Kitchen Knife Blanks

[Iboschi]

I want to make my first knife build as a gift for a good friend who is a chef. She has decent knives, but I was thinking I might trump them with something I made (at least in part). I was thinking I would do a chef knife but don't see many chef's knife blanks with decent steel for sale anywhere. I plan to do stock removal for this and either send it out or for heat treat or buy something close enough in shape that I don't have to remove to much material. Any reccomendations?

 

[Phillip Dobson]

If you're going to do stock removal, you might as well get some barstock and make your own design. Sawing out the profile (even by hand) is fast and easy compared to filing the bevels.

If you want more of a pre-finished blank that only requires a handle, look at Jantz. I haven't worked with their blanks, but they seem well made. Good steel, too.

 

[NStricker]

Check out Tracy Mickley's site at U.S. Knife Maker Supply. He's worked with Great Lakes Waterjet to provide a line of kitchen knife blanks in CPM154.