Advice/Help For a Beginner?

I'm not a knifemaker but have idly dreamed about giving it a try. Too idly, I'm afraid. Anyway, I thought of this thread when I saw an Instagram post by Ray Laconico. Turns out you don't need an amazing workshop to be a big-time knife maker! Not sure what I envisioned his shop looking like, but it wasn't this:

www.instagram.com

Ray Laconico on Instagram: "This is where I work. It’s not much and nothing fancy but I’m kinda proud about that 😊 #laconicoknives #knifemaking #knifeshop #workplace #workspace #garage #shop"

484 likes, 25 comments - raylaconicoknives on January 23, 2022: "This is where I work. It’s not much and nothing fancy but I’m kinda proud about that 😊 #la..."
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
 
Ugh, I don't know how to share an Instagram post. Anyway, his shop seems to take up half of a two-car garage.
 
RyanSean97 said:
Where at?
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His was in Townsville Australia.

Either a Google search or a new thread I suppose.

Otherwise I found this as a random example

savagecustomknives.com

2 Day Knife Making Classes - Brisbane

We are happy to announce we're offering knife making classes conveniently located in Ipswich Brisbane. Knife making courses Brisbane QLD. Blacksmithing classes QLD. Savage Custom Knives leading custom knife maker Australia we specialize in stainless steel chef knives and knife making classes...
savagecustomknives.com savagecustomknives.com
 
3D Anvil said:
Ugh, I don't know how to share an Instagram post. Anyway, his shop seems to take up half of a two-car garage.
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You shared it fine on my end! But oh wow, I never would've expected that to be his shop at all. Ray is an awesome maker and designer, just goes to show you don't need much to do great work
 
You have to take a step back.
The first knives you make are not about the knives, they are learn projects, they are about getting understanding and skill.
Don't be unmotivated by looking at all the beautiful work with almost perfect grinds you see all over the net.
They are by people who have been practising for years.
You're doubting yourself because you see olimpic athletes run 100M under 10sec and you are no way near that.
Let it go and enjoy the process, enjoy little victories.
Finish your first knife and cut something with it!
You made that knife! It was a flat piece of steel before!

Don't be affright to make mistakes.
And get a bubble jig. That will help you with your grinding big time.
 
RyanSean97 said:
My main issue with these 3 mess ups, are not going over my center line. I'm still grinding too much over. When I cut my initial 45s and start working up, I go over the line instead of working up and back. I tend to go forward as well. I'm still trying to get my stance and movement down as far as holding the knife when grinding as well. That's causing trouble for me too
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If your blanks are not yet heat treated, you probably need to leave more thickness. If your stock is thin, less than 0.08" or so, you should probably heat treat before grinding. If you grind pre-heat treat, you don't go all the way to final dimensions. Just get it "close" then stop until it is hardened and tempered.

If you are grinding through your midline, you are doing way too much grinding. Don't apply pressure at the edge, at all. The only time you touch the edge is when you profile, or sharpen. When grinding bevels, your finger pressure needs to be in the middle of the blade, near your intended grind line, not near the tip.
 
Justin W said:
If your blanks are not yet heat treated, you probably need to leave more thickness. If your stock is thin, less than 0.08" or so, you should probably heat treat before grinding. If you grind pre-heat treat, you don't go all the way to final dimensions. Just get it "close" then stop until it is hardened and tempered.

If you are grinding through your midline, you are doing way too much grinding. Don't apply pressure at the edge, at all. The only time you touch the edge is when you profile, or sharpen. When grinding bevels, your finger pressure needs to be in the middle of the blade, near your intended grind line, not near the tip.
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Yeah I won't have any heat treated blades until I have a lot more skill level, because I'll be sending them off when that time comes.

But thats what I need to work on for sure, because for example the last blank I ground, I hit my center line fine, then when I started walking the grind up the blade, I noticed that it wasn't really thinning out at all. Like my bevels weren't going "in", they were just going "up". They were getting higher but not thinner. If that makes sense. But I know its just all a matter of practice and time at the grinder.
 
Also, make sure you have strong enough eyes (or glasses as the case may be) and enough light that's in a good position for you to be able to see the shadow of the initial 45 degree bevel marking your center and the sanding belt. Don't be afraid to move your grinder or light around until you get the right placement.
 
2WsFsi0.jpg
 
RyanSean97 said:
Yeah I won't have any heat treated blades until I have a lot more skill level, because I'll be sending them off when that time comes.

But thats what I need to work on for sure, because for example the last blank I ground, I hit my center line fine, then when I started walking the grind up the blade, I noticed that it wasn't really thinning out at all. Like my bevels weren't going "in", they were just going "up". They were getting higher but not thinner. If that makes sense. But I know its just all a matter of practice and time at the grinder.
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Why you push freehand filing with file ? Whats the point there ?
This is what you need to do if you want next bevels to be prefect . Make file jig , two hours work and grind bevels .Leave edge little thicker for heat treat .Send knife to be HT . Then use some angle iron as jig and finish bevels on that 1x30 , little hand sanding after that and you are done . Works every time .One of my best knife is done with file jug ,a relaxing job, without worry that you can screw something up.
I found some picture of that knife , here on forum .....I lost them in the computer
z5433RW.jpg

RhW2LuY.jpg
 
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Natlek said:
Why you push freehand filing with file ? Whats the point there ?
This is what you need to do if you want next bevels to be prefect . Make file jig , two hours work and grind bevels .Leave edge little thicker for heat treat .Send knife to be HT . Then use some angle iron as jig and finish bevels on that 1x30 , little hand sanding after that and you are done . Works every time .One of my best knife is done with file jug ,a relaxing job, without worry that you can screw something up.
I found some picture of that knife , here on forum .....I lost them in the computer
z5433RW.jpg

RhW2LuY.jpg
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Whats the point of what? I'm not freehand filing I'm freehand grinding. But I've seen the file jig method, just haven't tried it since I had the 1x30. I know it's not ideal for bevels but I wanted to start practicing and trying to get the fundamentals down. I know the process, but that's a lot easier said than done lol Anyway I might make a file jig sometime soon, been wanting to try it for a while anyway even though it takes time. I don't mind, I want to see the bevels it produces.

That's a nice knife!
 
RyanSean97 said:
Whats the point of what? I'm not freehand filing I'm freehand grinding. But I've seen the file jig method, just haven't tried it since I had the 1x30. I know it's not ideal for bevels but I wanted to start practicing and trying to get the fundamentals down. I know the process, but that's a lot easier said than done lol Anyway I might make a file jig sometime soon, been wanting to try it for a while anyway even though it takes time. I don't mind, I want to see the bevels it produces.

That's a nice knife!
Click to expand...
How you make this knives ? You say somewhere that you never try file jig ?
Look , I am trying to help you . Forget that freehand grinding and use file jig or jig for grinder you have and make some knives .There is no reason to waste time and steel learning something you don t need to make knife ?
I've also attempted the old school approach and picked up some good quality files, sandpaper, vise and hacksaw and did one or two blades that way as well, but I quickly learned that I wasn't born with the patience
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RyanSean97 said:
That's a nice knife!
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Thanks !
If I could turn back time, I would turn it back when I worked on that knife. Now I have 5 or 6? grinders and two or three I work on !! And two million other tools knife related! If I had only used a file, I believe I would have made many more knives so far than with grinders 🤣
PS . I enjoyed the work more when I made a knife out of hardened M2 HSS steel only with Scythe stone !
 
I completely disagree
Natlek said:
How you make this knives ? You say somewhere that you never try file jig ?
Look , I am trying to help you . Forget that freehand grinding and use file jig or jig for grinder you have and make some knives .There is no reason to waste time and steel learning something you don t need to make knife ?
Click to expand...
 
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