First post and first knife picture

L

Livnoutdoorsxd9

Joined
May 8, 2011
Messages
10
Hey guys,
I'm new here to blade forums. I'm a member at another knife forum but it isn't tapatalk enabled so I can't browse it at work haha. That's not the only reason I joined here, I'm also looking for as much info and inspiration as I can find. I just got into knife making a month ago and am half way through my second. I decided to start out with the premade blades and see how they turned out. My first is a 440c blade with lacewood, aluminum corbys and a ss tube for the lanyard. I went with a super glue finish and sanded it to 1000. I'm pleased with how it came out for a first try but I'll always be looking to improve. So enough with the talk, here's a pic:
 
Welcome to the Bladeforums. The knife looks good.
Filling out your profile will be a good thing to do.
 
I will when I get home to a computer, I joined via tapatalk. I see that mentioned in a few places, why is it recommended so much out of curiosity?
 
Hi Livin,
Knowing a little about your skills and other hobbies helps others give you appropriate help if you ask.
A General Idea of your location might lead you to local Hammerins or knife making Classes in you area.
Welcome!!!!
 
You may find this helpful on your next project

The Standard Reply to New Knifemakers v14

The answer to a 13 year old student is different than to a 40 year old engineer.
We may recommend a local supplier, or you may have a helpful neighbour; but that depends on where you are. We have members worldwide.
Fill out your profile with your location (Country and State at least), age, education, employment.

Look at the threads stickied at the top; many are expired, but not all.

The basic process in the simplest terms
Absolute Cheapskate Way to Start Making Knives-Printable PDF-Right Click and Save
Absolute Cheapskate Way to Start Making Knives-Website


Web Tutorials
Detailed instructions by Stacy E.Apelt

The Things I Advise New Knife Makers Against-Printable PDF

Handle Tutorial - Nick Wheeler-Website

http://www.engnath.com/manframe.htm

Books
A list of books and videos

BladeForums - E-books or Google books


I like:
David Boye-Step by Step Knifemaking
Tim McCreight-Custom Knifemaking: 10 Projects from a Master Craftsman
These are clear, well organized, widely available and inexpensive too.

Knife Design:
See the Google books thread for Lloyd Harding drawings & the Loveless book. Google books thread


Forging Books:
Lorelei Sims-The Backyard Blacksmith
An excellent modern book with colour photos for forging in general - no knifemaking.

Jim Hrisoulas- has 3 books on forging knives. Check for the cheaper paperback editions.
The Complete Bladesmith: Forging Your Way to Perfection
The Pattern-Welded Blade: Artistry in Iron
The Master Bladesmith: Advanced Studies in Steel

Machine Shop Basics -Books:
Elementary Machine Shop Practice-Printable PDF

The Complete Practical Machinist-Printable -1885-PDF
It’s being reprinted now, you can get it for $20 ish

The $50 knife Shop
It confused me for a long time.
Forging is NOT necessary; you can just file and grind to create a knife (stock removal)

The goop quench is total Bull.
Use commercial quench oil & match oil speed to the steel type; even grocery store canola oil works much better.

Junkyard steels require skill and experience to identify the steel and heat treat it properly.
You can buy proper steel like 1084FG from Aldo very cheaply.

I like cable damascus, but that advanced project has no place in a beginner’s book.

The grinders are the best thing about this book, but there is a huge amount of info for 2x72” belt grinders on the web, including free plans.


Videos

Heat Treating Basics Video-downloadable
Right click and save this. Watch it once a day for 10 days.

Safety-video
Right click and save this. Watch it once a day for 10 days.

Many specific how to knifemaking videos are available, some are better than others.

The best overall Knifemaking video I have seen is
“Steve Johnson-Making a Sub-Hilt Fighter”

The best video on leather sheath making I have seen is
“Custom Knife Sheaths -Chuck Burrows - Wild Rose”
-(Paul Long has 2 new videos, his sheath work is fantastic. I hope the videos are too)

Green Pete's Free Video
Making a Mora bushcraft knife, stock removal, hand tools, neo tribal / unplugged heat treat.
"Green Pete" posted it free using torrent files.
Be sure to look at the other titles too-The account index has disappeared, but search for LOTS of info.
Greenpete Knifemaking Basics-on TPB

How to get that video
http://www.utorrent.com/help/guides/beginners-guide

You can see a list of videos and reviews at this rental company; some are worth buying, some renting…
http://smartflix.com/store/category/9/Knifemaking

Draw Filing Demonstration
YouTube video -Draw Filing-for a flat finish

Steel
The “welding steel” at Home Depot / Lowes… is useless for knives.
If you send out for heat treating, you can use O1, A2, D2, CM154, ATS34, s30v, 440C, plus many others.

If you heat treat yourself, find some 1070, 1080, 1084,
1084 FG sold by Aldo Bruno is formulated for knifemaking.
http://njsteelbaron.com/
Phone # 862-203-8160

You can find a list of suppliers here

Heat Treating
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9143684&postcount=7

You can send blades out for heat treating at $10 or $15 per blade for perfect results, and avoid buying the equipment.

This PDF brochure gives a good overview
http://www.buckknives.com/resources/pdf/Paul_Bos_Brochure.pdf
http://www.petersheattreat.com/cutlery.html
http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/privacy.php#services
http://www.knifemaker.ca/ (Canadian)


Grinder / Tools

Hand Tools
You can do it all by hand with files and abrasive cloth like the Green Pete video.
Photo of a nice bevel filing jig

Entry Level Grinders
Many makers start with the Sears Craftsman 2x42 belt grinder

Commercial Production 2 x 72” Belt Grinder Reviews
http://www.prometheanknives.com/shop-techniques-3/grinders
http://www.cnccookbook.com/CCKnifeMakingGrinders.htm

Mapp arm – Grinder Toolrest


DIY 2 x 72” Belt Grinders

KMG Clone Free Plans
http://www.dfoggknives.com/PDF/GrinderPlans.pdf

NWG No Weld Grinder
http://www.usaknifemaker.com/plans-for-the-no-weld-grinder-sander-nearly-50-pages-p-723.html

EERF Grinder (EERF =“Free” backwards)
http://wilmontgrinders.com/EERFGrinder.aspx
http://blindhogg.com/blueprints.html
http://www.atlasknife.com

Buy the kit
http://polarbearforge.com/grinder_kit.html


Safety Equipment
Protect your -Eyes, Ears, Fingers, and Lungs – remove jewelry and put on safety gear.

Respirators
Chronic lung disease and cancer really suck the joy out of life.
The minimum I would consider are the 3M 7500 and North 7700 silicone half masks with a P100 Filter.
Use a VOC & P100 combo cartridge for protection against acetone and solvents.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=788837
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=726309


V14 Edited dead links
 
Yes, the profile helps a lot. I often don't respond to those who have not filled theirs out. I don't know if I am answering a 50 year old professional machinist or a 11th grade student. The answer can be vastly different.

Just five minutes ago I responded to someone who had filled out their profile, and they live withing an easy drive of my shop. I can help him in person, not just over the keyboard.
 
Livnoutdoorsxd9 said:
I will when I get home to a computer, I joined via tapatalk. I see that mentioned in a few places, why is it recommended so much out of curiosity?
Click to expand...

I agree with the things that others have said but there is another aspect that may be important to only me. I feel that the more a person can connect with others, the better the communication will be. Keeping secret makes me not want to respond. You don't trust me, why should I trust you? You're not asked for your SSN, credit card No's, street address, etc. but a little bit of info that helps to make you seem more "human" or "real" to me, and therefore more likely to get the questionable bennefit of my poor advice and misdirection.

I'm a retired Instructional Media Specialist and one area I have a bit of understanding in is online instruction. There is a notoriously poor complition rate for online courses. There are several things that can be done to aleaviate this problem and they center around the formation of a "community" between the students. In many ways this is an online course in Knife Making 101, except everyone's a potential teacher as well as student.

And your knife looks pretty darn good. I like the selection of wood for the handle. Now it's time to take the next step. Get a piece of GOOD steel and make your first complete knife. You can do it. It's not rocket science and the wellfare of all mankind doesn't depend upon it being professional quality. In fact there is a long tradition of first knives being, somewhat laking in that sterile, professional appearance.

I'm trying to build up the courage to make a knife with bolsters. A couple days ago a took some scrap metal and practiced peening pins by attaching one piece of scrap metal to another, and it worked!

Good luck.

- Paul Meske, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
 
lonepine said:
Now it's time to take the next step. Get a piece of GOOD steel and make your first complete knife. You can do it. It's not rocket science and the wellfare of all mankind doesn't depend upon it being professional quality. In fact there is a long tradition of first knives being, somewhat laking in that sterile, professional appearance.
- Paul Meske, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Click to expand...
Thanks for the kind words and encouragement neighbor! (Racine County, WI here) I really would like to do a knife from scratch. I sort of feel like I'm cheating by purchasing the blades pre-made. I've got a HF 1x30" right now but I'm not sure its up to the task.. I might choose to do my first complete with files. I would really like to upgrade my sander. I may sell a couple kit knives to family, friends, and acquaintances (but not my first!) to pay for a better machine. I do have a second knife in the works and i'm learning that its going to be hard to sell them because I really like this one too! Heres a sneak peek:
dscn2934z.jpg

By livnoutdoorsxd9 at 2011-05-05
 
Ooooh, don't say that X(1x30 grinder) isn't up to it. Sure enough, someone will show you just how not only can X accomplish the task, but how they produce much better results with X than you or I could with Y($2000 Bader BIII). For example, "Oh, I'd never use the cheap $99 golf club set from Wal-mart!" Then you arrive at the course and there's a guy there who just shot 2 under par with that set. You see, he spent the money he saved by not buying a set of Taylor Made clubs toward lessons instead. Search for 1x30 knives and you'll find lots of VERY nice blades.

Good luck, nice finish on the handles.
 
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