Bladesmithing in a Apartment.

D7reamers

D7reamers

Joined
Aug 29, 2001
Messages
850
I am thinking of making knives, but I live in an apartment.
Any suggestions on what tools to get without getting in trouble with the landlord?
 
Just pay your rent 3 months in advance and get a 25 lb. power hammer instead of a 50 lb. They are quieter.
 
Ask Alan Folts he set up his shop in an apt before he bought his house
 
Otha's suggestion is a good one. I made my first knife on the small balcony of Alan Folt's apartment/shop.
 
I have seen some young guys around my area using storage units for their "garage bands". You could check to see if any were leniant enough to allow you to do some knife work.If you have any friends that have the same interest, share the expense.
Mark
 
ooops that a differnt song. i work in my garage under may appt, i do all stock removeal that open flame gets owners nervese! by off your neibors and landlord with free sharpening. thats what i do! even a knife once a year to the land lord seems to keep him happy, something for the misses. does a world of help. tee hee
 
I don't pay the rent, I still live at my mom's and sometimes at my dad's.
Problem is, my mom will freak out (she's anti-"weapon") if I'm making knives.
 
You should scream and faint whenever she uses those deadly WEAPONS to slice some butter.
Mark
 
D7,make your first knife a kitchen knife for mom.There is more than one way to skin a cat.Right Jerry.Dave:D
 
I have set up a rather elaborate shop in a 6x8 balcony on the second floor of an apartment building... It is definitely not ideal but if you have to have somewhere to wakr, a nicely build workbench with a vice is a start, if you have to you can eork out blades by hand with files and sandpaper. If you have to have a grinder keep it covered and keep your working hours to a descent time of day as not to annot your neighbors... Keep people on your good side, sharpen their kitchen knives, tell them if they ever need anything fixed you will give it your best... It all depends on the Apartment complex, how they react, i had a drill press, a bader grinder and a large steel workbench with a vice and lots and lots of dremel and hand tools, the bader would vibrate the floor when you turned it on, but no one ever complained... Just keep your neighbors privacy and enjoyment of life in mind and go from there... Then again you gotta make it past your Mom first.:)

Alan...
 
I attain to the same principles, and no problems till now. I work in a small attic which I set up as a workshop.
No smithing, though.
Running even a small propane forge in an attic is not good (carbon monoxide and all) and punding over an anvil with a 4# hammer is not something will keep even the most tolerant neighbor happy, even if you promise to sharpen his knives for the rest of your life... :p
 
I'm stock removing in a 2 bdm apt...got a bandsaw on the back balcony and a grinder and drill press in the 2nd bedroom. I got some old carpet that was being thrown away at work and laid it over the existing carpet and laid some up the wall behind the grinder for what the dust collector might miss.
 
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