A cry for help

Joined
Nov 9, 2002
Messages
59
Hello to everybody,
This is my first post in this forum. I have been “knife-crazed” since I was just an idea in my Dad’s head, and like most, I have spent huge amounts of time and $ in the pursuit of my hobby and learned a few things along the way. The natural step now is to start to make my own knives. I see all kinds of books advertised, and there is a ton of information out there, as you all know. So I thought I should ask you guys for advice on where to start. Is there a book that stands out from the others? What do I do? What do I need? Where do I start?
I am not intending to make knives full time, just for my own personal satisfaction and use, thus a huge forge is not what I am looking for, nor could afford.

Please, if any of you out there could point me in the right direction, I would really appreciate it.

Thank You for your time.
 
Wayne Goddard has two books there are just what you might be looking for. "The $50.00 Knife Shop" and "The Wonder of Knifemaking". They will go a long way to get you started. Bob Loveless also has a book called "How to Make Knives" which showcases several methods of knifemaking. It's a very decent book and I still go to my copy now and again for reference. Good Luck in your endeavour!
Also, for specific questions try a topic search of this forum and you will be amazed at the almost vast amount of empirical knowledge available here.


All the best,
Mike U.
 
You have already gotten off to a proper start. Stick around this forum. Search for topics of interest: heat treating, grinding, types of steels to use, etc., etc., whatever. Ask your questions. I am a novice and on knife number 10 and have read no books about it at all; not even a magazine. Here and my little shop is were I learn things and share things.

Roger
 
I think the best way to start out is with a kit. That saves you the trouble of layout work, and heat treating. You get a design that you know works (especially with a folder, theres alot more to them than meets the eye) and it goes together faster than making one from scratch. So you get to try your hand at it without completely making the plunge, or any huge investments.
Take a look at what they have at www.knifekits.com
also www.texasknife.com www.kovalknives.com and www.jantzsupply.com

There, you have alot of choices on kits now :) Pick out one that you think you like and give it a try.
You can do it completely with hand tools. A drill press makes life much much easier, but theres ways of getting along without them
You'll definily want a hacksaw, a 8" or so double cut/single cut file (nichols works fine, you can get them from any local hardware store) and lots of sandpaper. A round rasp would help out on shaping the scales inside curves too.

After that you'll just kind of gradually slide into stock removal, and probably forging after that. You really should just turn and run the other way before your hooked ;)
 
Thank you for your responses. I will defiantly look into getting those books. My problem is, that I am a Cadet at VMI. They don’t let us out much (almost never really). So kind of like in Jail I need to educate myself through books, since I cant go out and try myself at it just yet. Graduation in 3 months. If I make it, I will be diving into my new project as soon as I get out.
 
Go over to CKD and check out the tutorials, Also Bruce Evans has a number of tutorials on his web page that would be of interest.
 
My best advice is read as much as you can. I have been making knives for some time now and still read everything that I can get my hans on. There is always something new to learn. One thing that you have to be careful of is getting "tool crazy". When I first started I found myself buying some of the tools that I was told that you must have to make knives. Try to buy only what you really need at the time. As your love of the craft and your buget grow, you can buy more equiptment.
 
Padi,

I started making knives at the Air Force Academy. I made the first couple in my room with files and hand tools, but that wasn't fast enough for me. So I bought a 1x42 inch Sears-type belt sander, and made a couple more. After coating my room with micarta dust, my roomate forbid me from making them in "our" room anymore. That's when I discovered that if I walked right into the mechanics lab like I owned it, no one would give me grief for using their stuff. There was this metallurgy class offered (way over my head), and students could make a knife for extra credit. So the lab was full of usefull equiptment, like a Burr King 2x72 belt sander (that I had no idea how to use, but did anyway), buffers, and drill presses. They even had 3 heat treat ovens. It was great. I think I (barely) skirted the fraud, waste, and abuse issue. I learned a lot, and that's what school's for, right? At least that's how I justify it.
 
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