Newbie Question

L

Lucky Bob

Joined
Mar 31, 2006
Messages
956
This is my first post here, so I figured I'd make it count.

I'm currently living in an NYC apartment, so I obviously don't have the space to set up my own shop, nor the sound-isolation if I did. I was wondering: does anybody know anybody who works in/around the NYC area, and if not, does anybody have any suggestions for how to get started making my own knife, considering I don't even have a shop to work in?

I looked at this tutorial, and it looks good, except that A) I don't have a workbench I can screw stuff into, and B) I don't have anywhere I can set an open fire to heattreat the blade.

Thanks all! :D
 
HT you can send out! As for a workbench, my workbench is an old computer desk....i drill and screw into it all the time! Noise will be a problem...its tough to remove any large amounts of metal or wood without making noise.....I'd higly reccommend a kit to start from knifekits.com or a place like that....they come pretty close to final dimensions and can be finished with no power tools...
 
I don't think I have any furniture I can slaughter in pursuit of this... Think it'd work to do it on a big ass piece of 2x6, and then C-clamp that to something?

I kinda wanted to make my own, but I'll check out knifekits. Thanks man!
 
Seems like you could probably do everything in the tutorial except the heat treat. I'd give it a shot if I were you. You might want to go a little wider than a 2x6 for your clamped up bench, 2x10 or 2x12 would give you more work space to play with. I say go for it.

You could farm out the heat treat.

There's always those very simple and very small one and two firebrick furnaces that just use a run of the mill hand-help propane or mapp-gas torch. Are there any craft or shop or continuing ed classes around that you could tap into and use their facilities?
 
I'd recommend you go to www.amazon.com and get the book, "How To Make Knives" by Robert W. Loveless and Richard W. Barney. It shows many ways to make a knife, including just filing one out.
It also covers a few major ways of sheathmaking. You can't beat it for the information you'll get.
While you are there, you might also get "Knives 2006" by Joe Kertzman. I think they have it on special for $15.00. Regular price is $25.00. It's an annual publication that's been coming out since the "Knives 81" edition.

The second one might give you some ideas. Read everything you can about knives. Study every knife photo till things aren't a mystery to you anymore.

You will get to the point where you will be able to look at a lnife and generally tell what sized wheel it took to grind the hollow, or what the maker had to do to achieve some other part of the knife.

Just jumping in blind is not the way to go, IMO. Lastly, most things used in knifemaking are toxic. You will need a respirator at the very least. You don't want to leave toxic materials in the carpet for your family to absorb, breathe, etc., let alone the people that come after you.
 
Try a tarp, wooden saw horse, some clamps, files and hacksaws. Stick to O1 -as it's soft when annealed. As for heat treat, an oxy-acetylene torch, magnet, a stainless steel sink and an oven (for tempering) works. Good luck.
 
I am a newbie also and saw the same tutorial. I think i have a little more room. unfortunatly my shop is carpeted. That could be a serious fire hazard. I can't wait to get started. Does anyone have a place i could order some 5160 from. Thanks for the help.
 
flatgrinder said:
Try a tarp, wooden saw horse, some clamps, files and hacksaws. Stick to O1 -as it's soft when annealed. As for heat treat, an oxy-acetylene torch, magnet, a stainless steel sink and an oven (for tempering) works. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Oxy-acetylene... I think I have propane... and I get the feeling there's a noteworthy difference!
 
One of those fold up Black & Decker work mates would make a good portable work bench plus its got a built in vice!
 
Bowiemaker said:
One of those fold up Black & Decker work mates would make a good portable work bench plus its got a built in vice!
Click to expand...
Oh, dude, I think I already have one of those sitting around somewhere, but I don't think it'd be stable enough (if it is what I think it is)
 
Alright, so I'm free for the summer, and giving knifemaking some serious consideration (just bought a couple good knife books, including How to Make Knives, by Loveless et al), but I still am having trouble working out how to do HT, given my situation. Can anyone provide me with links/directions to "farmed out" HT, besides Bos? He's good, but I don't think I need THAT good!
 
Check yellow pages. Body-cote Hindlighter does HT. But it would be much cheaper to contact D'Holder in Arizona. Check his web page. He does fantastic work and I have been using him for several years for small orders when the number of knives does not justify a large order with Body-cote. He also recomended by K&G Finishing supplies. They also have web page.

Hope this helps good luck.

Randy
 
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