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Recommendation? Getting started making knives

J

John Wright

Joined
Mar 31, 2018
Messages
13
I'm a plumber just looking for a hobby to do on the weekends. I'm new to this so I'm asking for a list of tools I may need and places where I can find them that are reputable I do not like to do anything small. I buy top of the line Equipment not overpriced garbage. Eventually I would like to go to Gun and knife shows and sell my product online but in the mean time just looking to have fun and fill my shop with tools. - 2x72" belt grinder
- 3 to 5hp Electric motor
- variable speed devices
- band saw
I don't have anything so a detailed list of everything would be much appreciated. Thanks
 
Best advice i can give is watch the ekim knives how to make a fixed blade series. Also what is your budget for tooling. I got a cheap wen drill press for about 100 dollars and it works great. I think its safe to cheap out there. I saw some less expensive 2x72 grinders at oregon blade maker. I think you need to assemble them. Thats where i would splurge a bit if possible. I have a kmg and i like it. Granite surface plate (bigger is better) 50 dollars or less. Various files. I would start with less and see what works and what you feel you need. What some people love others never use. I also have a stand up 64.5 bandsaw. I prefer this to a portaband. The stand up models are 3 to 5 hundred dollars and the portabands can be had for about 100 if you shop around. They can be clamped in a vice or you can purchase a table from an aftermarket company.
 
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Welcome....Estate Sales, Flea Markets, Craigslist, Ebay, and your Local Big Box Hardware store will have the majority of hand tools that you will need. There is a "Sticky Thread" at the top of this Forum section with "All the good information in one place" this is a good place to start for information you will need to get started. There is also a Sticky for the "Search Engine" that you can use to find answers to most common questions that have been answered before. Do a search get some information and you will find that the members here are willing to share their experiences as long as you are also helping yourself....Again Welcome and enjoy the Fun!!!
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/sticky-threads-all-the-good-info-you-want-in-one-place.1052730/
 
Stang Bladeworks said:
Best advice i can give is watch the ekim knives how to make a fixed blade series. Also what is your budget for tooling. I got a cheap wen drill press for about 100 dollars and it works great. I think its safe to cheap out there. I saw some less expensive 2x72 grinders at oregon blade maker. I think you need to assemble them. Thats where i would splurge a bit if possible. I have a kmg and i like it. Granite surface plate (bigger is better) 50 dollars or less. Various files. I would start with less and see what works and what you feel you need. What some people love others never use. I also have a stand up 64.5 bandsaw. I prefer this to a portaband. The stand up models are 3 to 5 hundred dollars and the portabands can be had for about 100 if you shop around. They can be clamped in a vice or you can purchase a table from an aftermarket company.
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I have $2700 I can spend now and about $500 a week I can spare on tools. What about metal hardness testing tools and Company's I can send them all to be heat treated?
 
Busto said:
Welcome....Estate Sales, Flea Markets, Craigslist, Ebay, and your Local Big Box Hardware store will have the majority of hand tools that you will need. There is a "Sticky Thread" at the top of this Forum section with "All the good information in one place" this is a good place to start for information you will need to get started. There is also a Sticky for the "Search Engine" that you can use to find answers to most common questions that have been answered before. Do a search get some information and you will find that the members here are willing to share their experiences as long as you are also helping yourself....Again Welcome and enjoy the Fun!!!
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/sticky-threads-all-the-good-info-you-want-in-one-place.1052730/
Click to expand...


Thank you. The link was very helpful
 
Just a suggestion, but purchase tools that will have a dual purpose like drill press drill bits and clamps common tools that can be used for other purposes. Do the research on Machinery like grinders before dropping a wad of cash and try doing some hand work as you gather tools...It's one thing to have a big pile of cash to buy tools and then find out that you may not want to continue making knives and have invested a lot of money. I could tell you to buy the best most expensive equipment on the market and not one of those tools will make you a professional over night...so do the research get a feel for making knives...Have Fun and enjoy the journey!!!!
 
Busto said:
Just a suggestion, but purchase tools that will have a dual purpose like drill press drill bits and clamps common tools that can be used for other purposes. Do the research on Machinery like grinders before dropping a wad of cash and try doing some hand work as you gather tools...It's one thing to have a big pile of cash to buy tools and then find out that you may not want to continue making knives and have invested a lot of money. I could tell you to buy the best most expensive equipment on the market and not one of those tools will make you a professional over night...so do the research get a feel for making knives...Have Fun and enjoy the journey!!!!
Click to expand...


It's not that I want the best and most expensive tools, I just want something that is good at doing it's job so I won't be buying a better one later down the road. For example I have a $400 Milwaukee impact and hammer drill but a harbor freight multi-tool that is better at it's job then the Milwaukee multi-tool. To me tools are an investment and they will make there money back eventually. I have made 3 knives so far and it's cool to look at the finished product and say i made that but to me they could be better and more efficient time wise if I had the right tool for the job.
 
I'd say get one of the "higher end" grinders. They're sturdy, reliable and work well right out of the box without needing a lot of tweaking.

It'll be the main workhorse of your shop so you want something of good quality. And it will hold a lot of it's value of you decide to sell it in the future.

Make sure you get a TEFC motor. Grinding is dusty work and you'll want a protected motor.

2hp is plenty. Anything more is overkill IMO. I have a 2hp on my TW-90 and I couldn't bog the motor down if I put all my weight into it.

A VFD, although not absoutly necessary, is an upgrade you'll never regret.

I'm a big believer in buying quality tools for things that get used a lot. Buy once, cry once.
 
Anything over 2hp is not overkill. I would consider 2hp about the minimum. Anyone that has not stalled a 2hp grinder has not really leaned into it. I have to be cautious becaus you can stall them. It depends on what your grinding. If your just grinding small blades then maybe not. But try to flat grind a large blade and you will stall it. As belts wear thy cut less aggressively and require more pressure to expose new grains. If you start preping Damascus billets to be restacked and your removing scale then you will stall it. I think 99% of the time 2hp is enough but there are allways times when you will want more power.
 
07Vette said:
I'd say get one of the "higher end" grinders. They're sturdy, reliable and work well right out of the box without needing a lot of tweaking.

It'll be the main workhorse of your shop so you want something of good quality. And it will hold a lot of it's value of you decide to sell it in the future.

Make sure you get a TEFC motor. Grinding is dusty work and you'll want a protected motor.

2hp is plenty. Anything more is overkill IMO. I have a 2hp on my TW-90 and I couldn't bog the motor down if I put all my weight into it.

A VFD, although not absoutly necessary, is an upgrade you'll never regret.

I'm a big believer in buying quality tools for things that get used a lot. Buy once, cry once.
Click to expand...

Where can I find a good quality grinder that does not have A motor and can change from a 10" contact wheel to a flat surface and move from up-and-down to side to side with a pull of a pen.
What about the other tools
 
If you have the cash then the TW-90 with the 2 hp and VFD is a great machine you won't be disappointed. I agree that quality tools are an investment in the trade and honestly over 40 years of building my machine shop I have a rough idea of the tens of thousands of dollars in good equipment. All that being said there are the other parts to go along with the grinder Oh Yeah the belts...Yet another cost that adds up quick without fresh belts you are fighting and chasing a clean grind. The Old saying goes "Use Belts Like they are FREE" there is a lot of truth in that saying dull belts are a common cause of problems for New Makers!!!! If you have the extra cash a Disc Grinder will make things flat like nothing else and while you're at it look for a Surface Grinder.
 
I agree the TW-90 is pricey but so is the Norhridge and both are at the top of the list for grinders...not that there are not others that are excellent but these two seem to be just a bit better. I have 4 grinders used full time and 2 are KMG's when it was the cutting edge(no pun intended)machine of the day....Built a clone and purchased a TW-90 I'm set but if I ever plan to replace a KMG it will be with another TW-90. Note on the KMG's I would have moved 'em down the road had I not spent 100 hours getting them dialed in!!!
 
I build a kmg clone it of stainless and it’s been great but I paid atention to making sure everything was square. Funny thing is the only thing that has gone out on it is the 2” bemount “kmg company” contact wheel. Not only are the bearings shot but so is the aluminium the the bearings press into. I’m currently trying to replace it.
 
Busto said:
If you have the cash then the TW-90 with the 2 hp and VFD is a great machine you won't be disappointed. I agree that quality tools are an investment in the trade and honestly over 40 years of building my machine shop I have a rough idea of the tens of thousands of dollars in good equipment. All that being said there are the other parts to go along with the grinder Oh Yeah the belts...Yet another cost that adds up quick without fresh belts you are fighting and chasing a clean grind. The Old saying goes "Use Belts Like they are FREE" there is a lot of truth in that saying dull belts are a common cause of problems for New Makers!!!! If you have the extra cash a Disc Grinder will make things flat like nothing else and while you're at it look for a Surface Grinder.
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Thanks I will check in to that one and what kind of work does your machine shop do
 
Busto said:
I agree the TW-90 is pricey but so is the Norhridge and both are at the top of the list for grinders...not that there are not others that are excellent but these two seem to be just a bit better. I have 4 grinders used full time and 2 are KMG's when it was the cutting edge(no pun intended)machine of the day....Built a clone and purchased a TW-90 I'm set but if I ever plan to replace a KMG it will be with another TW-90. Note on the KMG's I would have moved 'em down the road had I not spent 100 hours getting them dialed in!!!
Click to expand...

Does anyone just sell the tw-90 grinders and not the Motors
 
JTknives said:
I build a kmg clone it of stainless and it’s been great but I paid atention to making sure everything was square. Funny thing is the only thing that has gone out on it is the 2” bemount “kmg company” contact wheel. Not only are the bearings shot but so is the aluminium the the bearings press into. I’m currently trying to replace it.
Click to expand...

I'd love to just build my own grinder but I don't have access to the tools I need
 
If you like to tinker a 2x72 is a solid investment. You rarely find them used ourside of estate sales because they can be used for so much more than just knifemaking. The cheapest option is probably the polar bear forge kit, which you have to tap and assemble. The Oregon Blade Maker is a solid option. The Esteem gets good reviews too. KMG has been around forever it seems. At the top of the list seems to be the Northridge and the TW90. Both are excellent, and worth the money they cost.

A good drill press helps as does quality files. Don’t skimp on abrasives. Redline and Black ice seem to be the most popular. There are a ton of threads on belts. People have preferences, and different belts perform differently depending on the material being ground, the speed, and pressure. Good vices and sanding blocks are also very helpful.
 
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