Best knifemaking books?

Slip Joint Folder Design and Building by Steve Culver. I have several folder books, one builder has a large machine shop, a couple have very pooe quality photos. Culver's book has very clear drawings that for me are very understandable.
 
My father made and sold knives. His works were very popular. And he never learned from a book, but he learned everything himself. But if you know some good book that will help improve your skills, you can recommend it, I will give it to my father as a token of gratitude for recommending the site to me thanks to whose advice I wrote a cool personal statement and this helped me go to university. If not for a quality personal letter, I would hardly have entered the university of my dreams.
 
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Dr. Larrin Thomas' book should definitely be on the required required reading list. (Knife Engineering)

Not so much a book on "how to make knives" but heat treating is a very critical portion of every knife.
 
Agree on the recommendation for Larrin's book.

I mentioned a while back that I had a book in progress, so I'll update. The anthology I mentioned, "Next Level Knifemaking" is currently in layout and should be out this fall. It's 26 chapters by 19 industry experts including Ed Caffrey, Lin Rhea, Jim Cooper, Tracy Mickley, Salem Straub, Larrin Thomas, Shanna Jantz Kemp, Brad Stallsmith, Nathan Carothers and some others. I wrote 5 chapters and edited the rest. It's a variety of perspectives on how to move beyond "how to make a knife" to bring your work up to the "next level."

Once Covid shut the world down, I had a minute to put together a second book. Tentative title is "Knifemaking Hacks: 389 tips to make a knife like the pros." It is also in layout, and will be published by Caribou, the parent company of Blade Magazine. Target release is November. It also has around 110 professional photos of some of the most interesting and beautiful knives I could find. The format is non-traditional, kind of like a devotional book for knifemakers.
 
For me personally (although I haven't read very many books) the best books I've come across are those by Kevin Estela. They are very much to my liking, they are written gorgeous. I never really liked reading books, but then I got to the university, and there I had to write one thesis on the book. And there I realized that without this there was no way I could pass the final exams,
 
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Tyson A Wright said:
What's the word on these, Stacy? Hope they're still on your radar.
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Yes, now that the new shop is getting closer to done I have been reviewing the book files. My daughter does a podcast and is pretty good at all the internet and video stuff. She will help with the video work, editing, and putting up YouTube videos. I may start with some simple video projects as I get the book done. These will be simple things, like how to install Corby bolts, shop tips and hacks, etc.
The current idea is to make the book in two forms, printed with a DVD enclosed, and as an e-book with the video and still images included ( not sure how that works but Tina says it isn't a big deal). Judy also will help with some of the photos and videos.

Most equipment in the shop will have places to mount cameras so I can shot still and video of various processes. The forge area will have several overhead camera mounts. I have a versatile HDMI camera that can be head mounted or mounted many other ways. I have some head mounted cameras with fiber optic spot lights (used in surgery) that I may see if they can be used, too.

There are about six or so books in the files. Each book will have a detailed step-by-step build on several projects, chapters on setting up a shop, and on building, buying, and operating knifemaking equipment. The end of each book will have photos/drawings/blueprints/plans for more projects.

These aren't necessarily the exact titles but they will be something like:
"The Modern Metallurgical Knife Shop" ( Knifemaking using modern equipment,materials, principles, and techniques)
"The Advanced Knife Shop" (Advanced equipment, metallurgy, and techniques)
"Making the Classic Sgian Dubh" (Scottish boot knives and other weapons)
"Making Swords" (Techniques and procedures for making modern swords)
"Making Japanese Knives and Swords"
"Japanese Kitchen Knives"
"Working Knives" (Knives made for real use)
 
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