HELP me setup a most BASIC shop with least tools!

O

ouporblowup

Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Messages
171
hey just trying to get into knife making but i dont have any money for tools.

what tools and equipt am i gonna need to start bangin knives out?

i plan on buying a grinder but for the moment i dont have one, any substitutes for now???

ooo
 
the hossom tutorial is excellent. you can go to home depot, buy 1 file and a hacksaw, and then cut/grind the blade from a cheap piece of high carbon steel. (njsteelbaron.com)(1084 is good)
after that, find a way to drill some holes in the handle area. heat treat it, go to home depot again, get a maple board and a welding rod, slice the amount you need off the board, position it correctly, drill it, add epoxy with the pins in their holes the pins to hold it in place with the epoxy, and you are basically done. now, there are things that will make your life a lot easier, such as an angle grinder with a cutting disk and a grinding disk, a belt grinder with some belts that are made for metal, and other power tools along those lines. however, it is not necessary.

ETA: the stickies on the top of the page are excellent. read them until you can think of nothing else.
 
Work bench, bench vise, drill and bits, large flat bastard file, half round bastard file, sandpaper (220 - 800), high tension hack saw.

This is the most basic of tools needed to create a knife. Can be had for less than $100 for everything, even a bench, if you are handy. Hit up the flea markets and garage/estate sales. Maybe buy your files at Sears, craftsman has a life time warranty.

This list doesn't incude the materials for the knife; steel, wood, pin stock, and epoxy. Also stuff to clean up with, acetone, rubber gloves, etc.

This should get you going. Also check out the stickies at the top of this sub forum.


-Xander
 
fast14riot said:
Maybe buy your files at Sears, craftsman has a life time warranty.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Craftsman files are actually pretty decent and they will replace them when they wear out. :thumbup:

You don't "NEED" a vise... a chunk of 2x4 and a couple C-clamps will be as sturdy as the table, bench, truck bumper or whatever you clamp it to. I have two custom-built benches and a pretty decent vise but still use the good ol' 2x4 quite a bit.

For goodness sakes don't buy 1/4" steel and start to filing a big bowie out of it, you'll curse the day you ever had this crazy knifemaking idea. Start with small knives using 1/8" stock or less. 1084 is wonderful steel for lots of reasons, if you can get it that thin :thumbup:
 
Lots of good stuff here.. I just thought I'd post up a quick and easy work bench, if you don't have one.. You can build 2 of the for under $100 with minimal tools.. You can actually get Lowe's to do all the cutting.. LOL..

We built a couple of these for building airplanes on, check out the EAA Workbench.. Most every hangar around us has at least 2 of these in them.. :) We have a couple in the hangar, I have a few here at the house, my pops has some.. They are excellent benches and would lend themselves very well to the hossum tutorial.
 
Get Goddards book $50 knife shop before you start I have given away several copies to help folks get started.I wish it had been around 20 years ago!
 
IF you look into this info, there is some that applies to you .


The Standard Reply to New Knifemakers v14

The answer to a 13 year old student is different than to a 40 year old engineer.
We may recommend a local supplier, you may have a helpful neighbour, or local Hammerin; but that depends on where you are. We have members worldwide.
Please fill out your profile with your location (Country, State, City), age, education, employment, hobbies.

Look at the threads stickied at the top; many are expired, but not all.

The basic process in the simplest terms
Absolute Cheapskate Way to Start Making Knives-Printable PDF-Right Click and Save
Absolute Cheapskate Way to Start Making Knives-Website


Web Tutorials
Detailed instructions by Stacy E.Apelt

The Things I Advise New Knife Makers Against-Printable PDF

Handle Tutorial - Nick Wheeler-Website

http://www.engnath.com/manframe.htm

Books
A list of books and videos

BladeForums - E-books or Google books


I like:
David Boye-Step by Step Knifemaking
Tim McCreight-Custom Knifemaking: 10 Projects from a Master Craftsman
These are clear, well organized, widely available and inexpensive too.

Knife Design:
See the Google books thread for Lloyd Harding drawings & the Loveless book. Google books thread


Forging Books:
Lorelei Sims-The Backyard Blacksmith
An excellent modern book with colour photos for forging in general - no knifemaking.

Jim Hrisoulas- has 3 books on forging knives. Check for the cheaper paperback editions.
The Complete Bladesmith: Forging Your Way to Perfection
The Pattern-Welded Blade: Artistry in Iron
The Master Bladesmith: Advanced Studies in Steel

Machine Shop Basics -Books:
Elementary Machine Shop Practice-Printable PDF

The Complete Practical Machinist-Printable -1885-PDF
It’s being reprinted now; you can get it for $20 ish

The $50 knife Shop
It confused me for a long time.
Forging is NOT necessary; you can just file and grind to create a knife (stock removal)

The goop quench is total Bull.
Use commercial quench oil & match oil speed to the steel type; even grocery store canola oil works much better.

Junkyard steels require skill and experience to identify the steel and heat treat it properly.
You can buy proper steel like 1084FG from Aldo very cheaply.

I like cable damascus, but that advanced project has no place in a beginner’s book.

The grinders are the best thing about this book, but there is a huge amount of info for 2x72” belt grinders on the web, including free plans.


Videos

Heat Treating Basics Video-downloadable
Right click and save this. Watch it once a day for 10 days.

Safety-video
Right click and save this. Watch it once a day for 10 days.

Many specific how to knifemaking videos are available, some are better than others.

The best overall Knifemaking video I have seen is
“Steve Johnson-Making a Sub-Hilt Fighter”

The best video on leather sheath making I have seen is
“Custom Knife Sheaths -Chuck Burrows - Wild Rose”
-(Paul Long has 2 new videos, his sheath work is fantastic. I hope the videos are too)

Green Pete's Free Video
Making a Mora bushcraft knife, stock removal, hand tools, neo tribal / unplugged heat treat.
"Green Pete" posted it free using torrent files.
Be sure to look at the other titles too-The account index has disappeared, but search for LOTS of info. Using the keywords “LurkerLurker torrent”
Greenpete Knifemaking Basics-on TPB

How to download that video
http://www.utorrent.com/help/guides/beginners-guide

You can see a list of videos and reviews at this rental company; some are worth buying, some renting…
http://smartflix.com/store/category/9/Knifemaking

Draw Filing Demonstration
YouTube video -Draw Filing-for a flat finish

Steel
The “welding steel” at Home Depot / Lowes… is useless for knives.
If you send out for heat treating, you can use O1, A2, D2, CM154, ATS34, s30v, 440C, plus many others.

If you heat treat yourself, find some 1070, 1080, 1084,
1084 FG sold by Aldo Bruno is formulated for knifemaking.
http://njsteelbaron.com/
Phone # 862-203-8160

You can find a list of suppliers here

Heat Treating
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9143684&postcount=7

You can send blades out for heat treating at $10 or $15 per blade for perfect results, and avoid buying the equipment.

This PDF brochure gives a good overview
http://www.buckknives.com/resources/pdf/Paul_Bos_Brochure.pdf

http://www.petersheattreat.com/cutlery.html
http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/privacy.php#services
http://www.knifemaker.ca/ (Canadian)


Grinder / Tools

Hand Tools
You can do it all by hand with files and abrasive cloth like the Green Pete video.
Photo of a nice bevel filing jig

Entry Level Grinders
Many makers start with the Sears Craftsman 2x42 belt grinder

Commercial Production 2 x 72” Belt Grinder Reviews
http://www.prometheanknives.com/shop-techniques-3/grinders
http://www.cnccookbook.com/CCKnifeMakingGrinders.htm

Mapp arm – Grinder Toolrest


DIY 2 x 72” Belt Grinders

KMG Clone Free Plans
http://www.dfoggknives.com/PDF/GrinderPlans.pdf

NWG No Weld Grinder
http://www.usaknifemaker.com/plans-for-the-no-weld-grinder-sander-nearly-50-pages-p-723.html

EERF Grinder (EERF =“Free” backwards)
http://wilmontgrinders.com/EERFGrinder.aspx
http://blindhogg.com/blueprints.html
http://www.atlasknife.com

Buy the kit
http://polarbearforge.com/grinder_kit.html

What Belts to buy ?
http://www.usaknifemaker.com/abrasive-belt-basics-what-kind-should-i-buy-p-1393.html


Safety Equipment
Protect your -Eyes, Ears, Fingers, and Lungs – remove jewelry and put on safety gear.

Respirators
Chronic lung disease and cancer really suck the joy out of life.
The minimum I would consider are the 3M 7500 and North 7700 silicone half masks with a P100 Filter.
Use a VOC & P100 combo cartridge for protection against acetone and solvents.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=788837
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=726309



Searching
Search works for all users, even unpaid users.
Try it, I’ll bet you’re not the first to ask the question here


V14 Edited dead links
 
I think this website shows how little you need to start making knives.

Absolute Cheapskate Way to Start Making Knives

The TOOLS he lists include"

Hack saw & blades
drill
1/8" drill bit
1/4" drill bit
large C-clamp
Large flat file
large half-round file

I would add a pair of pliers and a hammer.

Then there are the "consumables", supplies and stuff that you use up like sandpaper, steel, sandpaper, hacksaw blades, sandpaper, pins, sandpaper, handle material, sandpaper, wood finish, sandpaper, glue, etc

You'll probably need pieces of scrap wood for a variety of purposes, i.e. backing when drilling holes, clamping the blade to for filing, holding sandpaper when sanding the blade, broom handle for sanding in rounded areas, etc. If you don't want to buy this wood go out on garbage day and see if anyone is doing some remodeling and put scrap pieces out at the curb, or stop at a construction site and ask if you can look through their dumpster.

Prisoners make knives/shivs/shanks with a lot less than this.

The $50 Knife Shop is a good book. Get it from the library through inter-library loan if necessary.

Good luck! You can do it!

- Paul Meske, Wisconsin
 
Last edited:
You could also watch Green Pete's videos on youtube, or even download the torrent. He had put it up as a freebe so its nothing to worry about legally.
 
Honestly there's one other source for tools and equipment, Craig's List. I've bought an almost brand new Delta Bench Grinder for around $50 and even most recently picked up a band saw that was used three times for $35. Hit up Craig's List, find a good price for the tool you're looking for, look up reviews for the item being sold and do what you need to do after that.
 
Demitrios said:
Honestly there's one other source for tools and equipment, Craig's List. I've bought an almost brand new Delta Bench Grinder for around $50 and even most recently picked up a band saw that was used three times for $35. Hit up Craig's List, find a good price for the tool you're looking for, look up reviews for the item being sold and do what you need to do after that.
Click to expand...

I second the craigslist hint. Check the "tools" and the "farm and garden" section daily. Deals pop up!
 
If you are looking for a cheap grinder to start with, check mine out. I still believe my 4x36 = 2x72 is the best sub $250 grinder you can build. Do I want Dave's Bader B3? Of course! But, I can still make knives with mine.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/803811-DIY-4x36-into-a-2x72-grinder-conversion

Second, forget Craigslist. Use Searchtempest.com It allows you to search all the craigslist in the country, instead of having to check each craigslist separately.

http://www.searchtempest.com
 
You guys are forgetting some of the more important tools needed for knife making.

1) Beer cooler (dehydration leads to shop accidents)
2) Digital camera (because without pictures it didn't happen)
3) Scrap bucket (recycling is important)
4) First aid kit (come on... you KNOW you'll need it, even with the safety gear)

- Greg
 
tryppyr said:
You guys are forgetting some of the more important tools needed for knife making.

1) Beer cooler (dehydration leads to shop accidents)
2) Digital camera (because without pictures it didn't happen)
3) Scrap bucket (recycling is important)
4) First aid kit (come on... you KNOW you'll need it, even with the safety gear)

- Greg
Click to expand...

Yes the recycle bucket is very important, that is where the blade for the folder I am going to make came from:p Without the bucket the piece would have ended up tossed to the side and forgotten till after I bought another piece of steel cut it out and tossed that scrap on the pile.
 
tryppyr said:
You guys are forgetting some of the more important tools needed for knife making.

1) Beer cooler (dehydration leads to shop accidents)
2) Digital camera (because without pictures it didn't happen)
3) Scrap bucket (recycling is important)
4) First aid kit (come on... you KNOW you'll need it, even with the safety gear)

- Greg
Click to expand...

Thank goodness there is SOMEONE to keep us on track here.

Music - Radio, CD player, live band,
Fan - keep bugs away and keeps you cooler.
Lights - Overhead lights just aren't enough.

- Paul Meske, Wisconsin
 
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