Knife kits

U

UPSTARTCROWE

Joined
Oct 17, 1999
Messages
122
Which kits are good? I want to try to assemble a knife using just my hand tools. I hear that this is a good way to start out making knives. I'll find out if I like it and learn some skills which will apply when I start grinding blades. Who sells good kits? Should I order from Jantz? Should I just order a custom blade? Advice for a newbie please.....
 
best way to start off is making blades too. try it. buy a kit if you want to finish and use the knife right away, since your just begining. and start making your own blades. i's tuff to start. and stays that way, just you get better machines as you go on.
 
I've made kits from koval knives. They were decent quality. The ones I made were sliplock trapper knives. The grinds are pretty good. I had to redo the tangs some to get them to close better.The blade steel isn't anything special but it gets hairpoppin sharp and seems to hold an edge.I don't think that they carry as many folding kits now. They have a big selection of fixed blades in different steels to choose from though. I've heard good things about Jantz too. Rob Simonich's Cetan Kits are top of the line from what I've heard, but he currently is to busy with other work to make them as far as I know
frown.gif
.
Good luck finding something.
I have to agree with magnum too. Now that I've started making knives completely on my own and not from kits, I'm getting alot better at it. I'm having more fun too. If you have the tools, you might try 1 or 2 kits to get a feel for how things go together and the order that you do things, then get some cheap barstock like O1 and try your own design. Its a lot of fun and the worst thing you'll do is end up with a ruined piece of steel. Have fun with whatever you decide on.
------------------
Fix it right the first time, use Baling Wire !

[This message has been edited by Matt Shade (edited 01-03-2000).]
 
As far as kit blades go, check out the following:
http://www.siteblazer.net/texasknife/ http://www.angelfire.com/biz3/anblades http://www.knifeandgun.com/ http://www.trugrit.com/

I started out "making" kit blades about 7 years ago and progressed to grinding once I accumulated enough equipment.

Most kit blades are AUS-6 or 6A steel which is just about like 440A with a bit of vanadium. Try to get blades that are 440C or ATS34 for a better blade. I also recommend getting a catalog from K&G and Texas Knifemaker's Supply. The catalogs from K&G and Texas Knifemaker's are downloadable.

C Wilkins

[This message has been edited by C L Wilkins (edited 01-04-2000).]
 
I started with kits and have moved on to a mix of factory blades and my own blades. I have become dissatisfied with some of the factory blades I get because I keep noticing that they have less than top-quality steel, bad grinds, grind marks, and various other imperfections. I usually end up doing some clean-up work on them, mostly fine sanding and buffing, but also modifying the design sometimes.

I'm doing more blade making, but will probably keep using some factory blades. The main reason for this is that I have started selling knives. People often come to me and want an inexpensive "custom" knife. I can finish a decent knife for them with a factory blade in a few hours and sell it for $100. The factory blade costs me about $25. If I make the same blade I probably pay $8 for steel, $5 for belts, $10 for heat treating (with postage). That's $23 and doesn't count my time in making the blade. There is no way I could sell a knife with a hand made blade for the same price as a factory blade.

Of course, my hand made blade will (I hope) be better quality than the factory blade. Better steel and probably a better heat treat. But the factory and hand-made blades look pretty much the same. Many buyers go by price and think the factory blade is good enough. Of course these are all using knives, not something a collector would want.

Making my own blades is more fun and more satisfying, but filling requests for factory blade knives helps me support this expensive hobby.

 
I just ordered the razor edge boot knife from Jantz. It is supposed to have 440C steel, so I'm looking forward to making it. Does it come with plans and instructions or are you on your own? Also, anyone have any ideas for how to do a sheath for it? I am trying one of these kits for the first time, so I am kinda leary of spending a bunch of $$. My parents still dont like the idea that I want to make my own blades. I got one of the bowie kits from Leichting workshops a few years ago and loved it, but the steel was too thing to really use. It really takes and holds an incredible edge.
 
Taz, yes, the kit should come with instructions that will include how to assemble the piece step-by-step and tips on how to finish. Have fun!!

>> DeWayne <<
 
Koval Knives sells boot sheaths if you can't find the stuff to make one.
If you want to make it, I would start with some leather and a sewing awl, they're cheap. Then just try and form it to the knife. If you want it to be a boot sheath, you can do the same thing, then get one of the big pocket clips from halpern titanium and attach it somehow. Have fun.

------------------
Fix it right the first time, use Baling Wire !
 
Jantz's instructions are sketchy at best. try www.engnath.com for a much better set. Kit knives are good for learning the basics of finishing on, and you will know it's time to start looking into grinding your own when you just cant stand the flaws in the kit blades anymore.

------------------
I love my country! I just don't trust my government!
 
A very inexpensive way to learn a few basics is to get a kitchen knife from Jantz and finish it. They have a nice selection of kitchen blades.
 
i've only made ONE knife from a kit. my neighbor bought the blade and materials and wanted me to make the handles. i though at the time that it was decent, no visible flaws in the blade. but soon as he used it, he tore the edge(i ain't kiddin, he tore the edge, like ripping a peice of paper) because the grind was so thin, and the blade material had alot of internal stresses. i'll never make a kit blade again. i figured i'd make him two freebies, if he bough material, becuase he helped me out. the Skinner knife pic that i posted was one of the knives i made for him, i'm going to post a picture of the other one as soon as possible. since i made them by hand, and made the blades too, they've been holding up. know he likes D-2, may be his favorite steel. that is a lesson for you guys out there making kit blades and selling them, replace the blades if the break, you'll make a friend for life, and customer for life too.
 
I have gotten several kits from Alan Folts. He'll make one to your specs if you want. I have a review in the reviews section right now, and there is another one of the first kit I got a few months back. I figger if you are going to go the distance and make a knife, you oughta make it your own design.

YeK
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top