Josh Rider
Stuff maker
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2014
- Messages
- 2,428
Hi everyone,
I've been a member here for a couple years and I've never really introduced myself so I figured it was high time to do so!
My name is Josh Rider. I joined the Marine Corps. out of high school and was stationed in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
I met my wife on the Big Island of Hawaii and brought her back to Kentucky when my enlistment was done (not sure why she let me take her lol).
I'm currently a career firefighter/paramedic in Northern Ky. I was recently promoted to Captain.
I love my job, but more importantly, I love making knives.
My original plan was to slowly gather materials and tools so I could get into knifemaking to have a hobby when I retire. Well, I got bit by the knifemaking bug so things moved a little faster.
I made a Gough jig and started filing away.
If you haven't watched Aaron Gough on Youtube, give him a watch.
He makes things very easy.
To my surprise, as I'm sure most knifemakers on here can attest to, as soon as people realize you can make knives your friends want to buy them.
So I started selling them. Then word spread and before I knew it I was overwhelmed by the amount of people that wanted custom knives. I would make the knives in my spare time (which I don't have much of) and orders would sometimes take months.
The files just weren't cutting it (pun intended). I had to get a 2x72!
Like most new knifemakers, I was saying yes to every request. Luckily my friends were all understanding and didn't mind the wait.
The upside though, I gathered tools way faster than I thought I would and I was doing something that gave me great satisfaction. I love hearing stories from my friends that skinned deer with a knife I made. It's just a great feeling.
Nowadays I make handmade knives that I enjoy making with an occasional custom when it sounds like something I want to do.
I'm still very new to this and I know there is a TON of stuff I don't know.
I love this website and the people on it. Overall everyone has been so helpful and sincere (something not common on the internet these days).
I'm very thankful to all of the custom makers in shop talk who give their advice so freely. It's amazing to me to be able to sit down and read responses from the best knifemakers in the world.
Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions you may have about my processes and I would love it if you follow me on Instagram.
If there's ever anything I do that you think I could do better or have a problem with any aspect of my knifemaking abilities I'd love to hear about it. I'm thick skinned and can take criticism!
I'm really interested in doing folders. I've been reading a TON of info on making them and trying to soak it all in.
I recently purchased a surface grinder, so look for that in the future.
Here's my latest. It's a W2 with a hamon and a rag micarta handle with carbon fiber pins. This rag micarta was an exciting find. I bought a bunch of handle material from a retiring knifemaker in my area and found it in one of the boxes. I tapered the tang as well. It will be going on the exchange here shortly.
Here's a little design I'm going to make more of. This one I gave to my son recently.
Here's a kitchen knife I made for my wife, koa scales with g10 liners and w2 steel.
Thanks again to all the guys that have helped me and feel free to follow me on IG.
I've been a member here for a couple years and I've never really introduced myself so I figured it was high time to do so!
My name is Josh Rider. I joined the Marine Corps. out of high school and was stationed in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
I met my wife on the Big Island of Hawaii and brought her back to Kentucky when my enlistment was done (not sure why she let me take her lol).
I'm currently a career firefighter/paramedic in Northern Ky. I was recently promoted to Captain.
I love my job, but more importantly, I love making knives.
My original plan was to slowly gather materials and tools so I could get into knifemaking to have a hobby when I retire. Well, I got bit by the knifemaking bug so things moved a little faster.
I made a Gough jig and started filing away.
If you haven't watched Aaron Gough on Youtube, give him a watch.
He makes things very easy.
To my surprise, as I'm sure most knifemakers on here can attest to, as soon as people realize you can make knives your friends want to buy them.
So I started selling them. Then word spread and before I knew it I was overwhelmed by the amount of people that wanted custom knives. I would make the knives in my spare time (which I don't have much of) and orders would sometimes take months.
The files just weren't cutting it (pun intended). I had to get a 2x72!
Like most new knifemakers, I was saying yes to every request. Luckily my friends were all understanding and didn't mind the wait.
The upside though, I gathered tools way faster than I thought I would and I was doing something that gave me great satisfaction. I love hearing stories from my friends that skinned deer with a knife I made. It's just a great feeling.
Nowadays I make handmade knives that I enjoy making with an occasional custom when it sounds like something I want to do.
I'm still very new to this and I know there is a TON of stuff I don't know.
I love this website and the people on it. Overall everyone has been so helpful and sincere (something not common on the internet these days).
I'm very thankful to all of the custom makers in shop talk who give their advice so freely. It's amazing to me to be able to sit down and read responses from the best knifemakers in the world.
Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions you may have about my processes and I would love it if you follow me on Instagram.
If there's ever anything I do that you think I could do better or have a problem with any aspect of my knifemaking abilities I'd love to hear about it. I'm thick skinned and can take criticism!
I'm really interested in doing folders. I've been reading a TON of info on making them and trying to soak it all in.
I recently purchased a surface grinder, so look for that in the future.
Here's my latest. It's a W2 with a hamon and a rag micarta handle with carbon fiber pins. This rag micarta was an exciting find. I bought a bunch of handle material from a retiring knifemaker in my area and found it in one of the boxes. I tapered the tang as well. It will be going on the exchange here shortly.
Here's a little design I'm going to make more of. This one I gave to my son recently.
Here's a kitchen knife I made for my wife, koa scales with g10 liners and w2 steel.
Thanks again to all the guys that have helped me and feel free to follow me on IG.
