A Sincere Invitation to Wildthing (Mark)

W

Will Leavitt

Joined
Jul 28, 2006
Messages
3,953
Mark aka Wildthing,
Here's a sincere invitation I'm extending over the internet, if you were closer it would be an invitation to my shop.

Traditionaly a teacher makes "sister" knives with his student, I'm extending this very sincere invitation to you although it'll be done via electrons instead of face to face communication.

There are some ground rules if we do this:

a. I need to verify your age in a private manner. I've had a call from an angry mom before and don't intend to go through this again.... let me clarify :p I mailed some knife supplies to someone that turned out to be a 14 year old :eek:

b. This will be done in public and posted on BF as a WIP (work in progress) so that others may learn and help out, perhaps it may become a sticky to be used in the future.

c. I will choose the steel, primarily because I'm not going to try to offer advice and HT a steel I'm unfamiliar with.

Here's an overview of the proposed venture:

We'll discuss your tools, workspace and knife making budget. Then discuss tools and techniques to fit within these specifications.

We'll work on BF to design a simple but functional and attractive EDC (every day carry) knife.


After getting through all these steps, we'll figure out how to shape the sisters. Not sure if you can forge where you're at but if not I'll rough out the blanks on my bandsaw and ship it to you for work.

We'll work on some basic tools and fixtures you'll need to make to hold and shape your knife. We'll work on tool techniques and finishing techniques.

Ship me your prepared knife for heat treating and then I'll return it for final finishing and handle work.

We'll go through how to finish the blade, then attaching, roughing in and finishing a handle with simple hand tools.

Then we'll work on how to sharpen and polish out the edge on your finished knife.

After that you're on your own, you'll have MADE your OWN knife! :D :thumbup:

It won't be easy, if you use simple tools you trade speed for initial cash outlay.

I ask for nothing except your promise as a man and a knifemaker (yes, you'll be able to call yourself that) to teach and share when you can.
 
very cool Will. If I can in anyway be of help to you let me know. I don't want to take over your deal but just in case you run into a snag I am willing to help.
 
Very cool! Mark, you'd be a fool not to take him up on this! Well, maybe "fool" is a little harsh but, wait, no it's not!
 
Thanks for the kind words gentlemen, I'm hoping to show everyone that knives can be made with very , very simple tools and minimal cash outlay. As we all know the trade off is buckets of sweat instead of piles of cash.

Here's the proposed budget for tools (Alabama prices):

1- 10" bastard file $9.50
1- Chainsaw sharpening file$4.50
1- 4 in 1 rasp $4.50
Sandpaper 80x-400x $15
1- 1x2 piece of wood $2
4- 4" C-Clamps $8 (cheaper at Harbor Frieght)
1- Hand drill $9 at HF
1- Epoxy $3
Handle material $7

Roughly $60 in tools and expendables. Some careful shopping at flea markets and yard sales should make this about $20.

If Mark doesn't take me up on this I'll offer this to someone else.
 
Will,
Thanks for doing this. I have done it several times, and enjoyed it each time. Not every person who posts interest will want to actually go to the trouble of making a knife, but those who do will get a great boost by taking you up on your offer. This is how to keep the craft going.
Stacy
 
Stacy, the work you and Fletch put together was the inspiration for my offer of "internet apprenticeship" :thumbup:

Now if I could just figure out how to get the traditional shop cleaning done by an "internet apprentice." :p
 
Will Leavitt said:
....Now if I could just figure out how to get the traditional shop cleaning done by an "internet apprentice." :p
Click to expand...

If you did figure out how to do that, you'd know where everything you couldn't find after a cleaning session was...somewhere in cyberspace!
 
I think you click "Accessories", then right click "Tools", and look for "Disk Clean Up". I'm sure that is how you clean up after Internet mentoring.
Merry Christmas,
Stacy
 
Farmer Phil said:
If you did figure out how to do that, you'd know where everything you couldn't find after a cleaning session was...somewhere in cyberspace!
Click to expand...

It's the Chaos Theory. Someone cleans their shop in Australia and a shop in North America gets dirty and vise verse...keeps the order of balance.
 
Sam, Mark aka Wildthing432 (or some sort of numbers) is a new member here that has 5 posts. In oe of his posts he made the comment about how dissidents aren't tolerated on BF and that we're elitists snobs and look down on people that use recycled or found steel and don't have high end grinders, milling machines and a shop full of tools. In his posts he's mentioned how poor he is and can't afford tools, he's a retired CWO4 from the Army and an attorney with 11 daughters that lives in an appartment.
 
Will Leavitt said:
Mark aka Wildthing,
Here's a sincere invitation I'm extending over the internet, if you were closer it would be an invitation to my shop.

Traditionaly a teacher makes "sister" knives with his student, I'm extending this very sincere invitation to you although it'll be done via electrons instead of face to face communication.

There are some ground rules if we do this:

a. I need to verify your age in a private manner. I've had a call from an angry mom before and don't intend to go through this again.... let me clarify :p I mailed some knife supplies to someone that turned out to be a 14 year old :eek:

b. This will be done in public and posted on BF as a WIP (work in progress) so that others may learn and help out, perhaps it may become a sticky to be used in the future.

c. I will choose the steel, primarily because I'm not going to try to offer advice and HT a steel I'm unfamiliar with.

Here's an overview of the proposed venture:

We'll discuss your tools, workspace and knife making budget. Then discuss tools and techniques to fit within these specifications.

We'll work on BF to design a simple but functional and attractive EDC (every day carry) knife.


After getting through all these steps, we'll figure out how to shape the sisters. Not sure if you can forge where you're at but if not I'll rough out the blanks on my bandsaw and ship it to you for work.

We'll work on some basic tools and fixtures you'll need to make to hold and shape your knife. We'll work on tool techniques and finishing techniques.

Ship me your prepared knife for heat treating and then I'll return it for final finishing and handle work.

We'll go through how to finish the blade, then attaching, roughing in and finishing a handle with simple hand tools.

Then we'll work on how to sharpen and polish out the edge on your finished knife.

After that you're on your own, you'll have MADE your OWN knife! :D :thumbup:

It won't be easy, if you use simple tools you trade speed for initial cash outlay.

I ask for nothing except your promise as a man and a knifemaker (yes, you'll be able to call yourself that) to teach and share when you can.
Click to expand...

THATS AN AWESOME DEAL-THANKS FOR OFFERING YOUR TIME TO SOMEONE-I HOPE HE TAKES IT-HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING---MERRY CHRISTMAS--Marekz
 
Will Leavitt said:
If Mark doesn't take me up on this I'll offer this to someone else.
Click to expand...

If I wasn't already several steps forward in my first knife, I'd be waving and shouting: "Pick me! Pick me!" :)

Good on you Will. I look forward to seeing the WIP thread. I'm sure it will be a huge help to us n00bs.
 
Hello everyone. First post her of BF but been lurking for about a month. Mr. Leavitt, if wildthing (mark) does not respond I would like the chance to make my first knife with your help. With the info I have read so far here on BF I have purchased a craftsman 2x42, and a small drill press for Northern tool. Ordered 80,120,220,400 grit paper for the craftsman from tru-grit. Press and 2x42 sitting on workbench waiting on paper and something to start with. Also went to Lowes and got some large paint stir sticks for practice. But as of now just getting supplies ready to start. Im over 18 (42) and live in Marion Arkansas right outside of Mempis. Read this post in the am and wanted to respond but thought I would wait but times ticking and I would love the chance. Hope this is not out of line. Thanks to all and Merry Christmas.

Jeff Goatley.
 
I'm going to give Mark (Wildthing) until Monday evening, 12 Midnight CST, to respond then I'll guess I'll make another post with the offer and then give takers a couple of days then do a random drawing or something.
 
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