Knifemaking Mentor - Did you have one?

I learned from my high school metal shop class teacher Mr.Ball. But have learned more from these forums.Thanks very much.
 
kc custom said:
Self taught, when the books finnally started coming out I had about 10 years in it.
I was putting handles on bought blades in 1973, by 76-77 I had decided I'd never be
happy till I did it all. I still shamelessly pester shadley and overyender now and then.
The only dumb questions about knife making are the ones that aren't asked.
Ken
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Ken is my mentor. I'd still be sanding mild steel on an upside down hand belt sander if it wasn't for Ken. I bug him constantly with questions about the craft. I also never leave his place without learning something about knifemaking. Not to mention our recent grinder build. (thread incoming...) Always more than happy to help with my "stupid" questions. After my first visit to his shop when I was only mildly interested in knife making, I couldn't wait to get started. It makes a huge difference having a mentor. I'd still be lost in the sauce without one. Thanks Ken.

Garrett
 
For the last 28 years I have made my living as a sculptor and I am mostly self taught. It is my opinion that a person who is an artist must first learn the craft. I would have been way ahead if I had worked under a master in the beginning..
 
Robert Crowder from Thompson Falls Montana helped me with my quest . He,his wife and family were great people when I was able to take a vacation and spend some time with them. Some day hopefully I will be able to visit them again . Heck, he even BBQ. up a bunch of chicken for us for dinner after a day in the shop .
 
The many wonderful people that have taken the time to post articles on their own pages and those that post on this as well as other forum sites like BF.

I may still like to do things my way and find out how and why things work the way they do but I never would have been able to make the jump from grinding down a file and bolting on a couple slabe of wood to doing my own forging and heat treating without peoples input from the forums and web.
 
I first started with some books that have already been mentioned. That helped, but seeing it in person answers so many questions that you can't even put into words. I started out by calling a guy out of the blue and asking if he could show me some stuff. He said he had never taught anyone before but sure, he'd help me out. I still go to his (amazing) shop if I need specific help or anything. Great guy– Richard S. Wright. Then I started hanging out with Indian George and friends lol. Learned a lot there too. If I ever come across a problem/question now I usually check here first, then call some guys, then post. Thanks to everyone who has helped me by even posting encouragement/help on the forum. It is a huge asset to learning.
 
fitzo said:
I learned the basics from Loveless & Barney's book and Sid Latham's. Two years later I started going to a Chicago-area monthly knife show for a couple hours where Kevin Hoffman and Jerry Rados would look over my work, offer recommendations, and let me ask a million questions. They taught me a lot in the next couple years.

6 or 7 years into my journey I took lessons on forging and damascus making several weekends from Tim Zowada. That was extremely valuable. His was the first maker's shop I had been in. (I just stopped to count...I've only been in 7 makers' shops in 28 years. We sure are a physically isolated bunch for the most part.)

Along the way, many tips get picked up talking with other makers at shows...the version of sharing that preceded the internet. Too many people to thank, there.

And then the internet forums and chat rooms. What wonderful tools for knifemakers, both newbie and experienced maker alike. I continue to learn new things or get new ideas constantly.

My thanks to all. I love to learn new stuff. It's what makes life fun.
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Mike are you going to the Chicago Show this year in Sept. I believe?

Sorry for the hi-jack
 
Bruce Bump said:
Mike are you going to the Chicago Show this year in Sept. I believe?

Sorry for the hi-jack
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I don't know if there's going to be a Chicago Show this year, Bruce. I thought I heard it was canceled.

Well, I went and checked, and it's listed as Sept 11 &12.

To answer your question, Bruce, I doubt I'll go down there this year. It is moving to the heart of downtown, and it would be too much walking for me to get around with parking and such. I don't walk too well.
 
Well,I have to say that I have no mentors locally,but all I have learned was from this site,Blade Forums Thx to all who have helped.
I know that I have not posted any of the knives I have made on this site,or any other site,but I plan to soon.
I can say that I have had inspiration from a knife maker.His name is Cleston Sinyard ,who lives near me.A gift from my parents a few years ago was a damascus fighter made by Cleston.I and my parents went to his house to receive the knife and he took me on a tour of his shop and showed me some of his processes into making knives.From then on I was hooked.
I think that I will have to visit him soon to let him know his influence on my life,and to ask for some advice to help me to get better at knife making.
 
Toxey said:
Well,I have to say that I have no mentors locally,but all I have learned was from this site,Blade Forums Thx to all who have helped.
I know that I have not posted any of the knives I have made on this site,or any other site,but I plan to soon.
I can say that I have had inspiration from a knife maker.His name is Cleston Sinyard ,who lives near me.A gift from my parents a few years ago was a damascus fighter made by Cleston.I and my parents went to his house to receive the knife and he took me on a tour of his shop and showed me some of his processes into making knives.From then on I was hooked.
I think that I will have to visit him soon to let him know his influence on my life,and to ask for some advice to help me to get better at knife making.
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I'm sure he'd like to know he had some influence on somebody.
 
The way I started was I called a gent close to me that makes knives.And he still dose.
Randy Mackey of Blanket Texas he is such a nice man.He took me under his wing and tought me for 2 weeks.He said I did so good he wanted me to stay and help him,I was so glad I did I worked for him about 6 months or so.Man I tell You I lernt some much it was awsome.

I would like to thank him and You awsome folks
here on Blade Forum.

I am hocked for life!!!!
 
Great thread!

I don't have one guy that I can TOTALLY single out... there have been MANY that have REALLY helped me along.

Very first knifemaker I met was at age 17.... 5 years after I started making knives. Tiny Spencer is his name. He's not "mainstream" so most don't know him, but he showed me quite a bit in a couple 3 hour visits!

Don Fogg has been a huge influence on my work and my approach.

Mike Vagnino is THE guy I would come closest to singling out as he really really helped push me in the right direction for clean forged blades and he's ALWAYS just a phone call away when I'm in the middle of a problem.

Tom Ferry and Bill Cottrell got me started in forging... Tom's shop is the first one where I ever saw damascus forged. Tom and I ended up spending a lot of time together and always bouncing ideas off of each other. After I got a regular job, he kept rising toward the stars and I've been forced to flutter around the ground... but it's VERY cool to see how far he's gotten.

Ed Caffrey made an incredible impression on me when I was at my second show ever, the OKCA show at the ripe old age of 22. Ed came to my table to say hi and give me some encouragment (I was nervous!) He has always been a star example of how to treat people at a show and how to hold yourself in an approachable manner.

There's about 100 makers here... some still here, some long gone, that have helped me out TREMENDOUSLY. One fellow that always sticks out in my mind as an incredibly articulate, man of wisdom... one that I've never had the pleasure to shake his hand, but still feel confident in calling my friend... is our very own Mike Fitzgerald (Fitzo).

The writings of Howard Clark, Don Fogg, Kevin Cashen... the list goes on...for heat treating info...

I am looking like one of those sad sack actors when they win an award on TV... the ones that never shut up... but I have been truly fortunate for all of the shoulders I have had to lean on and continue to lean on in this craft.

Everytime I'm in the shop I realize there's something that I don't know how to do, or can't do as well as I would like. But I'm learning all the time. Hopefully someday there will be a handful of folks that feel like I helped them make something click.
 
It really helps to live near Ken Coats. He always takes time to show and tell. He helped lots of people to get going making knives.
 
I've learned alot from my friend Nick and I've picked up a few tips from other local makers as well as from books and the internet.
 
Bob Loveless, Wayne Goddard and Ed Fowler... although only through their books. And of course, the fine folks here on the forum. Bump, Cashen, mete and so many others astound me every time I check in. Thanks Spark, and thank you all VERY kindly!
 
The first knife I saw handmade was by a machinist friend in Bakersfield Calif. in 1984, Paul Briano. Watching him make one from an old file gave me the bug but I'm self taught mostly...
 
im still a newb, but id have to definitely say robert spradlin, i go to his shop bout once or twice a week, learning more from him in the short time i've known him than for the several years i've been reading and trying things on my own. doesn't charge me one red cent. just to help with materials, damn good egg and a good maker.
 
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