Hello folks! (Just a quick intro)

stebolicious

stebolicious

Joined
Apr 16, 2012
Messages
1,655
Hello all!

I just wanted to pop in and introduce myself. I am in the process of assembling tools and supplies to try and get my foot in the door to the wonderful world of knifemaking. , and all of the glorious perks that go along with it ;)

I have absolutely no experience with this kind of thing, but i am very eager to learn. I have been stalking around these parts for a couple months now, soaking up all the info i can handle, and taking note of good tips & tricks so i can do this right.

Im in the process of buying a grinder, so once that is here, i can get started! SO, I guess you guys will be seeing a lot more of me in the coming weeks.

-Eric
 
Welcome aboard, I jus started myself. If you haven't tried it yet, I would recommend making your first knife entirely by hand with files, it has proven to be an incredible learning experience.

What's this whole Order of Kai thing?

-Pete
 
stereo.pete said:
Welcome aboard, I jus started myself. If you haven't tried it yet, I would recommend making your first knife entirely by hand with files, it has proven to be an incredible learning experience.

What's this whole Order of Kai thing?

-Pete
Click to expand...

Thanks!
I have watched a couple videos on hand filed knives and it does look like a very cool experience. I will definitely look into it.

The Order of Kai is just a fan group kinda like the Beckerheads (for Becker knives) and Spyderco has one too. Just somethin for fun.
 
stereo.pete said:
I would recommend making your first knife entirely by hand with files, it has proven to be an incredible learning experience.

-Pete
Click to expand...

Good advice. I think the general consensus is it takes about 3000 repetitions for anything to become muscle memory. It is great to have a good knowledge base to draw from, but making your muscles do just the right thing in just the right way is a totally different thing. Get a feel for how the metal feels as the file takes it away and you will start to appreciate the tug and pressure applied to the grinder all that much more.
Keep it simple for starters, and learn from mistakes and make them cheaply (I.e. start with some cheap carbon steel of known origin, not cowry x or y stuff that takes a whole other level of skill to wrangle. You won't feel as bad dumping a $5 blade as a $100 blade... ) For every one of us sticking it out there are 50 who got frustrated and gave it up. Capitalize on this and buy your stuff used. Most grinders are built like tanks and sell for a third on the secondary market...

Good luck, have fun, and welcome. Oh yeah, don't forget to post up pics. We all love a little knife porn, no matter how dirty ;)
 
LucyCustomKnives said:
Good advice. I think the general consensus is it takes about 3000 repetitions for anything to become muscle memory. It is great to have a good knowledge base to draw from, but making your muscles do just the right thing in just the right way is a totally different thing. Get a feel for how the metal feels as the file takes it away and you will start to appreciate the tug and pressure applied to the grinder all that much more.
Keep it simple for starters, and learn from mistakes and make them cheaply (I.e. start with some cheap carbon steel of known origin, not cowry x or y stuff that takes a whole other level of skill to wrangle. You won't feel as bad dumping a $5 blade as a $100 blade... ) For every one of us sticking it out there are 50 who got frustrated and gave it up. Capitalize on this and buy your stuff used. Most grinders are built like tanks and sell for a third on the secondary market...

Good luck, have fun, and welcome. Oh yeah, don't forget to post up pics. We all love a little knife porn, no matter how dirty ;)
Click to expand...

Any advice on where to find used grinders? I would love to save a few bucks if at all possible. I just didnt know where to look! Thanks for all the advice. I cant wait to see what i can do.
 
Craigslist is a crapshoot... Grapevine sources like this forum seem to be a good bet especially if you want to make sure it was used and maintained properly. Hammer-ins are a good place to put a feeler out. Its all in how patient you are. If you can stand to, wait and a good deal will pop up.
If you want to see sparks fly and feel like a steep learning curve, go the 2x42 Craftsman route. Jantz has all the belt grits you would need, and 1x42 belts work too. A Norton 60 or 80 grit will make steel just disappear like magic. The speed is not adjustable and very fast, the platen sucks but can be remedied, and its not nearly as versatile as a good 2x72... That said, I still use mine all the time, its great for stock removal with the aforementioned norton blaze belts.
Or, build yourself one. Not all that hard if you are mechanically inclined, have the proper tools and the time to devote to it.
Good luck, if I hear of anything coming up for sale I will pm you.
 
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