlake]

What are the tolerances of a modern 3d printer? When I was in an industry that did a lot of 3d printing the best machines could only get within +/-.010, affordable parts had tolerances of +/-.050. A CNC machining center can hold +/-.005 all day long, under ideal conditions +/-.0005 isn't a problem, a hand finished knife, because of the processes used can essentially have tolerances of zero. The difference in tolerances is what makes the difference between a hand made custom or high end production knife and a flea market knife. A 3d printer from 10 years ago would make flea market quality knives but with the cost of the equipment and consumables the knife would easily cost triple digits. I haven't followed the technology, but I seriously doubt that the last decade has seen cost decreases and quality increases significant enough to make 3d printing of consumer goods anything more than science fiction.

 

[tasdevil]

No way, 3d printers cannot print natural materials ( wood, bone, stag, mother of pearl...). Another is when 3d cad/cams and CNC machines was invented it did not even slowed down the production of custom knives. It even grew larger...

 

[Ethan_Hardy]

No of course not. Mass produced knives have not replaced custom knives and neither would 3D printing. It would take many years to get the price down and the materials up. There were always be a market for custom knives like there are for traditional black smith forged knives now.

 

[james terrio]

I'm equally as worried about ceramics taking over from steel. Which is, not at all.

 

[jaymeister99]

No of course not. Mass produced knives have not replaced custom knives and neither would 3D printing. It would take many years to get the price down and the materials up. There were always be a market for custom knives like there are for traditional black smith forged knives now.

I don't see a day when it will 100% replace custom knives. But I definitely think it will put a dent in it. Or at the very least there will be "custom" knives that will be partially made on a 3-d printer.

The technology is already here to make a 95%+ finished blank on a 3-d printer out of stainless steel, although no technology yet for any steels that would be really good for a knife that I know of (only seen 17-5 on a 3-d printer). Print out a blank in steel, ht, add a handle, and give it a final finish. Soon there will be custom knife makers doing blanks on the printer.

 

[Cardplayer]

Absolutely not. The market for "Custom Knives" is a market for knives made by craftsmen. machines have been able to make knives for decades, but here we are, still drooling over old fashioned knives made buy a guy in his shop.
The relationship between craftsmen and technology will always be complex, but it seems plainly apparent to me that knife enthusiasts take a very long view when it comes to technology. I mean, we are into knives, that is like the first invention. We could probably get excited about a sharpened stone if we had to.

 

[singularity35]

I'd purchase one if the price, materials(and material specs), and design is right for me. Doesn't matter to me what made it, as long as it works well. I wouldn't buy a stolen design though.

 

[not2sharp]

The 3-D printer, when it finally does arrive, will just be another medium for the art.

n2s

 

[monger4142]

Did the printing press bring an end to paintings?