Knife making.

T

Tomahawkdick.

Joined
Feb 15, 2019
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15
May I ask something that has been puzzling me since I've taken an interest in knives? Are there two types of (makers)?

Makers that buy in a pre-formed blank, and then those that make a knife from a piece of steel.

I've seen makers showing off large piles of knife blanks that I assume are ready for heat treating, sharpening and adding handles too? The other does it all in one.

Thanks all, Richard.
 
I’d say there are at least 38 kinda of knife makers. ;)

Some, typically those just getting started, will buy a knife blank and put a handle on it to test the waters and see if they have a real interest or they may choose to work off of a blank due to other limitations.

Most makers use a stock removal or forging method or combination of to shape their blades.

Some makers work in batches, small and large, to help organization and productivity. Some work on a single piece start to finish.
 
That's probably a bunch of blanks that they designed on CAD then had water jetted out then they will finish everything else by hand.
 
Tomahawkdick. said:
May I ask something that has been puzzling me since I've taken an interest in knives? Are there two types of (makers)?

Makers that buy in a pre-formed blank, and then those that make a knife from a piece of steel.

I've seen makers showing off large piles of knife blanks that I assume are ready for heat treating, sharpening and adding handles too? The other does it all in one.
Click to expand...

Buying blanks and finishing them is a good hobby, and I've done about a dozen, but IMO that is NOT knifemaking. To me a knifemaker has to form the blade from something that isn't a blade.
 
bdmicarta said:
Buying blanks and finishing them is a good hobby, and I've done about a dozen, but IMO that is NOT knifemaking. To me a knifemaker has to form the blade from something that isn't a blade.
Click to expand...

I agree. I had 3-5 years of spare time and made a few knives from scratch. But it was mostly a hobby.

1C6560560-130321-prisonartifact-shivs.fit-760w.jpg

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unwisefool said:
Not to be mean, but those look like prison shivs lol
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I worked in the electrical utility industry for years. You should see what people used to jumper over their meters to reduce the electric bill. Prison shivs are nothing, just boys having fun.
 
I bought a bunch of mostly finished Lauri blades and have been putting handles on them. Ever since then I've been posting in the "Bladesmiths Question and Answers" forum so, obviously, I'm totally a knife maker now! Go ahead and ask me questions, I'm totally an expert...
 
bdmicarta said:
Buying blanks and finishing them is a good hobby, and I've done about a dozen, but IMO that is NOT knifemaking. To me a knifemaker has to form the blade from something that isn't a blade.
Click to expand...

Good question from the OP, and I think this response hits the nail right on the head.

I've been a production knife user all my life and just recently started buying custom knives (off the exchange, where else). I look at some of the customs I've bought and see that the knife maker basically cuts, grinds and shapes a blank and slaps a handle on it. Nothing wrong with that, it takes a lot of time, patience and equipment to put out a nice product. However, it's basically the same method that the big production companies use, just on a much smaller scale.

But then I watch Forged in Fire and see how much blood, sweat and tears go into hand forging a knife, and think "now that's knife making!" I suppose it boils down to a divide of sorts in the knife making community regarding the stock removal method versus hand forging, and I guess it's the latter, and only the latter, who earn the right to be called blade smiths, no?
 
Knifemaking the hard way - no power tools ... I worked with an old Thai smith/farmer who had a similar setup. I've helped forge a couple blades and it is hard, hot work in the tropics. I also worked the air pumps.


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