Not everyone starts off expert at everything. Buying the blade and learning to fit bolster and buttcap, shape the handle, polish and sharpen the blade, and build a sheath, is a lot of work in itself.
And a perfectly legitimate way to get into knifemaking.
Well said. I do custom woodwork, and have all the basic tools to finish knives. I have no forge or large enough belt sander to do a stock removal. Having made a few knives for fun,
I have a lot of respect for those that make them from scratch. It is an art, a craft, and like my cabinetry takes years of practice, patience and dedication.
I am not sure that I am that dedicated!!
However, I had a guy that I see at the gun shows that I have come to know talk to me about large folders he makes from Jantz kits. He even told me where he got his kits. His work has become better with every knife, and now he turns out a first class product. He sells a lot of knives! But he NEVER tells anyone he makes the blades. He is upfront about with anyone that asks.
We had a great discussion about that as I wondered how selling completed kit knives would be received. A couple of the told timers that make some really nice knives (one from stock and the other from files) that come to the show regularly felt like he was just fine as long as he fessed up if asked. Their sage advice was based on "you don't want that to come back and bite you on the a$$ later".
One even told him to put his name on the blade so folks could see it was his end product so he could sell another knife if folks liked it. The older guys were glad to see someone getting going in the craft, and were really nice to him and very encouraging. They weren't the least bit offended. He told me they were the reason he kept on making them, and they even helped him with some of his fit and finish problems.
The two younger makers were just the opposite. Looking at their knives, I figure their opinions didn't count for much.
I am having a lot of fun putting handles on blanks for kitchen knives for my own kitchen and those of my friends.
Most of the knife makers I have met have been really nice, helpful folks, and are ready to help (and certainly chew the fat!) as long as you don't pretend you are something you aren't. Right now the locals are teasing me to "step up" and make my own blades.
They are also trying to get me to come to class where they instruct on how to make folders since it is about 40 miles from my house. I have explained to them that all I have done is put homemade scales on blanks that were 80% finished, but they don't care. They like the comraderie. They want me to come for the beer and bbq afterwards.
It is fun talking to them; they are fascinated at how crown molding was installed (pronounced engineering voodoo by one maker) and could not understand the common dovetail/dado joint construction of a drawer. I might actually wind up making some custom cases for those guys. Craft folks always have something to talk about, and these guys are no exception.
I would say to ANYONE - jump in, the water is fine!! Put some scales on a blade, finish it out, seal it and see if you like doing it.
Almost every one of my experiences with the knife makers has been great.
Heck, just look at the guys around here! :thumbup:
Robert
all in do time I guess. I have had good luck with texasknife, northcoast knives, Jantz and Knifekits.com, if anything I would think the practice will aid in your handle making and finishing if you decide to dive into the actual full out knife build.
