"Safer" blade & handle materials

H

hammerface

Joined
Mar 28, 2004
Messages
297
Hi everyone! I've been a lurker for a while but haven't posted much. Mostly just reading everything that's on this site (which is a LOT!!). Anyways, the wife and I finally bought a house and I'll have a nice big double attached garage in which to get into making knives. I've read a lot on respiritory masks and ventilation systems and fire hazards etc. Since I won't have a fancy set up, I will be using a mask while I"m working and hopefully open a window and turn on a fan and use a shop vac for dust. But, as my pregnant wife will be parking her car in the garage I don't want there to be any hazards for her to be breathing in. She won't be in there much but will be passing through daily. I will do my best to keep dust to a minimum but when it's -40C here in the winter sometimes it's hard to air things out.

My question: What are some of the safer steels and handle/bolster materials to use that will pose a minimum health risk. :confused: I don't have a belt sander yet but I am looking at purchasing one.

Thanks in advance everyone. I hope this makes sense :D
 
None of the materials, encountered in knife making, are conducive to a long and healthy life when they are taken into your lungs. Instead of limiting your choice of materials, prepare your work area with your health and safety in mind. A good exhaust system and a quality respirator before you get your first grinding system, I believe, is a good approach. The exhaust will carry most of the vapors etc. outside and the respirator will keep your lungs in good working order. The list of toxins in a knife shop is to lengthy to post here. There is no doubt a thread in the archives if you would care to do a search. Also read the safety threads , that are currently posted on this forum.

Good luck, Fred
 
As long as she doesn't come through while you're working or right after, it should be fine. All the dust will be on the ground, and every other flat surface, but not in the air anymore unless she starts kicking stuff throwing it back up into the air. You might want to put up some sort of tarp/screen/wall to keep the excess dust from covering her car, if she has to wipe the dust off the windshield to see then that'll put it back into the air.
 
there are certainly "better" and worse" materials to work with. " Thanks for followng up where I left off. Some materials are downright deadly. Same goes with chemicals, and combinations of chemicals. You can produce some nasty toxins in a knife shop and not realize it untill the damage is done. Rather than mention a few culprits like rosewood and micarta and leaving out many others
I deamed, the safety first approach, the best one for someone starting out in knife making. The last thing I want to see is someone make a critical error in judgement because of a post I have made. Fred :D
 
Good point. ;)

Don't assume because you don't see some material listed somewhere that it is safe! If you are considering working with some particular material, it is worth researching it specifically -- hell, it is *prudent* to do so --, no matter whether you didn't see it listed as toxic somewhere, or whether you know of lots of people who use it, or anything else.

And if you don't know exactly what you are working with, find out...
 
brash said:
Good point. ;)

Don't assume because you don't see some material listed somewhere that it is safe! If you are considering working with some particular material, it is worth researching it specifically -- hell, it is *prudent* to do so --, no matter whether you didn't see it listed as toxic somewhere, or whether you know of lots of people who use it, or anything else.

And if you don't know exactly what you are working with, find out...
Click to expand...

I use my attached garage and wear a repirator while grinding and cutting just about everything. I don't however have an exhaust system. Is a respirator not good enough? My garage is heated and I figured the exchange of air every time the heater comes on would be enough.
Mike :D
 
Most of the hazards in the shop when you aren't actually working, are airborn. Just have your wife wear a full face respirator whenever she has to get to the car. It will protect her and the baby from hazards and the picture of her, 9 months pregnant, with a respirator, will be treasured memento for years to come - if you live to see it. :D


Rob!
 
AwP said:
As long as she doesn't come through while you're working or right after, it should be fine. All the dust will be on the ground, and every other flat surface, but not in the air anymore unless she starts kicking stuff throwing it back up into the air. You might want to put up some sort of tarp/screen/wall to keep the excess dust from covering her car, if she has to wipe the dust off the windshield to see then that'll put it back into the air.
Click to expand...
It kicks up real easily.
Actually, the really fine stuff will stay in the air for more than an hour...
It's best to collect it where it won't be a hazard.
I've got an electrostatic air cleaner that will change all the air in my 18 x 30' garage in less than 10 minutes.
As has been saiid, a respirator is a must, unless you like dragging an oxygen cylinder around all day, cause your lungs don't work.
 
Thanks for all your input. I do plan to take any safety precautions that I can. I might even section off a portion of the garage with tarps or poly or something around the grinder/sander/buffer, have a small venilation system in there, and then use the rest of the open garage for the vise, hand filing, etc.

Thanks for the websites on the toxic woods. I know that some materials are more hazardous than others and if I can, I would rather choose to work with the less toxic ones for not only my safety while working in the shop but also my wife/baby's if they happen to be in there when I"m not working.

Rob - thanks for the suggestion on buying her a respirator. I'll pick her up one for Christmas and suggest she wear it any time she enters the garage... :eek: P.S. - I'll need your address though as I'm sure I'll have live with you after that stunt ;)

Thanks all! :D
 
hammerface said:
Thanks for all your input. I do plan to take any safety precautions that I can. I might even section off a portion of the garage with tarps or poly or something around the grinder/sander/buffer, have a small venilation system in there, and then use the rest of the open garage for the vise, hand filing, etc.

Thanks for the websites on the toxic woods. I know that some materials are more hazardous than others and if I can, I would rather choose to work with the less toxic ones for not only my safety while working in the shop but also my wife/baby's if they happen to be in there when I"m not working.

Rob - thanks for the suggestion on buying her a respirator. I'll pick her up one for Christmas and suggest she wear it any time she enters the garage... :eek: P.S. - I'll need your address though as I'm sure I'll have live with you after that stunt ;)

Thanks all! :D
Click to expand...

The dust will creep everywhere. I clean my shop so much it hurts the eyes of everyone here whenever I post a pic, and STILL dust and debris gets into my house. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a shop that you can close off from the rest of the house. It is for your safety, the safety of pets, etc, and anyone else, not to mention the cleanliness thing. You can get a decent louvered wall exhaust fan that will really take care of 9/10s of your dust problem, but as said before, ALWAYS use a respirator when grinding.

Peace, and welcome to the fray.
 
Rob! said:
Most of the hazards in the shop when you aren't actually working, are airborn. Just have your wife wear a full face respirator whenever she has to get to the car. It will protect her and the baby from hazards and the picture of her, 9 months pregnant, with a respirator, will be treasured memento for years to come - if you live to see it. :D


Rob!
Click to expand...

Hey a fellow albertan! How far are you from Sherwood park? Do you do you're own heat treating?
Mike Coughlin
 
Do Valet Parking for her.


It's really not a good idea to let the Missus in the shop anyway. :eek:
What were you thinking? :D :D :D
 
mikxx1 said:
Hey a fellow albertan! How far are you from Sherwood park? Do you do you're own heat treating?
Mike Coughlin
Click to expand...


Hi Mike, actually I live about 1 1/2 hours east of Sherwood Park (Vermilion to be exact). I used to for in Sherwood Park at County Hall before I moved back here (my home town) last year. Small world!

No, I don't do my own heat treating. In fact, I am JUST getting into knifemaking. Lots of interest and I've read lots but I've only every made one complete knife at a 3 day course with Ed Storch. Starting tinkering after that but moved and lost my garage, etc. etc.... Now I'm wanting to get into it and trying to figure out what I need to set up a small shop in my attached garage and how to do it safely :)

I'd be LOST without this forum!
 
That's where I learned the basics too. Once you take that course from Ed you pretty much get the sequence down and how you get there is up to you. I personally have my shop in my attached garage and I use a homemade disc sander with a 1 horse motor running it for my stock removal. I have a 1 x 42 belt sander that is pretty weak in the power department but is good enough to square things up if necessary. I also have accumulated other tools to get me from start to finish but I still don't have a heat treat oven or a 2 x 72 belt sander. I e-mailed ed a while back asking if he still does heat treat but he didn't respond. I figured maybe he was busy with the farm. Currently I send my blades to paul bos. I'm also starting to do my own torch treating of O-1. O-1 is awesome by the way. I can't believe the edge I can get, how easy it is to get it sharp, and how long it stays sharp. The only downfall is it corrodes easily. A little flitz polish or wd-40 and your set to go though. Later.
Mike
 
hammerface said:
Rob - thanks for the suggestion on buying her a respirator. I'll pick her up one for Christmas and suggest she wear it any time she enters the garage... :eek: P.S. - I'll need your address though as I'm sure I'll have live with you after that stunt ;)

Thanks all! :D
Click to expand...

Hey hammerface - the address is on the website and the website is in my signature below. Stop in when you're driving by - or surfing for supplies. New pdf catalog just posted. Don't believe those who tell you to keep the missus out of the shop. See attached pic of Marilyn (my better half)

Rob!
 

Attachments

  • mar.jpg
    mar.jpg
    18.1 KB · Views: 17
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top