Random question, to all you experienced makers

L

Lucky Bob

Joined
Mar 31, 2006
Messages
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Would anyone entertain the idea of taking on a short-term apprentice, for a week or two?

I'd love to get some hands-on time in a real shop, since it's almost impossible to set up shop in the city, and I'll take whatever teaching I can get, too! In exchange, I'd be your shop-monkey, do whatever errands need doing (keeping in mind that I don't yet have a driver's license :(), and computer work.


Or am I just being overly ambitious?
 
Bob, you might get a reply or two here, I'm not sure, but you might have better luck asking if there are folks in your area that will let you come by for a weekend day.

I've gone out to several maker's shops and learned from them/used their equipment. This gets your more experience with different ways of doing things and also lets you get ideas for tooling that you can afford. For example, if you go to a shop where the maker mills his bolsters, you might not know you can often do that work with a disc sander.

I would think it better to bother several makers for a day or two each than one maker for several days, at least at first. As you get to know more folks and get more comfortable around each other, you may be invited to stay over a weekend to learn how to do some specific stuff.

By the way, if you save your pennies, there's a good school up near you that has some knife making classes, J. Neilson taught one last year I think. I don't have the name right now, but someone will come up with it. We also have great, very affordable classes down here in NC that, even with a hotel, will cost you less than many others.
 
Well, I have two conundrums... I'm at school in western NY, and don't have any connections out here, and live in NYC when I'm not at school, where there are NO knifemakers (space and noise-freedom are too expensive.) If it were possible, however, I agree, that would be even better than my original idea!

So, let's hear it, where are all the Southern Tier New Yorker knifemakers!?
 
Bob, Help the folks here out a bit.
If you are in Buffalo, say Buffalo. If Syracuse, say Syracuse. Terms like Western NY and Southern Tier cover a lot of territory. Also, there are several makers right around NYC.
Once you make acquaintance with a maker or two, you might get an invite to spend a weekend or Holiday with them.
Stacy
 
Fair enough. It's all one big wasteland to me :p

I'm at school in Alfred, NY. I could probably swing a ride out to Rochester or Buffalo if need be, however.

As for greater-NYC makers, any chance you could point me in their direction?
 
I took a look in the Knives Annual and saw four in Rochester, several in Syracuse, one in Brooklyn, and one in New Hyde Park. There are lots of others listed all over the state.
Stacy
 
It is published every year. It is great for info and ideas. The photos are representative of the best knives of each year.Every style is covered. There is a section in the back with state-by-state listings of makers, bios and such. Every knife person should have one. Most all the suppliers carry it, as well as Amazon and most book suppliers. Back year copies are constantly on Ebay and half.com. every year is different.
http://www.knifeworld.com/knives2008.html
Stacy
 
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