Life Experiences That Affected The Way You Make Knives

Making friends on this forum altered the trajectory of my knife making forever. Opposable thumbs and social skills are not all they are cracked up to be.

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Everyday has a new experience that effects the way i make knives, espicially as new as i am, im not partial to any one technique. To limit my knife building abilities to any one genre, would be a waste of time. Ive got oosik to carbon fiber, ats34 to L-6, corbys and pin stock, flat or hollow, taper no taper! Mastersmith is my goal, and in my definition that is being capable in all facets of this craft!!! GHaile
 
I made knives for a few years. I did OK, sold some too, for OK prices. Then I had the good fortune of moving just down the street from Ken Onion on Oahu. Brashly, I walked up there and introduced myself as a "knifemaker". The upshot being, Ken took me under his wing, learning how to really make knives for a few short months, on my days off.

The change in my quality of work was night and day. Not just the things that he showed me firsthand, but my observations of his work ethic, his machines, and some advice he gave me on the world of knives. I'm still learning in retrospect; it was too much for me to absorb at once sometimes, but happily some of it comes back when I need it.

If could relate only one thing I learned there, It would be "never say 'good enough'".
 
GTH11 said:
Everyday has a new experience that effects the way i make knives, espicially as new as i am, im not partial to any one technique. To limit my knife building abilities to any one genre, would be a waste of time. Ive got oosik to carbon fiber, ats34 to L-6, corbys and pin stock, flat or hollow, taper no taper! Mastersmith is my goal, and in my definition that is being capable in all facets of this craft!!! GHaile
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That's a great summation of how I feel as well, G!
Trying to learn a little bit of everything, making yourself familiar with the whole process and all of it's facets. As an example, even if I don't usually hollow grind blades I think it's important that I know how to do it and understand the process.

As far as what drove me to make knives and my overall philosophy.......I loved to buy and carry smaller fixed blades from Bark River, Tom Krein, Dan Koster, etc. I used to own a retail website for production knives and did a lot of sharpening work and minor repair for local customers. One day I thought if I was going to be spending time in the shop working on other people's knives I might as well try to make one of my own. Since then, things have gone through the roof. I've sold much of my personal collection of knives to fund supplies and machinery. My goal in the beginning was to essentially make and sell knives that were like those that I enjoyed buying and carrying, and I owe Tom Krein in a big way for much of my inspiration, although I've tried to take my work in my own direction. From my experience, it's the smaller fixed blade knives that get used the most. I have many larger choppers, fighters, etc in my collection, but they don't get workouts very often. In my suburban setting it's the smaller sub 7" knives that spend every day on the belt and that's why most of what I make is in that category. I enjoy every moment I spend in the shop and feel lucky to be able to spend my time creating.
 
Salem,
Your post came through while I was typing mine.
I never lived in Hawaii, but like you I have gotten a lot from Ken. When I started to work on folder designs, Ken was there, ready with advice and encouragement. He's a great example of someone who gives back to the community that he profits from. He has been very generous with his knowledge and time and I appreciate having him as a resource as I learn new things in knife making.

Salem Straub said:
I made knives for a few years. I did OK, sold some too, for OK prices. Then I had the good fortune of moving just down the street from Ken Onion on Oahu. Brashly, I walked up there and introduced myself as a "knifemaker". The upshot being, Ken took me under his wing, learning how to really make knives for a few short months, on my days off.

The change in my quality of work was night and day. Not just the things that he showed me firsthand, but my observations of his work ethic, his machines, and some advice he gave me on the world of knives. I'm still learning in retrospect; it was too much for me to absorb at once sometimes, but happily some of it comes back when I need it.

If could relate only one thing I learned there, It would be "never say 'good enough'".
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I make knives becuase I'm too cheap to buy them. also, I need to get out from under my computer. oh yeah, and kind of flipping the bird at a art teacher that decided that the only good art was by the "masters". they were abducted by aliens, and driven crazy by the experience.
 
I wanted a Damascus knife so I bought some damascus and made one with the heat till non magnetic and then heat till straw recipe. It was only OK.

Then I found this place
 
I'm sure it will surprise few people to learn that I take the approaches I do to making knives because I get an idea of how it ought to be and strive to make it come forth from the materials. This governs most of the choices I make. I guess the short version of the story is I am a frustrated artist that has worked in many mediums. A friend recently described herself as being ADHD, and stated that this manifests itself by her desire to get good at something, then move on before it got too boring. That pretty much describes how I've moved through artistic mediums.

From the selection of materials to the methods I used to achieve the end result, most of what I do is about an attempt to achieve a vision. The vision isn't always locked in place either. Like an ADHD sufferer, my vision may morph several times before the final product is done. I chase the chimera, and what I end up with may have elements of all the visions that led to the end result.

I don't really know what life experience triggered this need to express myself artistically. All I can really say is that I've been drawing and creating since I was about 6, and the desire never left me.

- Greg
 
Sorry Rick....I am probably guilty of changing the original course of your thread
, but it has been a good read.

It is interesting to read these posts and look at the pictures. The folks that had the benifit of this sight are very fortunate as well as the ones who lived close to established makers for encouragement and guidance.

I grind my knives with a combination of a Coote grinder, 4" grinder, a Dotco and various files. I like hollow grinds and have been dabbling in convex grinds. I started using 440C and D2 for a bit and quickly moved to ATS-34 as I learned to heat treat it well. I then moved to the CPM-154CM steel which I love to work with. I make hidden tang, full tang and distal tapered tangs using all kinds of handle materials. I always have a picture in my head of what the final product will look like and just make it turn out like that as best as I can. Occasionally I free flow and just start making a blade and see where it goes from there...usually turns out good. I use all kinds of handle materials. I choose my materials so as to make a quality knife that the average Joe can afford, use and be proud of. I like to make what I like, but will ceratinly make to custom order. I do everything myself, but do not critisize anyone for farming different aspects of their work out. I also like the control of being able to work on my schedule and not have to wait on anyone....I don't wait well....one of my many shortcomings. I love a clean shop....but never have one...well it was when it was new:) I love the look on someones face that commisions me to make a knife when they see it and touch it for the first time....that feeling never goes away. I love it when someone sends me a note/email or drops by to tell me how well one of my knives has served them. This is my passion and my therapy....it is a big part of ME. Wow thanks for the opportunity to ramble.
Jim
Stag & Steel
 
It's all good Jim..... I've edited the title so many times that nobody can really tell what it is about anymore.
 
One time a blade caught in the drill press, smashed my paw a bit, and that experience led me to build a jig that now lets me drill all my holes safely i dont build a knife without it!
 
This site affected how I make knives more than anything. I had made tools using tool steels, but had not made knives before. This site is so rare, in that you can talk, and get feedback from highly knowledgeable people, and those same people do not seem to tire of helping.

The WIP of all kinds are great, and not just the knife WIPs, all of them, including Salem's LG rebuild. Speaking of which, my older friend, a friend of mine's father, and cannery machinery mechanic, got a kick out of it when I brought up his babbit pour. He turned to me and said, "Did you just say they were pouring babbit bearings?" I said sure, and his face lit up with nostalgia. He grew up on cannery row, in Monterrey, Ca. He went on with stories for a good while after that.

My sheet metal and machining background has helped me very much as well. I have access to ridiculous amounts, of all types of manufacturing EQ. Hobbyists I know would ask why I was not at work 24/7 doing cool projects. My answer was always I do not have a 9-5 job I stay till my work is done, so when it is, I just want to get out of there. Now I find myself getting in a bit of knife work during slow patches, while still being around to fix problems and answer questions that occur.

I enjoy the challenges that come with designing and figuring out how to make all types of knives. I don't have much experience, but you didn't ask for experienced, experiences did you. Well...unless you changed the title again. :P
 
I once got a good blade from heating a piece of Lowe's steel to white hot and quenching it into Canola oil! I swear, that Canola oil is some super duper stuff! :p;)

:D:D:D
 
Not really a life experience but being raised to take pride in what I do and give 100% definitely comes through in the blades I work on. I can't imagine putting my name on something that isn't my absolute best.
 
JW Knives said:
Not really a life experience but being raised to take pride in what I do and give 100% definitely comes through in the blades I work on. I can't imagine putting my name on something that isn't my absolute best.
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Excellent.... I have met many folks who are perfectly fine with "good enough". I have never understood that mentality with regard to putting your work out there for everyone to see. Good enough is fine for shop tools and baking cookies..... and horseshoes.... or is that "close enough"?
 
Rick Marchand said:
Excellent.... I have met many folks who are perfectly fine with "good enough". I have never understood that mentality with regard to putting your work out there for everyone to see. Good enough is fine for shop tools and baking cookies..... and horseshoes.... or is that "close enough"?
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I think the best you can do at the time is good enough, but it won't be good enough next time.
 
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