New to making stuff

[batosai117]

Hey there guys, I've been practicing on some welding steel just to get some time in on grinding, filing etc....and I'm wondering if there is anything I could use/need to help me make a "real" knife. I have a Dremel with a dremel stand which makes up for a drill press as well (dremel workstation), I have a couple of files, a 1x30 belt sander, various grits of sandpaper, a grinding wheel (kind of small), and plenty of 3-in-1 oil.

I'm thinking of actually selling one of my expensive folders to raise some funding for anything that I might need if it's reasonable in cost. If you guys could suggest any tools and or materials that I might need, please let me know and consider it on a poor man's budget, a total being below $180.00 would be great.

Oh yeah, I've been googling around and get mixed results, I don't have a "furnace" or a designated way of heat treating steel, is there some color coordinated chart for telling how hot a steel is by it's color if I were to do it the old fashioned way with a fire pit? ex. orange=xxxx degrees F, red=xxxx degrees F.

Thanks in advance, J.

 

[J.S. Carter]

here ya go man... Knife making on the cheap

http://www.greenpete.co.uk/?page_id=503

May I suggest getting yourself some good files. Lowes Sells Nicholson's. You'll need a 12" mill bastard, 10" half round double cut, and a round file.

 

[batosai117]

here ya go man... Knife making on the cheap

http://www.greenpete.co.uk/?page_id=503

Hey, thanks a lot :thumbup:. I'm in the middle of watching the videos right now. Just what I was looking for

 

[safta]

Id recommend the Nicholsons too, and you can never have too much sandpaper, also the dremel workstation doesnt work very good as a drill press atleast not on annealed steel the dremel even at lowest speed is too fast it will just cook your bits, and the whole station flexes too much because its plastic. If your using simple steels to start with a magnet will help some, color is too subjective for a beginner to try to nail down a good heat treat. Youd also benefit greatly from buying some known steel so you know how to heat treat it.

 

[panch0]

For heatreating you can send it to Texas knifemakers Supply and they can do it for you at a very good price. You can also get everything else you need like blade steel, handle materials, sandpaper, etc.... Good luck on your adventure.
-frank