Advice on starting my own shop

T

Tuhon Bill McGrath

Joined
Mar 7, 2000
Messages
23
For the last 20 years I have tought the Filipino martial arts (which has a great emphasis on blade work)and for almost that long my students have bugged me to make knives for them. I have attended the seminars at Ashokan several times and have taken classes with two custom knive makers. I have also tried something of an intermediate step, making some aluminum training knives for my students. I am ready to make the jump to real knives and would like to get some advice on equiptment and services.

Please help me with the following:

1. Which belt grinder would you recommend?

2. I want to start by outsourcing my blade blanking. Who has the best prices for either water-jet or lazer cutting blanks.

3. I will also start by outsourcing heat treatment. Who would you recommend?

Thank you for your help,
Bill McGrath
tuhonbill@pekiti-tirsia.com http://www.pekiti-tirsia.com
 
Bill,

Please check your mail.

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C.O.'s-"It takes balls to work behind the walls "
 
1.) If you're ready to spend the cash, a HardCore Grinder. BUT since that's an awfully big jump into it, I hear the Coote grinder is a great value. The thing is, if you're serious, I say buy the tool that you'll be happy with.

2.) I profile my own blades, but from what I've seen, Admiral Steel is probably your best bet on having it done. You can buy the steel from them and then have it laser cut.

3.) Paul Bos for heat-treating.

Best of luck to you,
Nick
 
I have a 10" Coote grinder and it works great.
Look locally you can probably find a Waterjet cutting facility near you. It will save you a bunch of time & money to do stuff locally.

Paul Bos is the place to go for the best heat treat, but he is in California. Again try a local heat treating facility. We have a place here in Phoenix that does Aerospace parts for NASA they do Cryo work for $5 a blade.
Paul charges $60 for a 20 blade batch, but you are shipping it across the country.

Hit the yellow pages and check with the local knife makers or a knife club. They are a great source of information.
Hope that helps
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RHankins Available knives
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=205453
 
Coote grinders $300-400 supply your own 1 hp motor:

N.E.Coote Tool and Machine
231 Mats View Rd
Port Ludlow, WA 98365

360-437-0366

Call and leave a message...

Running Dog

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Running Dog Knife Company

<A HREF="mailto:
runningdog@dog.com">
runningdog@dog.com</A>
www.runningdogknife.bigstep.com
 
Thanks, Running Dog! I bought a 2HP Baldor TEFC 3750rpm motor, 1 phse, 115V on Ebay last week for $135.00 + shipping and I HOPE I can figure out how to either match it with Coote's grinder or build my own...
 
Grinder Bader b3 variable speed 2hp and attachments
Heat treat Paul Bos

Get your steel from Crucible

My 2cents
 
Grinder Hardcore if you have the budget though I have no experience with it I respect the opinions of those who do. My Bee Metal grinder is a clone of the Square wheel. It come with square wheel type platen, including 1 5/8" and 2" small wheels, slack grinder, 8" contact wheel and the work rest - all easy to access, change around and adjust. It can be had with Baldor 1HP DC motor and speed control. Some question the 1HP but I haven't been able to bog this down even close. You buy it with Canadian dollars which are very cheap these days.
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Worth considering.

Rob!




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Rob Ridley
Ranger Original Handcrafted Knives
 
Hi. You didn't ask about this, but you really do need a good drill press. You may already have one, but if not, then that is the first thing to buy. Ask around among other makers for recommendations.

Also, a decent bandsaw is a good investment, especially compared to the recurring cost of laser-cutting your blanks.

[This message has been edited by samwereb (edited 10-31-2000).]
 
cyclecart, you should have no problem with the coote and baldor. get a set of step pulleys they may be two differnt drive shaft dia, i mounted the grinded on a square base that i could slide back and forth for the tention of the belt with the pulleys and then clamp it down, i have a hard core now and its worth it
also at 4 to 5 times the price, to get the grind rolling its hard to beat the coote. because of the cost factor.

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Laurence Segal www.RHINOKNIVES.com
 
Pardon me if this has been said already, I didn't read every post, but the best advice I can give you is to buy the best tools and equipment you can! Lots of elcheapo stuff out there, but most of it will cause more headaches than it's worth and you'll end up buying the better things anyway. It's tough plopping down a grand for a fancy belt grinder, but you'll never regret it. Take care! Michael

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Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!
http://www.nebsnow.com/L6steel
Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms!!!
 
I'm not a knifemaker but have a business. best advice I can give a person is to keep accurate records. TO THE PENNY. And get an accountant. They're extremely valuable when starting out and often not thought about until too late after you already made costly mistakes.
 
I built my own for about $250, It took a month to get it right and a bit of frustration during that but I have incredible versitility with the two ended arbor turned by 3 stepped pulley to only a half horse at the moment, I can flop my wheels on and of from contact (2x48) to buffing to stone to leather and all fits in a trailer for my bicycle. While I haven't yet made the 1st knife, it at least pays the bills sharpening.
 
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