Has anyone read "Knife making" by Bo Bergman?

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Shawn R Sullivan

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Sep 8, 1999
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Has anyone read " knife making a complete guide to crafting knives, handles and sheaths"? If you have read it, how much did it help you? Was it clear?
I want to start making some knives and need to get some knowledge before I start.

If you can recommend any other books to help me get started I would be gratful.

Shawn
 
I haven't read the Bergman book, but I'd also like to hear about it.

The easiest and maybe best info source is here: http://www.engnath.com/public/intable.htm

This is the site of the late Bob Engnath and Blades 'n' Stuff. In addition to supplying blades, supplies, and advice to countless knifemakers, Mr. Engnath compiled a fantastically straightforward series of instructions and drawings on many aspects of knifemaking. Of all I've read on the topic, I find his writings the most practical and valuable.

The Loveless/Barney book, "How To Make Knives," is a classic and still a fine reference. It details the basic methods I think most fixed-blade makers use today. Its counterpart for folders (Lake, Clay, Centofante) is fairly good but only for certain types.

David Boye's "Step-by-Step Knifemaking" is a very dense and complete book. Unfortunately, it's as if Boye (working in the late 70's) chose all of the "other" ways to make a knife - meaning his methods are perfectly good but different than what has since become the norm. I consider a lot of this book more interesting than helpful, though it offers a great amount of info for the price.

"The Gun Digest Book of Knifemaking" is very enjoyable and non-threatening, because the authors are in many cases learning as they write. The trouble is that this makes a lot of their info sketchy. Even reading this as an amateur knifemaker I could see a lot of their mistakes before they happened. This book is more like a narrative of someone's first knifemaking experiences than it is like an expert guide.

Ed Fowler's collection of essays from "Blade" aren't really a good guide to knifemaking, but I think every knifemaker could benefit from them. He talks about areas the manuals don't: designing a functional knife, using it properly, and above all being a knifemaker in spirit and action.

Other than those, there are the Hrisoulas books which I don't know but would be valuable for people who forge. Atlanta Cutlery's "Make the Knife You Carry" is a handy little pamphlet, mostly taken from Engnath's work (with gracious permission).

Anybody want to add some?

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-Corduroy
"Why else would a bear want a pocket?"

Little Bear Knives
Drew Gleason:
adg@student.umass.edu
 
SHAWN, the first instructional knife book I bought was "STEP BY STEP KNIFEMAKING" by DAVID BOYE. I got it three years ago and I bet I've read it ten times. Another book you can get that is actually a pamphlet is called "MAKING YOUR OWN CUSTOM KNIFE" by CHARLEY ECKERSON. It's only 42 pages long, but it is packed with little tricks and techniques you won't find in other books three times its size. I have alot of knife books, but I've never heard of the one you mentioned. For folders, the best book I've seen is " HOW TO MAKE FOLDING KNIVES a step by step how to,. It has three sections each written by a famous knife maker. Wayne Clay, Ron Lake, and Frank Centofante each show you their different techniques for folder making. It is an excellent book and still in print. A good source for knife books is Krause Publications. I've never been there, but I'm sure they have a web site. Get a Blade magazine and you will find their ad. Take care Shawn! Michael

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"Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!"
 
The Bergman book is about making scandanavian style knives and there's almost nothing in it about grinding blades.

The best books by far are the Loveless book and the Boye book. You should buy both of them. The Engnath catalog is an absolute goldmine of information. If you can still obtain a copy, get thet one too.

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www.wilkins-knives.com


 
I read Bo's book a few times. There is nothing on blade grinding but it is worth a look at for unique handle and sheath designs. I like it especially for the sheaths that are made out of the same materials as the handle- so good looking and yet so functional!

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"Come What May..."
 
I recently wrote a little article for the Belgian knife's Society. I reviewed some knifemaking books and found the loveless book the very best. Other writers tend to send you to a local shoe repair to do your leather stitching(i.e. the gun digest of knifemaking); in the loveless book different methods (with basic tools or grinders, forging,...) are explained.

Can anyone give me the bibliographic details (title, author, ...) of bergman's book (scandinavian knives, mentioned above). It seems interesting.

thanks
 
Corduroy, thanks for the link. I have not had time to look it over yet, but it looks like it will help me quite a bit.
Thank you all for the book recommendations. I have the book How to make folding knives. I thought that I should start with fixed blade knives and work my way up to something with moving parts.
Tim, I found the book in the books for sale on bladefourms. It is sold by Amazon.com
Again, thank you all for your input.

Shawn
 
If you're going to forge at all, I highly reccomend the previously mentioned Hrisoulas books, "The complete bladesmith" and it's follow up "The master bladesmith". The last one is for damascus "The pattern welded blade". I learned a lot from his video, too. "Forging damascus". It had the advantage of being a 2 tape, three hour video for half of the price of the books, at $20.00. Since he publishes through a smaller publisher, Paladin press, the books run rather pricey. Also, Engnaths catalog is still available, I recently recieved instructions from his son for obtaining a copy. Here are those instructions:
If you would like a catalog FOR INFORMATION
ONLY. Send $10.00 to Stephanie Engnath 1217 Crescent Dr. #B Glendale
Ca. 91205.
Great info, well explained. Hope this helps.

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Oz

"When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt."
- Henry J. Kaiser
 
I just remembered another boook I liked. I don't remember the title, but it is by Jum Meyes or Jum Hayes... I think it's Hayes actually. Sorry for not remembering the name exactly, but I have an exam tomorrow! Anyways, I don't think it's a the best bet if you're buying only one, but I found it to be the best book I could find in my local library and I check it out often. It works for me!

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"Come What May..."
 
Crayola,
I didnt even think of checking my library. I have looked for books on dogs at my local library and found that most of them have been stolen. I will go see what they have on knives.

Shawn
 
Grrrrrr... STOLEN BOOKS!!!!!!! Where's my Kukri....

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"Come What May..."
 
If you are interested in forging the blades, take a look at "the hand forged knife" from Karl Schroen. It is a small but very usefull book, mainly about forging modern tool steels.

Achim
 
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