Handheld Power Tools for Knife Makers

[IowaKnifeNut]

Hello everyone! I am an industrial design student with a particular interest in cutlery, who is prompted with a task to design a power tool. My hope is to design a handheld power tool that can aid knife makers, whether that means designing a completely new tool or improving a design of an existing tool. If there any knife makers who would be willing to answer a few questions or just give there thoughts and opinions it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Ask away...

 

[IowaKnifeNut]

Ask away...

Do you use any form of handheld power tools when creating a knife? If so are there any aspect that make them more challenging or uncomfortable to use?

 

[Bill DeShivs]

My methods are unconventional, in that I drill most holes with a flexible shaft machine.
Most makers would love to see a hand held orbital sander with interchangeable radiused heads for various hollow grind sizes/depths-and a secure method of attaching good sandpaper to these heads.

 

[Sam Dean]

I'm pretty new to knife making (15 under my belt so far...), but the only "hand held" tool I've used is a dremel tool, mostly to grind in sharpening notches.

Everything else is stationary.

 

[IowaKnifeNut]

My methods are unconventional, in that I drill most holes with a flexible shaft machine.
Most makers would love to see a hand held orbital sander with interchangeable radiused heads for various hollow grind sizes/depths-and a secure method of attaching good sandpaper to these heads.

I could defiantly look into orbital sanders, would this be for used ideally for creating a surface finish?

 

[IowaKnifeNut]

I'm pretty new to knife making (15 under my belt so far...), but the only "hand held" tool I've used is a dremel tool, mostly to grind in sharpening notches.

Everything else is stationary.

Is there anything about using a dremel that you wish was improved?

 

[HSC ///]

Is there anything about using a dremel that you wish was improved?

It would be nice if it was slower speed like 1000 RPM
I think mine is 5000 to 30,000

It’s back heavy obviously because of the motor

Now what I would really like is a good knife vice to hold folders to do finishing work on them... maybe a separate discussion

Except for the Dremel I can’t think of any other hand held power tool that is common in knife making

 

[Russ Andrews]

Fordom w / flex shaft

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Dremels can be easily slowed down with a rheostat.
Yes, the orbital sander would be for pre-finishing blades prior to buffing. Few here buff anything, though. They are scared of buffers.

 

[Natlek]

Dremels can be easily slowed down with a rheostat.
Yes, the orbital sander would be for pre-finishing blades prior to buffing. Few here buff anything, though. They are scared of buffers.

Improving a design to Safe buffers would be fine

 

[Natlek]

It would be nice if it was slower speed like 1000 RPM
I think mine is 5000 to 30,000

It’s back heavy obviously because of the motor

Now what I would really like is a good knife vice to hold folders to do finishing work on them... maybe a separate discussion

Except for the Dremel I can’t think of any other hand held power tool that is common in knife making

I can t make knife without angle grinder ,but what can be improved on that tool ?

 

[ashwinearl]

Something to help with hand sanding at the coarser grits. maybe similar to the harbor freight air file but designed with a larger flat area and set up to take abrasive paper. The goal would be to save elbow grease and let a tool do most of the work early on then switch to hand.

 

[ashwinearl]

if a non -hand tool is on the table, something sorely missing in the market is a small footprint/benchtop surface grinder, especially already modified to take 2x72 belts.

 

[AVigil]

Design a

The goal would be to save elbow grease and let a tool do most of the work early on then switch to hand.

That should be the goal on your 2x72.

 

[ashwinearl]

Cutting crisp clean plunge cuts is a holy grail. Maybe a hand powered tool designed to work with a carbide file guide to set plunge lines that can then be smoothed out with the belt after removing the file guide.

 

[daizee]

I use few power hand-tools, if any.
It might make sense to see if you can find a local knifemaker to ride along with for a build or two.

 

[AVigil]

Cutting crisp clean plunge cuts is a holy grail. Maybe a hand powered tool designed to work with a carbide file guide to set plunge lines that can then be smoothed out with the belt after removing the file guide.

You already have a special tool in your 2x72 to do just that.

Use a file guide and a J flex belt to establish a plunge and then refine it with a gator belt.

Gators make awesome plunges

 

[IowaKnifeNut]

It would be nice if it was slower speed like 1000 RPM
I think mine is 5000 to 30,000

It’s back heavy obviously because of the motor

Now what I would really like is a good knife vice to hold folders to do finishing work on them... maybe a separate discussion

Except for the Dremel I can’t think of any other hand held power tool that is common in knife making

For sure something balanced would be good especially for detailed work i'd imagine.

 

[AVigil]

How about a high quality variable speed 1 x30 belt grinder that can work vertical and horizontal?

You probably could use a trim router with a speed control for the motor.

having a small 1x30 horizontal and vertical variable speed grinder of high quality would be very nice for folder makers. You could have a glass platen on it and use small wheel attachments for contact wheels.