Recommendation? Getting started making knives

You might contact Travis directly, he might be willing to sell you one sans motor if you ask.
 
I would just buy the Whole Package from Travis...The TW-90 is a precision purpose built machine that is why it is so expensive...It would be like Buying a Corvette without the motor and transmission thinking you can buy those parts and make it as good or better than it comes from the factory and you won't save any money by the time you order a motor and VFD you will pay with freight another $600 just for those items. You said you buy good tools and don't want to buy garbage that will have to be replaced later than either the TW-90 or Northridge are right up your alley!!! Look around and Price out a Bader III or Wilmont with all the bells and whistles and they are up there in price also. By the way Northridge is like a 3 month wait right now while they do some upgrades and catch up on production.
 
Busto said:
I spent 30 years working for NASA...now I do custom machining...gunsmithing and knives.
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You have a point about buying the whole thing. Do you think it is worth buying the surface grinding Attachments? Also that's what I want to do with my shop if all goes well ( Custom knife making and gun smithing) I figured in about 2-3 years I would have my plumbing company Able to run itself and my machine shop to be up and going about a year after that but I would like to start building knives now. How long did it take you to get your shop up and going?
 
I think travis is out 6 weeks on the TW-90.

Time does not a knife shop make. It’s experience that counts. General rule of thumb I have heard tossed around is 100 knives and then you can count your self as a knife maker. But the big thing with this craft is you can make the best knife but your name and reputation is what sells it. I made my first knife in 1993 and been doing it ever sence. And I’m still not to the level I want and constantly pushing my self. I would consider my shop well stocked but not as well as others. A shop has to grow organically by adding to it as you find deals. If you don’t care about deals and just want to dump cash into it then expect it to take a TON. But you still dont have the reputation to sell a single blade. Im glad I got into this when I did. I can’t imagine trying to do it all over in today’s market. The industry is flooded with new makers everyday thinking the same thing. I’m not trying to rain on your plans just being honest. If you want to do it becaus it’s fun then knock your self out. But if the gole is to make money then you have a very hard road ahead of you. How may $100 knives do you have to sell to pay for the $50,000 in shop tools and time/material invested in the business. I wish you luck
 
30 years....Unless you hit the lottery it's not something you can do overnight. You would do well to take a class at a community college on machining principles and practices since you have a business and would be hard to get on as a full time apprentice to learn the trade. A low budget machine shop will start about hundred grand in equipment and tooling if you plan to make a living income otherwise it's lots of money tied up not producing. I'm retired so I spent years purchasing equipment while I was working a little here and little there and even machines that were used that required rebuild were not exactly cheap. Yes the Surface grinder is a nice piece of add on equipment I use a surface grinder on just about everything I build.
 
JTknives said:
How may $100 knives do you have to sell to pay for the $50,000 in shop tools and time/material invested in the business. I wish you luck
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Oh Oh Oh....I got this....One if he is the right buyer or 500 everyday Joe's:D
 
I also have the machinist background in my career and that helps with the knife stuff. Half the time I think it makes me more obsessive about every little thing lol. Oh and I’m loving my surface grinder, it’s a cranky baby but once warmed up she runs good. It’s just calling for a belt conversion.
 
JTknives said:
I think travis is out 6 weeks on the TW-90.

Time does not a knife shop make. It’s experience that counts. General rule of thumb I have heard tossed around is 100 knives and then you can count your self as a knife maker. But the big thing with this craft is you can make the best knife but your name and reputation is what sells it. I made my first knife in 1993 and been doing it ever sence. And I’m still not to the level I want and constantly pushing my self. I would consider my shop well stocked but not as well as others. A shop has to grow organically by adding to it as you find deals. If you don’t care about deals and just want to dump cash into it then expect it to take a TON. But you still dont have the reputation to sell a single blade. Im glad I got into this when I did. I can’t imagine trying to do it all over in today’s market. The industry is flooded with new makers everyday thinking the same thing. I’m not trying to rain on your plans just being honest. If you want to do it becaus it’s fun then knock your self out. But if the gole is to make money then you have a very hard road ahead of you. How may $100 knives do you have to sell to pay for the $50,000 in shop tools and time/material invested in the business. I wish you luck
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Just trying to find something else I enjoy doing on the weekend for fun and eventually trying to turn it into a business when my plumbing company gets on it's feet I will be off to the next Business and so far building knives is fun
 
John Wright said:
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?
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If you send your stuff in to be heat treated they should hardness test it. I recently got a kiln and rockwell tester. Combined they set me back about 4 grand. I would just send your stuff out for a bit then decide if you want to go down that rabbit hole. Its cool to learn but also can be super frustrating. The best part is not having to wait 3 to 6 weeks to get your knives back.
 
i'm still a complete beginner, just a hobbyist. I started about a year ago when I made my first knife with a $40 harbor freight belt grinder, some basic hand tools. I still have that knife today, not pretty by any standards whatsoever, but i cleaned a deer with it this fall.
I have a good full time job, young kids, wife that all keep me very busy. I have made about 15-16 knives so far, all given to friends, family, learning on every one of them. Along the way I have acquired a good Oregon grinder, atlas forge, old world 4x4 anvil, and several other tools that speed up things.

I'm tell you this so you know this is a hobby that takes TIME. Lots and lots of time. Even with good tools I think it takes me @ 12-13 hours per knife to finish one...yes one. I can work in my garage for a few hours and walk away.

I might suggest not spending loads of $ day one on loads of specialized equipment. Maybe make a few knives with simple tools and see if the bug really bites you.
 
Lets get back on track with Tools....Every shop needs 3 tools...SAW...bandsaw, hacksaw,Jewelers saw, grinder with cut-off wheel, but essentially some way to cut out a Blank from steel stock...DRILL...portable drill, preferably Drill Press so you can produce straight holes...GRINDER...Files will work fine but time consuming for sure...A Grinder is the one tool you will probably use the most and for all aspects of knife making. Now as a Hobby you can trim some cost on certain tools like a Drill press you buy off craigslist or a yardsale, and you don't have to spend 2 grand on a Metal cutting bandsaw(however they are nice when you get in that price range) many new makers will use a disc grinder with cut off wheel to cut blanks or you can get a "Porta-Band" just as the name implies its portable but can be made stationary in an upright position to cut all material in the shop. Milwaukee, Delta, Harbor Freight are 3 that are in use in many shops and you can attach to a "Swag Off Road" portaband table. So check out some of those items...set a budget that will get you a couple if not all those items. If you have to save up to get a Better quality item I would say Spend the Big Bucks on the grinder.
 
Busto is right, especially on the "porta-band" with swag table. I wished I would have bought that a long time ago, just got one myself last weekend! get some lenox bi-metal blades too. I bought a Bauer from HF, think they are $99

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