Equipment

C

CUTIGER 3

Joined
Mar 31, 1999
Messages
651
I saw so many knives I NEED at the Blade show over the weekend. Problem is I'll never be able to talk "The Boss" into letting me buy them all... I'd like to try and make a few.
Could I have some ideas on equipment I'll need to get started? Looking at about a $500 budget. I'm ordering a kit from Jantz Supply later this week. Thanks for the help
 
I am also interested in acquiring the basic equipment for first buiding kit knives and then making my own knives from different metal stock. I am located in Houston and I have access to the Texas Knifemakers Supply store. Thanks in advance.
 
Basic equipment is a good quality file made by Wilkinson, coarse one side fine the other and a vise. An electric drill is a must to drill pin holes and a good variety of emery paper 120 grit to 600 grit.

Optional equipment includes a buffing setup, knifemaking grinder, milling machine, drill press, spare knifemaking grinder so you don't have to change belts or contact wheels so often, maybe an additional disc grinder for sanding blade flats, a pantograph milling machine for working on folders, a surface grinder for precision work on folders, and come to think of it a wire edm would also be of some use. About this time a new workshop to house all of this equipment would not be out of line.

In truth a lot of makers make do with whatever they can afford and make a lot of their own equipment out of necessity.



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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 
Kyber,
I live in the Houston area as well and do business with TKS. They are some pretty nice folks. It is very convenient to be able to stop in and get what I need. Most other folks have to order everything by mail order.

George Tichbourne's post concerning the necessary equipment is right on the mark. When I assembled my first kit knife a number of years ago, I used a drill stand (one of those contraptions that you place your hand drill in and make a pseudo drill press) and a portable belt grinder turned upside down and clamped in a vise. Safety first, right? I am so glad that thing didn't come out of that vise. I also used a Makita 1/4 sheet palm sander with every grit size of sandpaper known to mankind. This was when I wasn't so sure that I would enjoy this or not. That was quite a few blades ago.
I wholeheartedly recommend doing a kit knife at first. I am sure that you will appreciate the time involved in doing one.
If there is anything that I can help you with, don't hessitate to email me. I am no expert by any means but enjoy it nevertheless. I only do stock removal, I haven't done any forging (yet).

CLWilkins
 
Oh, some other things...my first kit knife was a Rob Simonich Cetan Tanto in ATS-34. I probably should've started cheaper, but it turned out pretty well. Rob is probably pretty backlogged by this time, so I wouldn't expect more than a batch or two of Cetans to be made every year, I'd guess. Anyway, I have found that many custom makers will make unfinished blades and supply handle materials at very reasonable prices (i.e. around $50 for everything). These are knives that you will be proud of and that will perform better than the so-so knives sold as kits from many places. Just ask nicely and see what happens. I have even gotten custom blades gfround from my specs at the under $50 mark, which is utterly fantastic! Check my webpage to see what is involved timewise, and how to make your life a WHOLE lot easier.
Some things I haven't added to my webpage yet that made a huge difference on later projects:
1) Use a bench vise. This is SO important, and I didn't realize why until my last two knives. Three of the four have used Micarta scales, which is rather difficult to file and work when compared to wood. Using a vise allows one to use more pressure with files.
2) Use a sanding block. I used a small block of wood with a section of bicycle tire innertube stretched over it. Works great!
3) Use a good aspirator, as most dust os bad. Invest in a good one. You could always sell it if you don't continue on with knifemaking.
4) Always dry-fit everything before you use epoxy.
5) A drill press would be SO much better than a regular drill. If you consider the price decent ones can be bought for, I thinka drill press should be in everyone's home workshop.
6) Try as many things as possible, but strive to keep things simple. My first project was starightforward, but on the other three I have used spacers under the scales,made my own mosaic pins, and made sheaths from Concealex and Kydex. The more understanding you have of every aspect of knifemaking, the better off you will be. I am totally hooked. It's now just a matter of saving the $$$ to get a grinder and drill press! Someday...;-)

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http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
 
I've been working with kit blades for about two and a half years now and my shop is pretty meager compared to many. But here is the equip. that I used to get into this madness:

o Delta 1"X30" belt with 6" disc sander
o Delta bench band saw (for shaping and milling handle material; bought used)
o Ryobi rotary tool with sanding drum attachment (for getting to those hard to reach places on handles).
o Chinese no-name brand drill press (cheap)
o Black and Decker wheel grinder converted into a buffing machine (cheap)
o Clamps (various sizes)
o A dozen or so files

Since I first began in winter 1997, I have purchased a Sears Craftsman 4" belt and disc sander for sanding handle material flat and shaping and I freely acquired an old clothes dryer motor that is used for buffing. This motor turns at half the rpm (1750) than the Black and Decker. The only other equipment are my two hands.

All in all, I have what I need to complete a kit knife. Plans are to someday acquire a grinder for grinding my own blades.....again, someday, but hopefully soon.

>> DeWayne <<

 
I also have a fairly modest setup, built up from my Dad's old "home repair" type woodworking shop (I'd guess at least 50% of dads must have these). My equipment:

Sears 1hp 2"x42" belt / 8" disc
No-name 1hp 6"x48" belt / 9" disc
No-name 1/6hp 1"x30" belt
Sears 1/2hp(?) band saw heavily modified for metal-cutting speeds
Sears 1/2hp(?) floor drill press
Dremel Heavy-duty flex-shaft tool
Sears 1/3hp 3600rpm grinder / buffer
No-name 1/2hp 1750rpm grinder / buffer
Soldering / brazing torch
Hacksaw
Lots o' files
Sandpaper

As was mentioned, all you really need are files, sandpaper, and time. But for a powered setup, I'd at least want my Sears belt sander, a Dremel of some sort (capable of all tasks, lousy at most), and some sort of powered saw. You *need* a drill-press for the precision of a folder, but can get by with a hand-drill for fixed-blades I guess... but it won't be fun.

I started making handles for Benchmades in a college dorm room with a scroll saw that had a 4" disc / buffer on the side. That and a little sandpaper was all I needed, except the few minutes on a drill press I'd find here or there. Many have started with less. The key isn't how you do it, but that you do it. If everyone had the will and the time to discover how easy knifemaking is, nobody would buy someone else's knife again
wink.gif


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-Corduroy
(Why else would a bear want a pocket?)
 
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