Knifemaker, Knifesmith, Blademaker and Bladesmith

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BMK

BMK

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Are there distinctions to be made between them? If not, why are the terms used? Thank you for the clarification in advance.
 
Personally, I think of someone who grinds a knife from bar stock as a maker and someone who forges (with or without additional grinding) as a smith.
 
Thank you. It sounds like the maker and the smith (can) both remove stock by grinding, just to different degrees - is that correct? Then, is a knifemaker the same thing as a blademaker?
 
BMK said:
Thank you. It sounds like the maker and the smith (can) both remove stock by grinding, just to different degrees - is that correct? Then, is a knifemaker the same thing as a blademaker?
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I'm not gonna delve in that far as I'm neither, so I'll deflect that question to someone who knows more than me.
 
I would venture to say a Knifemaker is a person who designs and builds knives from conception, to fruition.
Be it stock removal or forging.
Can also Be a Knifesmith/Bladesmith

Knifesmith and Bladesmith would be interchangeable, but use a hammer to shape steel.

A Blademaker would be a person who makes blades.
 
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A smith uses forging techniques.
A maker uses other techniques.
A smith can alter steel, like damascus or a bit for an axe, stock removal cannot.
 
I would say that if a hammer and anvil is involved in the process, -smith is fairly added. If not, I think -maker is more appropriate.

Then there is "-assembler", but that's a different topic.
 
Makermook said:
Then there is "-assembler", but that's a different topic.
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Haha... Beat me to the punch.
I relate it to Booze: All Scotch is whiskey but not all whiskey is scotch. Smiths are also makers but not all makers are Smiths.
 
If you break down the root words then you can effectively tighten your sphincter and come to a definition. I personally say a;

Knifemaker is anyone who makes knives with a variety of practices. Be it assembling them on a line, putting them together in the shop as a blacksmiths whipping person (I don't want to be accused of sexism) or actually creates the blade via forge or stock removal. Bottom line, this person makes things and they're knives.

Knifesmith, a smith is a derivitive of blacksmith or smithy. What does this person smith? Knives. Simply put this person creates knives via a forge i.e. all knifesmiths are knifemakers but not all knifemakers are knifesmiths.

Blademaker, technically speaking this could be anyone, for instance, "Jackson was sentences to 25 years to life in Fulton County Penitentiary for beating one of his "bitches" into a coma. During his high security vacation Jackson felt the urge to "shank" one of his fellow funseekers and created a makeshift shiv with an edge to it." vis a vis Jackson has officially made his first blade, without the shiv actually being classified as a knife, therefore making him a blademaker.

Bladesmith: See Knifesmith and Jackson.
 
Commence troll trap engagement Scotty & Spock.
Set phazers to eventual shill.


Like the proverbial Phoenix, the bush junkey rises ... again. :rolleyes:
 
RyanW said:
Haha... Beat me to the punch.
I relate it to Booze: All Scotch is whiskey but not all whiskey is scotch. Smiths are also makers but not all makers are Smiths.
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I didn't plan on posting in this thread, but that's a great analogy Ryan......especially since I like whiskey:D
 
Smith: the very word means/meant to "strike"...Blacksmith,coppersmith,Whitesmith etc, etc shape by striking..If you beat it with a hammer, its smithing..
.
Im just a blacksmith who makes cutting tools, that dosnt make me a bladesmith. No more than a bladesmith being a blacksmith because hes made a few "S" hooks or someone a welder because they can lay a bead with a MIG..
 
I'm familiar with "knifemaker" and "bladesmith".

"Knifesmith" is used sometimes as a gangly (IMO) alternative for "bladesmith".

"Blademaker" seems pretty obscure.
I can't say I've ever heard anyone refer to themselves as a blademaker. Sure, it's a valid compound word, but I don't think its used colloquially to describe a specific artisan's genre the way Knifemaker/Bladesmith are.
 
Thank you for your opinions. It appears there is no "simple" answer to my question. I don't even know if what has been writter here could be called a consensus.
 
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While we often don't agree on what something IS, we very often agree on what something ISN'T...

Who makes the best car in this list?
Ford, Chevrolet, or Yugo.
No consensus....
Who makes the worst?
Consensus is easier.
 
Good question. I know if I install better performing tires and wheels on my car it doesn't mean I engineered and built the car.

What if I take a piece of cable and forge it into a knife? What if I finish it on the grinder, heat treat it, then put a handle on it? I'd say I engineered that knife and built it.

If I take a piece of flat bar-stock, sketch my design, shape it, bevel it, heat treat it and finish it? again I'd say- engineered and built.

What if I buy a knife blank, grind a small piece off of it, then finish it? I wouldn't say there is anything wrong with that, but I wouldn't put my name on it and tell everyone I "engineered and designed it"

I also wouldn't say knife making is simple, then show a bunch of knives with lots of flaws and photoshop.
 
bladsmth said:
Yes, I agree with Fellhoelter. There has definitely been a consensus on the subject concerning your definitions.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=830714
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Interesting... So, if a person were to design and draw a blade, start with a piece of barstock, profile, bevel, heat treat, finish grind and attached a handle to it, that person would not be considered a blademaker and/or knifemaker? I must be missing something big here but I don't know what it is.
 
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