Question from a noob (blanks)

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Took

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I am just starting out and plan to use quality blanks for my initial projects. I will do modifications and so on to the blanks to make them my own. Is this looked down upon in the sense of making it myself. I am planning on getting to a level in which I do everything from scratch but not possible right now due to physical limitation (disabled vet). Thanks for the info everyone.

Took
 
Welcome to the craft, and to the forums. No, using blanks is not looked down on. The only time an issue arises is when a maker does this and is not honest with his customers about not having ground the blade himself. Not saying you'd do that, unfortunately many have and it tends to tick the rest of us off.

There are a number of shades of gray here, too. Many makers have blanks waterjet cut out of plate, to save the time and effort of bandsawing and grinding them out. After you've done a few hundred or thousand this way, you kind of want to move beyond the drudgery of it...

Buying blades with bevels already ground, holes drilled, heat treat done, and ready for handles is usually considered something a customer should know about, especially if that customer asks.

That's my two cents anyway, there has been a lot of discussion here in this vein in the past. Again, not looked down on at all. It's a good way to start.
 
Thank you I am completely honest as to what I start with. Since I don't have the means to start from raw material I will be getting the best material I can find in designs that will work for the final project I envision. Again thank you for both the welcome and the information.
 
I believe its a great way to get started !!! And, it will still allow you to make sales. It the knife is reasoinably well made, people will be attracted and interested in buying. Many good blanks are available and most are at reasonable prices. You can learn to finish the blades. Just learning to make a good handle can take time and then perhaps a case to go with the completed knife. Welcome to this site. I wish you well ! Frank
 
One way to avoid any misunderstanding is not to call them blanks. A blank is something in the shape of an object, but not functional or formed yet. A pre-made item is something that someone else made for you to use in some task.
You take a blank page and write notes on it - vs- a pre-printed sheet of instructions.
You take a blank canvas and paint on it - vs - buying a picture and framing it.
You make a sandwich from bread and bologna - vs - Buying a pre-made sandwich at Wawa.
The pre-made blades from the suppliers are usually ready to mount handles on and need no additional work. A blank is a flat piece of metal cut or forged in the shape of a knife blade, sometimes with a basic bevel ground, but not heat treated or finished.

Besides the convenience of starting with pre-made blades, there is another good thing about making your first knives that way.....you will learn what a proper blade should look like. You will see a plunge line, a ricasso, proper curves, etc. This will help you when you form your own blade from scratch. One thing you will see is that most proper blades are not thick, and have high or full bevels. The number one thing seen in first knives from scratch is that the spine is about twice as thick as needed. The number two thing is that the bevels don't go high enough.

Good luck with your getting started making knives. Find a little area in the garage or elsewhere where you can safely work on your knife. Take your time and don't rush to have it finished in an evening...or even a weekend. Read the tutorials on making a knife in the stickies, and use the info to finish your knife. This will help you understand what steps have already been done on your pre-made blade, and what still needs to be done to make it into a knife.

Please remember to tape up the blade well when working on the handle. This will prevent scratching the blade, but most importantly, it will prevent cutting yourself on the sharp blade.

The most important thing is to - Have Fun!
 
Thanks everyone I am gaining an understanding for the differences. I can't tell you how excited I am to be able to embark in this new project!
 
Took, I am on the same trajectory myself. A few months back, I started off with a cheap kit from a wood working store, then ordered an Enzo Trapper full tang and a few scandi style hidden tang pre-mades. Since i've grown confident about shaping the handle, I now have a few bars of O1 to grind on. I've sort of skipped the true blanks stage, but other than that I think easing into the craft one skill at a time has made a lot of sense in terms of gauging my skill/commitment/investment in tools.

I don't have any recommendations for blanks, but if you want to start with pre-mades, I was quite happy with ones i chose. If you like Scandi's, Lauri has a lot of great budget options or a Puronvarsi for something a little more visually interesting. Then again, I'm coming at this from the hobbyist perspective, not with an eye towards resales.
 
The first couple of knives I worked on were made from well made blades that were essentially complete, save for the handles. As noted previously, it gives you a way to understand the issues associated with making handles, but doesn't really provide many insights into the issues associating with making the blades (save for the ones Stacy already mentioned). I still have the ones I made from those blades, and still cherish them.

By the way, my sincere thanks to you for your service and sacrifice for the country. I sincerely hope you find pleasure and/or profit in this endeavor.

- Greg
 
Thank you very much everyone! Being back involved in this has kindled an old fire I haven't felt since leaving the service. I absolutely appreciate each and every piece of advice from each of you.
 
Being new to the forum also I really appreciate the perspective of highly skilled knife makers. Thank you.

To continue the thread, what are some pre-made blades that are recommended? ie Which company produces a better product? As with many things in life it seems paying more equals better product, but this is not always true. Thanks again for your input.
 
All the knife supply companies - Jantz, Knifekits, TKS, USA Knifemakers, Alpha, etc. carry good blades. I would stay away from ebay and "discount" catalogs.....especially cheap damascus blades.

The major knife supply sources listed above have blades from entry level at $10 to high end pre-made blades that cost $200. They have a reputation to maintain in the industry, and won't risk it selling junk.

Start simple with a drop point hunter or fillet knife. Then you can get fancier.
 
bladsmth said:
All the knife supply companies - Jantz, Knifekits, TKS, USA Knifemakers, Alpha, etc. carry good blades. I would stay away from ebay and "discount" catalogs.....especially cheap damascus blades.

The major knife supply sources listed above have blades from entry level at $10 to high end pre-made blades that cost $200. They have a reputation to maintain in the industry, and won't risk it selling junk.

Start simple with a drop point hunter or fillet knife. Then you can get fancier.
Click to expand...

Thank you I have actually called a few of the suppliers listed with great results. They have been very helpful. I have few different designers I am looking at and will keep everyone updated on the progress. This is a very welcoming community!
 
Just finished this. I am selling these and donating a portion of the sale to a veterans organization
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Sweet little Necker! I like it!! Thank you for your service too. I appreciate the sacrifices you have made for us. Keep up the good work!
 
Thank you for the kind words. I have some buddies that are buying them and this project is going to help other veterans. It does make me feel good to productive again.
 
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