how to become a knife maker?

Y

yoz's friend

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Jun 30, 2001
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i would like to make my own knives. i was thinking of buying a waterjet. where can i learn how to use one?
 
yoz's friend said:
i would like to make my own knives. i was thinking of buying a waterjet. where can i learn how to use one?
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I believe a waterjet cost upwards of 125 K, I should think they come with instructions too for that kind of money.. :D I think they run like a CNC would..

if you can find them for a lot less money please let me know I want one too..:)

but if you are buying one just for knife making you may want to make a few first to make sure this is what you want to do first and most of all can do, it's not for every one. but here is the place to get your Knife making questions answered..

welcome
 
usally when purchasing that type of expensive equipment they manufacturer will give you training and tech support. we have a few at work and tech and training were provided.
 
Yep! Just pay me to cut your blanks and parts. You'll save a lot of money that way.
 
I don't think they will sell a water Jet to a 16 year old.

Any of you fellows read this guys posts so far? I think he wants to start making cold steel knives.

Stacy
 
I think the best way to become a knife maker is to make a knife. Could be other routes I'm unfamiliar with though.
 
bladsmth said:
I don't think they will sell a water Jet to a 16 year old.

Any of you fellows read this guys posts so far? I think he wants to start making cold steel knives.

Stacy
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aww shucks, I wanted one! :D

Simply, to be a knife maker you must make knives, start basic- one brick or brake drum forge, hacksaw or bandsaw, files or entry level grinder. Annealed steel isn't that hard to cut with a good hacksaw or bandsaw (but a waterjet would be cool :)). You need to be mechanically inclined and have a pretty good attention to detail. I am filing my second knife, it takes a while, but there are less major screw-ups.
 
I think you can buy whatever you want at 16 years old if you got the $$ to buy it with (and maybe some proper guidance not to stick your fingers in the way of the stream of water coming out at a million psi) :)
 
File, Sandpaper, bar of steel, elbow grease. Read all stickies, give it a whirl, THEN ask questions....buying a waterjet is a $100,000 way of avoiding using a hacksaw when you are just starting.
 
Hey Andy - I figure it's the best way most of the time.

By the way, are you heading down to blade this year?
 
i appreciate you guys replys,i really do(except one).and i realise you guys are old school craftsmen.but i was thinking a more modern 21st century set up.im not trying to in any way insult you guys or your craft but the old hammer and anvil thing is an art not everyone can or has the talent to do.i want to start a modern if not small state of the art set up.that can mass produce knives of my design fast and effeciently.
 
yoz's friend said:
i appreciate you guys replys,i really do(except one).and i realise you guys are old school craftsmen.but i was thinking a more modern 21st century set up.im not trying to in any way insult you guys or your craft but the old hammer and anvil thing is an art not everyone can or has the talent to do.i want to start a modern if not small state of the art set up.that can mass produce knives of my design fast and effeciently.
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Got half a million dollars to spend? The above-quoted price for just a waterjet (which is only good for profiling) is $125000. I'd imagine a five-axis (what you'd need to autonomously mill 98% of a finished blade) would cost at least as much. That's at least a quarter of a million dollars. You're talking industrial-grade equiptment.

If you have that much to spend, why not spend a tiny bit of it and follow these "old school craftsmen's" suggestion and actually make. a. knife. For $5000, you could have professional grinder/buffer/drill/abrasives/materials.

You seem like a forward-looking guy, with big (knife) goals. Hell, we've all been there probably, I know I have. I tried to get permission to copy and modify a production assisted opening folder when I had never even ground a blade, and what you're suggesting is WAY more ambitious.
 
Ok you are wanting to produce knives.that makes sense. There's a difference in producing knives and being a knife maker. You want to own a knife company. Not a thing wrong with that,the big difference is you may actually make money at it.
Hey Cap I surely hope so, I'll catch you at Allens table no doubt
 
We arent suggesting you have to go old school and stay old school...only that you have to start somewhere and starting at the apex of costs and technology without knowing anything about the basics is a recipe for disaster.

Its like buying an entire library of law books, buying a building to house your new law firm and hiring ten secretaries before even taking a law class to see whats involved.
 
David Schott said:
File, Sandpaper, bar of steel, elbow grease. Read all stickies, give it a whirl, THEN ask questions....buying a waterjet is a $100,000 way of avoiding using a hacksaw when you are just starting.
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Do you edge quench in elbow grease? Does it work well? Where do you get it?
 
michaelmcgo said:
Do you edge quench in elbow grease? Does it work well? Where do you get it?
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I think people are missing the point here. The reason some makers are being a bit obtuse in this thread is because the scope of the question is akin to saying "okay i want a house, how do i build one?" then getting frustrated when people tell the OP that they are going about it the wrong way. Ill back out of this thread now as it is destined to become a big trolling debate. Here is all the info you need to know (its stickied in this forum as the place all new guys should go first, btw)

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=452465.
 
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