new guy

J

jraney

Joined
Aug 6, 2010
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77
hey folks i am new here and would like to try to make some knives, mainly just for a hobby but if it could make me a little cash in the future that would be great also. so what tools would be essential to start out, i have been looking at some heat treating ovens and some mills are these a necessity?
any advice or tips would be great would like to start cheaply so if things do not work out for me then i am not out to much money.
thanks looking forward some suggestions.

j
 
The Standard reply to Newbies...

Fill out your profile to include location, age, education, employment
... you may have a helpful neighbour...and the answer to a high school student is different than to a 40 year old engineer...
We can often recommend a local supplier, but that depends on where you are.

Look at the stickies at the top, many are expired, but many are not.

This is a nice list of books and videos
http://www.knifedogs.com/showthread.php?t=5285

This thread on BF has links to some of those books linked as online, or pdf e books
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=603203

A good HT basics video
http://www.archive.org/download/gov.ntis.ava08799vnb1/ava08799vnb1_512kb.mp4

Green Pete's video on how to make a Mora style bushcraft knife - simple jig stock removal with hand tools and a neo tribal / unplugged type heat treat. "Green Pete" posted it for for free distribution.
It is available here for those who can use torrent files. + plus more too.

http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4995247/Greenpete_s__Knifemaking_Basics_-_Make_a_Mora_Bushcraft_Knife

You can find it on utube also

Comments on books
The $50 knife shop is popular and starts a lot of people off but:
I find it confused me for a long time.
The goop quench is BS, there are commercially made quench oils available, (maybe even mentioned in the new edition)
Found steels are interesting,but require the skills of an experienced smith to be able to work and heat treat properly., you can buy proper steel cheaply(mentioned in the new edition)
Cable damascus is interesting, but not a beginners project either.

It leads you to believe that forging is necessary, but you can just file and grind everything away to create a knife (stock removal)

I like:
David Boye-Step by Step Knifemaking
Tim McCreight-Custom Knifemaking: 10 Projects from a Master Craftsman

Forging:
Lorelei Sims-The Backyard Blacksmith - I agree that is a good one , forging in general no knifemaking.
Jim Hrisoulas- has 3 books on forging, all 3 are good &available on Amazon

There are many videos available now, some are better than others, but all better than nothing.
If you cannot use torrent files many videos are available for rent here.
http://smartflix.com/store/category/9/Knifemaking

You do not have to buy equipment to start with.
You can send out for heat treating, 10 or 15 $ per blade
The basic process is here in the most simple terms
http://www.scribd.com/Jones-Scott-Jonesy-Absolute-Cheapskate-Way-to-Start-Making-Knives/d/3622507
 
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hehe, do you just copy and paste that, numbers? Dont get me wrong its a great idea, just wondering.
 
Dont get the wrong impression the forums are very helpful but there is a limit, depending on what types of knives you want to make, forging or stock removal, fixed, art, folding. The tools will be different, look through the threads and you will see alot about tools and many recommendations about what is needed and where to buy. Its a really broad subject and depends strongly on what you want to make.
 
Welcome to BF jraney.

Before you spend a dime, here's my advise.............

1- Read,Read,Read! And then, read some more. 'Newbies,Good Info Here',[sticky at top af 'shoptalk' main page] is loaded with info from beginner to advanced. Lots of good books available also.

2- Fill out your profile so we know what level of experience we're talking to & there may be a maker just across town that may be able to help you along.

Knifemaking is'nt easy and you can go simple for a hobby, or you can jump in with both feet. You will find all levels of makers here, and we all started somewhere. Reading will answer a lot of questions that are asked here over & over again.

Best of luck with the journey. Be safe & have some fun!!!
 
hey thanks i will try to help you all help me. i just want to make some good quality short skinners, i have one made by winchester it seems to be an ok knife for what i have done with it, but i only paid $10 for a box of 3 knives 1 fixed 2 small folders.
 
sorry to keep buggin but i have wanted to do this for some time
i tried to view some of the stickies but got nothing, what kind of gas do you use for the gas forge, and is heat treating with the forge as hard as it seems?
thanks
j
 
jraney said:
sorry to keep buggin but i have wanted to do this for some time
i tried to view some of the stickies but got nothing, what kind of gas do you use for the gas forge, and is heat treating with the forge as hard as it seems?
thanks
j
Click to expand...

Propane is most common, but some use natural gas, the gas port sizes change larger with natural gas.

Heat treating with the forge assumes you are using certain steel types, simple carbon steels like 1080 or 5160, not stainless steels like CPM 154, S30V and so on.

The key to heat treating is good control of the steel temperature.
If you build an electronically controlled forge like this,
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=704470&highlight=pid+forge
it is much better than judging the temperature by eye.


As I mentioned above, make your first blade and send it out for heat treating...much simpler and guaranteed results.
..after all maybe you will hate it
 
where do you send the blades to get heat treated? say i have some steel can i just cut out the shape i want drill my handles pin holes send it to get heat treated and when i get it back it be ready to put on the handle and go to work?
 
can i heat any metal to non magnetic and quench it and it be heat treated properly or does this only apply to certain steel.
 
jraney said:
where do you send the blades to get heat treated?
that is in the stickies above, there are several places

say i have some steel
"some" steel won't do it you need proper knife quality steel, you have dozens of options to choose from...read up on it

can i just cut out the shape i want drill my handles pin holes send it to get heat treated and when i get it back it be ready to put on the handle and go to work?
more or less , yes, you didn't look at this link yet did you?
http://www.scribd.com/Jones-Scott-Jonesy-Absolute-Cheapskate-Way-to-Start-Making-Knives/d/3622507
Click to expand...

Go look at the links I gave youin Post # 2, those books and videos will cover everything you need to know
 
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ok, what would you suggest for a good inexpensive 1st time try steel something that is forgiving to the mistakes i will surely make. i live not far from Jantz supply i think they are listed on here as a supplier so i can get the steel just need to know what should i start with or does it matter as long as it is a good quality steel.
 
probably the 440 c stainless since it is the cheaper of the 2 stainless. i hate to sound cheap but i have a tendency to abort projects early mainly becuase of the lack of funds, so if i can do this with as little cost as possible that would be great. the design will probably be like the knives in the post about the groomsmens knives they are short
and i really like the style, oh ya where does a person get the hard plastic sheath, can those be bought to fit a specific design or what. i had thought about buying a kit from jantz but that to me was not making a knife it was just finishing it. also can a propane grill work like a forge, or is there a way i could at home heat treat the 440-c steel.


j
 
jraney said:
probably the 440 c stainless since it is the cheaper of the 2 stainless. i hate to sound cheap but i have a tendency to abort projects early mainly becuase of the lack of funds, so if i can do this with as little cost as possible that would be great. the design will probably be like the knives in the post about the groomsmens knives they are short
and i really like the style, oh ya where does a person get the hard plastic sheath, can those be bought to fit a specific design or what. i had thought about buying a kit from jantz but that to me was not making a knife it was just finishing it. also can a propane grill work like a forge, or is there a way i could at home heat treat the 440-c steel.


j
Click to expand...

440C will be a fine choice.

You cannot forge or heat treat with an unaltered BBQ

You cannot home heat treat 440C without serious equipment.

You can make and fit the hard plastic sheath to your own knife.
google or search on this forum for "Kydex sheath tutorial"

I'm certain if you looked in Jantz under Kydex, you would find good info there too.

Now go through the links I gave you in post 2
 
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