About to buy knifemaking equipment...

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swamp

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Can you guys give me a few ideas on what are the most essential items needed. Belt Grinder, Drill Press, etc.

Also, I want to buy very nice (if not the finest equipment made.) I know a lot of people do that and then realize that knifemaking is not for them, and are therefore recommended to buy the cheaper equipment first.

I have made a couple knives, loved it and want to be a full time maker in a few years, and I don't like using anything that doesn't run or work very well.

I have the money so it's more about the best brands that I should be looking at. (like if you were able to get any belt grinder you wanted for free it would be?) kind of answers.

I don't want to come off like a snob. I'm not and I'm not rich. :) I just want some really nice knifemaking equipment to eventually become a full time maker.

Thanks guys and gals.:thumbup:
 
My first pick of belt grinders is the Burr King 960 with the knife makers attachment along with it. Be sure and get the variable speed. My first belt grinder was not variable speed and I figured it was unnecessary, once I had one I would not be with out it.

My second purchase would be a Paragon heat treat oven, it is the king pin of all my experiments. I have been using mine for over 20 years without a hitch.

If you plan on forging, my Mankel 3 burner forge is as good as they come. My favorite of the new anvils also come from Ken's Shop.

For Power hammers talk to Harlan Seudemier at Little Giant, he won't steer you wrong, good honest man.

It has been over 40 years ago that I bought my drill press from Harbor Freight, it is still going strong, paid $75.00 for it. I have no idea how good the ones they are selling now are.

Good luck and remember the #1 rule - enjoy your voyage into the knife community.
 
There's a ton of discussion on these forums about different equipment.

It's not always possible to make specific recommendations until you know what you want to make and how you like to work.

For example, I'm a stock-removal type, so I won't need a forge, anvil, or blacksmithing tools.

At the other end of the spectrum are folk who make their own damascus and salt quench. Nope, strike that, the other end of the spectrum are folk who smelt their own steel. Not that I'm jealous or anything.

And there are tons of pages discussing equipment. For example, here's a thread discussing just the "best" belt grinder, whatever that means. There are also several lists of shop equipment.

If you pay $10 for basic membership, you get to search by forum. Compared to the thousands you will spend on equipment, it's well worth the investment and supports the website.

That said, I think I will plug the KMG grinder. You'll want one regardless of what knifemaking you do.

Best wishes!
 
One think about buying good equipment, it will hold most of it's value if you do decide to sell it in the future.

Asking which grinder is best is like asking "Ford or Chevy?" Once you get to a certain level, they are all good tools. I went with the Bader 3 variable speed, mainly because having a "factory made" guard is important in a school shop, and because there are some cool KMG accessories for the Bader. I looked at KMG, Burr King, and Wilton square wheel. If the guard was not an issue, I probably would have gone with KMG
 
I have a KMG and thought is was the best thing out there until this weekend. I went to the ABS hammer-in in Visalia CA and Travis Weurtz was there with his new grinder. This is the best thing since sliced bread. It does horizontal grinding as well as vertical with a surface grinding attachment coming soon. The configurations of different grinding angles he was showing us was limitless. It comes with a round wheel, platen, small wheels and the ease at which they are switched around is very quick.

If I hadn't just bought(in the last six months) a KMG and seperate horizontal grinder I would had placed a order.

If you want the BEST this is it. www.twuertz.com
 
Ed Fowler said:
My first pick of belt grinders is the Burr King 960 with the knife makers attachment along with it. Be sure and get the variable speed. My first belt grinder was not variable speed and I figured it was unnecessary, once I had one I would not be with out it.

My second purchase would be a Paragon heat treat oven, it is the king pin of all my experiments. I have been using mine for over 20 years without a hitch.

If you plan on forging, my Mankel 3 burner forge is as good as they come. My favorite of the new anvils also come from Ken's Shop.

For Power hammers talk to Harlan Seudemier at Little Giant, he won't steer you wrong, good honest man.

It has been over 40 years ago that I bought my drill press from Harbor Freight, it is still going strong, paid $75.00 for it. I have no idea how good the ones they are selling now are.

Good luck and remember the #1 rule - enjoy your voyage into the knife community.
Click to expand...

Great advice, Ed:thumbup:
 
When you ask knifemakers a question such as this you're apt to get a multitude of different answers as each of us will do things slightly differently. I would recommend visiting some knifemakers in their shops as well as going to hammer-ins and shop tours to get some ideas before investing too heavily.

There is also a wealth of info in books as well as on the forums. :) Measure twice & cut once.

Good luck & welcome aboard.

Gary
 
Mike Quesenberry said:
I have a KMG and thought is was the best thing out there until this weekend. I went to the ABS hammer-in in Visalia CA and Travis Weurtz was there with his new grinder. This is the best thing since sliced bread. It does horizontal grinding as well as vertical with a surface grinding attachment coming soon. The configurations of different grinding angles he was showing us was limitless. It comes with a round wheel, platen, small wheels and the ease at which they are switched around is very quick.

If I hadn't just bought(in the last six months) a KMG and seperate horizontal grinder I would had placed a order.

If you want the BEST this is it. www.twuertz.com
Click to expand...

I was very impressed by that grinder as well. So impressed I gave him a down payment for one on saturday. I should have it in the shop in a couple of weeks. I'll still have my KMG as well.
 
jimmyseymour said:
I was very impressed by that grinder as well. So impressed I gave him a down payment for one on saturday. I should have it in the shop in a couple of weeks. I'll still have my KMG as well.
Click to expand...

I saw that grinder just as I was paying for my KMG and for a split second thought it might have been a better decision to get the Weurtz, but I am a new maker and the Weurtz was a whole lot more $$$. I'm very happy with my KMG setup, which came barely used with an MAP arm that I can essentially do the same type of grinding with as the Weurtz. The OP did say that money was not really an option so the Weurtz should definitely be considered as it seems like a really nice machine. Not as tank like as the KMG, but very nice just the same, and even though I can grind the same with my KMG I'll admit that the Weurtz seems to be able to change setup quicker. The MAP takes a few minutes of wrenching to change around to the various setups......but I still love it:thumbup::D
 
Thanks guys, it's lliterally my bedtime, got tons of work tomorrow. But I will check out all of your opinions. Please keep them coming if you have them. I am working 15 hour days right now so research is tiring! Thanks Guys/Gals!
 
Go with the Wuertz grinder. I have had mine for about a month now and i can tell you with all certainty it is well worth the money.
 
That is a good looking Grinder!

I had a Square wheel for years. Finally sold it to a fledgling maker. Bob Loveless helped Burr-King design the 960, and it is a great machine. It's smoothness is legendary. It's only draw back is the time taken to change between set-up's.

George Herron had a big hand in the designing of the Bader III, and at Bob's suggestion, I purchased one a few years back. It's not as smooth as the Burr-King, But ultra fast between set-ups, and is a real work horse at high speed.

The KMG is mostly a take-off of it. Like everyone says, it's built like a tank! Rob Frink did a good job on it.

I now have two Burr-Kings, and the Bader-III in the shop. (I bought Jim Pugh's old BK-960 from Tommy Overrinder a couple of years ago. (TRO Knives).

Two of the machines are variable. I'll never again, not have a variable in the Shop. It is that good. It makes life a LOT easier!

Your attitude is a good one, and all too rare. It is impossible to do good work, and make a living with out decent equipment. But good quality once, or cheap quality for ever!

If you need a list of good easy to work with suppliers, let me know.

Mike
Maker
The Loveless Connection Knives
 
I dove head first into this, just like you are talking about doing.... and bought a variable speed Burr King the week I graduated from high school... and that was a H-U-G-E thing to drop $2,000 on anything at that age. It might be harder to do that now! LOL....


It was THE Cadilac of the knife world at the time though. Rob Frink hadn't even started making parts for 6X48's at that time! ;) :D

I now have the Burr King and two KMG's... and am quite happy!!!

If I were to do it right now, and was going to fund the money and shop space for just ONE grinder... it would be a close call between a KMG, a Bader BIII, and Travis's new grinder.

After making knives (seriously) for over 12 years now, I REALLY want to add a horizontal grinder to my shop. With Travis's... you get that in 1 machine, which is definitely something to think about.
 
I forgot the big question... What kind of knives do you plan on making??? Fixed hunters? Forged bowies? Folders???

That all has an impact on what you will ultimately want/need.

It is almost limitless what you could want and hope to have in a knife shop.... especially when you add forging to the mix as that requires a whole new tooling set-up.

If I had to cut a check for all the stuff I have accumulated in the shop since age 14, I think I would seriously die of instant heart failure at the ripe old age of 32! :eek: :foot: ;)
 
Yeah! No Kidding!!! I'm 56 and it hasn't stopped yet, (and wont for years).

In fact, I just bought a new hydraulic pin press yesterday, and a new high velocity turbo fan for air cooling ATS and CPM should be here with in the hour!
Still need to get a DRO for the Mill, and then----------------------------------

Mike
Maker
The Loveless Connection Knives
 
I bought cars in the 60's the way I buy grinders today. Bang for the buck.

Loved Pontiac's:thumbup:

Seriously, there are four grinders in my shop, two KMG's 3 and 2 hp one Procut variable and a nine inch reversible and variable speed disc. Each one has its own purpose and I rarely change the configuration, I move between machines depending on which grinder configuration is needed. I don't like to switch set ups any more than necessary.

If I were starting out I would consider purchasing a multi purpose grinder; but then I never bought a Shop-Smith either.:D

Fred
 
Thanks everyone, and if you have anything to add, please do. I plan on looking at all the sugestions seriously this weekend. Possibly placing a grinder order. So until this weekend, if you have any thoughts pleases let me know. I would like to start out with one grinder that doesn't have to be changed out too often.
 
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