need help chosing a first kit blank

I

inanitydefined

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Jun 26, 2013
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Hello all. I've been looking for a new knife for a while. This will be my first good knife, I'm used to cheap aus6/mystery steel China knives and I think its time for a change. After looking around a bit I've decided to build a knife using a kit blank. I have a lovely piece of spalted maple for the handle and all the tools to shape the wood. I've heard this can get addicting so I may end up with the tools to form steel, but I currently lack them.
What I'm looking for is a place to get a high quality blank. Good steel and a great heat treat. Jantz and Texas knife are my current leaders but I'm having a hard time finding the right pattern/steel/price. Who else makes top grade blades out of a variety of quality steels (I'm as of yet unsure but looking at 1095, d2, s30v, 154cm and 440c) at reasonable prices? (I would've ordered a jantz in d2 already if the shipping wasn't so hard to swallow on one item)
I could use any advice. I want to buy quality so I have something I can be proud of and hopefully get into the hobby
 
Advice, fill out your profile so we know where you are and a bit about you.
More info would help, too. What type of knife are you planning on making?

Jantz has the same shipping prices as anyone else, so I don't know what the problem with them is, but other suppliers, like Texas Knife supply, Knifekits, USA Knifemakers, and others sell blades in a variety of steels.
Also, in The Exchange there are often blades being sold by some of the folks here in Shop Talk. This fellow has them reasonably priced and shipping is included:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...S-WOOD-LOT-Get-it-now!!-2-amp-1095-DIY-BLADES
 
bladsmth said:
Advice, fill out your profile so we know where you are and a bit about you.
More info would help, too. What type of knife are you planning on making?

Jantz has the same shipping prices as anyone else, so I don't know what the problem with them is, but other suppliers, like Texas Knife supply, Knifekits, USA Knifemakers, and others sell blades in a variety of steels.
Also, in The Exchange there are often blades being sold by some of the folks here in Shop Talk. This fellow has them reasonably priced and shipping is included:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...S-WOOD-LOT-Get-it-now!!-2-amp-1095-DIY-BLADES
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I'm looking to make an edc sized full tang knife, probably in a drop point, 2.5-3.5 inch blade
I'm not liking jantz for the simple fact that this is my first project and all the patterns I like will be $40 shipped. Its a bit steep for my first attempt. I'm considering the hunter/skinner 440c blades from Texas knife. (http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=119_299_393&sort=3a&page=2). Are they quality and is the cryogenic treatment worth the extra cost?
 
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I'll give you the same advice I give all new makers. If you are going to make a custom knife for yourself, don't try and save a few bucks on the steel.

The D2 blades will be far better than the 440C blades. The cryo treated blades will be better than the plain HTed blades. The AUS-8 and 440C blades are the low end blades. Get a good quality blade, and some good quality stabilized handle material, and plan on spending about $100 total by the time you have the sandpaper, good slow cure epoxy, blade, handle scales, and rivet stock. A matching sheath will run you another $15 or so plus the finishing supplies ( unless you have a leatherworking friend). You also should plan on spending some time making the knife.....don't rush this project.

If $30 and a few hours is what you want, and a low quality blade is OK...go to Walmart and save the hassle. If you want pride in making your own knife, and a quality knife as a finished product, save up and buy the materials needed.
 
OK so I've been entertaining the idea of cutting a blade from steel myself. After reading a bit more it seems I can send the blade out for a professional heat treat for a fair price. So that being said, what is a reasonably easy to work steel that will give great results? I've heard d2 work hardens really quick but I really like its edge holding and corrosion resistant properties. Also, I see Aldo at njsteelbaron is the preferred place to buy around here. Is it possible to buy a smaller 1 foot length from him? If not Texas knife seems to have smaller bars, albeit not as muxh variety and no CPM stock
 
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There seems to be a cost/benefit when it comes to easy to work vs cutting and corrosion characteristics. O-1 is reported to be easy to work. S35VN will give you excellent corrosion resistance and edge holding ability but will be a bear to work.
 
In regards to your original post, to hone your skills get a couple of Russell Green River kits and a HF 1 X 30 grinder. An inexpensive drill press helps a lot, also. I'd add a rivet bit and Corby bolts and you'll be all set. You could end up with a couple of good kitchen knives and a lot of experience towards doing a better job on your hunter/skinner. It is a long step going from putting together a kit to doing a stock removal.
 
If you are sending out for HT, you have way more options. You need to decide if you want stainless, or carbon steel. The stickes have some tutorials outlining what is needed in terms of tools, and the steps to make a functional blade, rather than a shank.
 
inanitydefined said:
what is a reasonably easy to work steel that will give great results? I've heard d2 work hardens really quick but I really like its edge holding and corrosion resistant properties.
Click to expand...

how are you going to make it? any material is workable just some require little tricks... with d2, if you forge it the temperature range for working is very slim. it will air harden, the annealing process is a pain with normal people equipment, and then grinding will take a decade while hard.
 
inanitydefined said:
what is a reasonably easy to work steel that will give great results? I've heard d2 work hardens really quick but I really like its edge holding and corrosion resistant properties.
Click to expand...

how are you going to make it? any material is workable just some require little tricks... with d2, if you forge it the temperature range for working is very slim. it will air harden, the annealing process is a pain with normal people equipment, and then grinding will take a decade while hard.
 
Jantz has A2 in stock, and I find A2 easier to grind and sand than 154cm or cpm154. I also find O1 relatively easy to work. Just be aware O1 will get patina just from looking at it. :)

I like Jantz' blanks, and I see nothing wrong with starting with cheaper materials and getting some experience with the handle shaping, glueing, etc., before moving to something more expensive Depleting your savings on your first knife build might just stress you out so much that you don't even enjoy doing it. Even the Green River blanks are higher quality than most people have in their kitchens.

Don't use crazy glue to glue the scales on. Zero working time. Gah! I went through a nightmare with that stuff!

I "grew up" using knives made of 440C and Duck Childress makes really beautiful knives with it. It does what knife steel is supposed to do: it cuts stuff. ;)

Stabilized woods are heavy and tend to make a knife unbalanced. Natural woods were used for hundreds of years before stabilization was invented. With a little research, you can learn about the toughness and density of different woods, and what kind of finishes work best on different woods. Here is a good link for researching wood characteristics:

http://www.fbbcustom.com/woodstar/woods.html

Dymondwood: I like it because it shines up nice, does not require any added finish product, and it is durable. Some people love the crazy colors, some people hate them. I know a woman at my workplace who has knitting needles made of dymondwood, and says she would absolutely love to have a kitchen knife with a striped dymondwood handle. They do have more subdued colors, and Jantz has all the different colors in different thicknesses. I think my next hunter is going to have a 1/8" "cocobolo" colored dymondwood liner and a layer of 1/8" micarta on top of that, in a contrasting color.

Well, there's lots of stickies here with lots of good instruction, so I better stop typing now.

If you go to alphaknifesupply.com they sell a variety of steels in different thicknesses, and they also have useful information on each type of steel. Just click on the item numbers, which are highlighted in blue, and that will take you to the informational page.

If you are an ebayer, I would look up Two Finger Knife. They have 100% positive feedback, and they have blanks in 1095 and ATS 34. I have also seen them offer 52100 and O1. Advanced Search -> (scroll down) -> Sellers -> check "Only Show Items From -> twofingerknife (all one word).
 
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rock3r4life said:
how are you going to make it? any material is workable just some require little tricks... with d2, if you forge it the temperature range for working is very slim. it will air harden, the annealing process is a pain with normal people equipment, and then grinding will take a decade while hard.
Click to expand...

I'm planning on stock removal. I read d2 is a bit finicky to forge and I don't have the equipment anyway. Is cutting/grinding annealed d2 just a bit harder than average or is there a risk of damage? I have plenty of time and patience
Thank you all for your advice
Bo T I have a grinder, belt sander, files and access to a drill press. Any other tools I'll need?

I've whittled a couple of basic blanks out of small strips of rough cut. I'll put pics up when I start a build thread
 
The correct sized rivet bit(s) for the cutlery rivets or Corby bolts if you decide to use them. I have found that the rivet bit works better than a brad bit. A couple of spring clamps for holding the scale(s) on while the slow set epoxy cures. Good sand paper to 1200 grit and polishing cloth to 1 micron or a buffer with suitable compounds. A good sanding block if you are doing stock removal. A vise is helpful.
 
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