equipment needed

A

ajcz

Joined
Oct 14, 2005
Messages
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what equipment would i need to make knives? i do want to knoweveything that i would need.
 
The first thing you will need to get is a clock so you will know when it is time to slow down.The equipment you need depends on what you will be doing.It can range from some files and sandpaper (costing $20-$50),to CNC mills and air hammers (costing $10,000 and up).Purchase some good books on knifemaking, (when the search engine is back up the best books have been on several threads),order the catalogs from K&G,Texas Knife Supply,Jantz,and any others you think you will like.Texas KS is a good starter company.There are books, supplies, tools,metal,kits and blades, and a lot of tips and info in those catalogs.Join the American Bladesmiths Society (it has a youth membership that is CHEAP). Find out if there is any nearby knife association,and any nearby makers.Attend a knife show,a hammer-in (a must for new learners),and go to your local library (books on knifemaking,blacksmithing,knives,etc.).Asking questions on this forum is a good idea before you jump into a project.That way you can avoid mistakes and accidents.But first do your homework and learn about the question you are going to ask.Good luck,and tell us where you are.
Stacy
 
bladsmth said:
The first thing you will need to get is a clock so you will know when it is time to slow down.The equipment you need depends on what you will be doing.It can range from some files and sandpaper (costing $20-$50),to CNC mills and air hammers (costing $10,000 and up).Purchase some good books on knifemaking, (when the search engine is back up the best books have been on several threads),order the catalogs from K&G,Texas Knife Supply,Jantz,and any others you think you will like.Texas KS is a good starter company.There are books, supplies, tools,metal,kits and blades, and a lot of tips and info in those catalogs.Join the American Bladesmiths Society (it has a youth membership that is CHEAP). Find out if there is any nearby knife association,and any nearby makers.Attend a knife show,a hammer-in (a must for new learners),and go to your local library (books on knifemaking,blacksmithing,knives,etc.).Asking questions on this forum is a good idea before you jump into a project.That way you can avoid mistakes and accidents.But first do your homework and learn about the question you are going to ask.Good luck,and tell us where you are.
Stacy
Click to expand...

Sage wisdom from a good man. :thumbup:
 
cheap 2 x 42" craftsman grinder or better yet a grizzley 2 x 72 grinder!
Alot of patience :)
 
The $50 Knife Shop will answer many of your questions, so will GOOGLE.
Anyway- here's my take on it.

Steel, a drill, a few files, and sandpaper for the bare minimum. A grinder may help, so may a drill press, etc.- but they aren't needed.

If you want to forge blades- steel, a flat piece of something hard (railroad, anvil, you name it- just make sure that it can take a beating and help shape steel), a file, something to heat metal with (a coal forge, welding torch, propane forge, etc.), something to hold the metal with(they say that pliers will work, but reccomend tongs), and something to beat the metal with (preferably a 2-3 lb hammer they say), for bare minimum. A nice anvil, decent hammers, good tongs, great forge, belt grinder, etc. may help- but they aren't needed.
 
if you want to be cheap and assuming you have nothing right now, a hacksaw (with a high speed steel blade), 2 C-clamps, a wooden sawhorse, a flat mill bastard file (nicholson is recommended for draw-filing the edge), a piece of O1 tool steel, a mapp blowtorch (for clean heat-treating, charcoal and a hairdryer can be used -but causes a lot of scale), a firebrick (hollowed out for heat-treating the steel -see wayne goddard's one brick forge), and use of a regular kitchen oven for tempering. that's how i started out, and on the balcony of my crappy Los angeles apartment.
 
I made all the knives from my first TK feature article with 3 things that cost me under $1K... A Wilton Square wheel grinder(No speed control) a Harbor freight drill press, and a baldor buffer.. IN hindsight I didnt really need the buffer.:D What you cant buy is the WILL and DRIVE to make something of your own, in a jenre that has been done since man made his first tool.

Take Care
Trace Rinaldi
www.THRblades.com
 
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