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Has anyone already thought of using a 3D-printer to make fancy knives?

G

glubse

Joined
Aug 21, 2011
Messages
146
Shapeways makes all kinds of objects in customer designs. However, they only offer sterling silver or stainless steel as remotely knife-related materials.
Basically, it should be no problem to use a knife steel, sharpen and heat treat it after it's finished.
Has anyone already done that or is that not possible?
 
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glubse said:
Shapeways makes all kinds of objects in customer designs. However, they only offer sterling silver or stainless steel as remotely knife-related materials.
Basically, it should be no problem to use a knife steel, sharpen and heat treat it after it's finished.
Has anyone already done that or is that not possible?
Click to expand...

It wouldn't be a problem to use CPM steels in a 3D printer? How about a complete gun then?
 
was that an answer to my question or another question?
I contacted a German company and they said that it is in fact possible (and by far not as expensive as with 3D milling machines), but he still has to refer me to a specialized manufacturer.
I'm not familiar with the science behind it and I didn't get into the topic too much, yet, but as far as I understand they utilize a steel powder rather than a steel bar.
 
Has anyone here ever had to build up a surface with a MIG or hard facing? Seems like you could "print" in steel using a CNC controlled electrode negative wire feed machine.
 
I think the 3d printers medium is metal dust. so correct me if I'm Wrong but wouldn't you have to get a powdered version of the steel you want to use?
 
9blades said:
I think the 3d printers medium is metal dust. so correct me if I'm Wrong but wouldn't you have to get a powdered version of the steel you want to use?
Click to expand...

I think you're right. Otherwise it would just be a 3D milling machine, wouldn't it?
 
AFAIK standard 3d metal printers are usually using sintering and the product they produce wouldn't be suitable for a blade. I'm not aware of any that can produce quality steel. These super scary printed guns? they are just hoping to make something that might fire one or two low pressure rounds before exploding. A downgrade from a third world zip gun made from pipe. Alternatively they were hoping to print AR lowers, which for some odd reason is the serial numbered part of that gun (the only part treated like a gun you can order the rest of the parts and have them shipped to your house without an FFL). The lower has no high pressure components in it and probably could function made of plastic and sintered metal, though probably wouldn't last near as long as a machined one.
 
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3D printing is already under investigation for use to build advanced engine parts and jet turbines. It is the cost that will be limitation for knife production.

Personally, knives are the least likely items requiring 3D printing manufacture. Knives are still "flat" and I see no benefit over current manufacturing methods.
 
I did some reading on rapid prototyping. Supposedly, somebody tried to put together an entire pistol using RP. It blew apart after two or three rounds.

I could see some point in making knife blades using RP. Less waste than stock removal.

Powdered metal, sintering, maybe speed control the process based on temperature...

Yeah, it may not be cost effective, but it could be done, right?
 
Complete lowers have been made on 3D machines. Completely legal for personal use......but wait till the media gets a hold of this idea. So if lowers can be produced, I imagine frame-locks, etc can also be done. I'm sure as time goes on, the tech. will become cheaper & widely avail. I would post links but not sure if this is "legal" here, Google- 3d gun making for more info.
 
Since most 3d printers are printing in plastic, maybe people could design some new griptilian handle scales with them!
 
You could also use it for prototyping when coming up with new designs. You could really fine tune the ergonomics of handles.
 
10 years from now wee will see more and more products produced by 3D printing including knives
 
Shorttime said:
I did some reading on rapid prototyping. Supposedly, somebody tried to put together an entire pistol using RP. It blew apart after two or three rounds.

I could see some point in making knife blades using RP. Less waste than stock removal.

Powdered metal, sintering, maybe speed control the process based on temperature...

Yeah, it may not be cost effective, but it could be done, right?
Click to expand...

http://blackdeerhunter.com/worlds-first-3d-printed-metal-gun/

Not only has it been done, it is actually more cost effective. Less waste, less shipping costs, less time to manufacture, less maintenance. If guns and jet engine parts can be made, I think something as relatively rudimentary as a knife can be manufactured correctly.
 
I'm not real informed on the subject of 3d printing metal. The engineers where I work have told me (machinist here) that it is primarily sintering powdered metal and that there is far to go with metal on a 3d printer.

However, we have 3 3d printers at our medium sized company and the engineers use them a lot to prototype parts in plastic. They are great for that and are fairly inexpensive and reliable.

They have prototyped entire assemblies in miniature to test them, making the parts separately. One buddy has a neat little robot arm on his desk. However, making assemblies "all together" necessitates having small tabs between the parts which break free. Thus, you can only print loose tolerance assemblies all together and, yes a gun printed like that would not last long.

3d printers are far from putting machinists out of work with metal parts according to machinist trade magazines and even when this is perfected will probably still be best used for prototypes and small runs.

Right now our 3d printers take many hours to make a plastic part I could machine in minutes. However my machine tool was $150,000 new and you need tooling and stock and....

A 3d printer is much cheaper and you need a hopper of plastic.

Prototypes and small runs, not mass production.
 
wont be long until molecular 3d printing comes along and then we could make anything ! i give it 20 years until a decent knife is printed .(fixed blade )
 
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