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triggahappy28

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Nov 20, 2011
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Hi guys,

I'm a young guy with a passion for knives and I've found that my budget cannot keep up with my desire for blades. Recently I've been dabbling in making my own knives and I need some help. Do all you great knife makers out there have any advice/tips for an aspiring knife maker on a very tight budget? Tool recommendations? Where to buy materials and what are good starter materials? Thank you in advance for any help you can offer.

Chris
 
Chris

I'm not one of those great knife makers, I'm a mediocre knife maker but will try to answer at least some of your question.

There is are directions for making a knife titled "The Absolute Cheapskate Way to Start Making Knives". It's as good of way as any to make a knife cheaply.

For tools you will definitely need a large file, strong clamps, hacksaw, and a drill. For supplies you will need steel, sandpaper, epoxy glue, and handle material. Click on THIS and you will get to a knife making suppliers list.

When I decided to try making knives the biggest question for me was where to buy suitable steel. Check out THIS SITE.

I you're going to do your own heat treatment get 1080/1084 steel. If you're going to send it out for heat treatment select an air hardening steel as there are more places that will work with that.

Start small and simple for a first knife. Something more like a small kitchen knife rather than a combat-survival-tactical-bowie zombie slasher.

Where abouts in Wisconsin are you? I live in Sun Prairie.

- Paul Meske
 
Very tight budget: Get a flat file, some C-Clamps, either a little bit of barstock or a leaf spring, some sandpaper, A drill, some hard wood, a campfire, and some canola oil. A angle grinder, a bench grinder, or a hacksaw at least would be very nice. How tight is tight?
 
I have messed around with a hack saw and some files and how tight is tight? 16 year olds budget here man, very tight
 
You are talking to a 16 year old and I have a ample, albeit low tech, shop on a shoestring budget. what can you afford?
 
at a hundred bucks, refer to the above list. get a little bit of 1084 barstock from njsteelbaron.com, or ask very politely and see if someone will help you out by sending you some. also, The count should be in here soon to post all the information you will need.
 
The Stickes at the top of the page will give you lots of help. Read them now if you haven't done that yet. Frank
 
The sticky on "Instructions for Making a Knife" will allow you to make a lot of knives for $100. You only need a few files a piece of steel, some handle wood, and some sandpaper.

Post a drawing of your planned knife and lets see what happens.
 
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