should i try to make my own knives?

M

M Wadel

Joined
Sep 11, 2005
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801
im a newbee here but i feel the urge of making something of my own.
what equipment is recommended having before i start? i have acces to quite alot of equipment. i was thinking i start with a fixed blade and take it from there. getting steel wont be a problem but what should i start with remember its my first knife im making.
should i avoid getting used machines? where can i find info on tempering and hardening temperatures and such things? what kind of "oven" would i need, (is it possible to manufacture this too?) i know its alot of questions but im eager to learn
 
You can make a knife with just files and sandpaper, though the more tools you have the quicker it'll go. Do you want to forge your blades with a hammer and anvil? If so then you need a forge, a hammer, and an anvil. If not, then you probably want a belt grinder. 2" x 72" are the good ones, but you can make do with smaller ones. A drill press would be very useful too. Used equipment is fine as long as it's in good shape. I don't know the swedish names for steels, but if you can get something similer to 1085, 5160, or O1, those are all pretty easy to home heat-treat. You'd be best off getting a couple of books, I don't know if there's any good swedish ones but since you can read english I'd reccomend "$50 Knife Shop" by Wayne Goddard.
 
I always thought that that online pdf guide "The Absolute Cheapskate Guide to Making Knives" (or something like that!) was a pretty good starting point for someone with no tools and looking to get started... anyone have the link to it by chance?

:)

-Darren
 
thanks guys for the info :thumbup: . ill defintely look into those books and guides asap. i think forging is a bit too much for me right now but i understand the principle. a beltgrinder is what i need. what gritsizes is recommended having (and how long does the belts last)? can i use a beltgrinder for polishing too? ill try to find some comparison charts for steel so i can get som appropriate steel.
 
by the way how much does one of those pumping hammermachines (what are these called?) that goes up and down cost? i have a feeling theyre quite expensive, any specific size or speed (or weight) that i should look for?
 
Cutting ut pieces with a water jet is not ruining your fun. I dont own a bandsaw, and if i had access to a water jet, you can bet your top dollar id be using it rather than a hacksaw! The fun is in the blade grinding, fit and finish, for me. Profiling? Not as much fun.
 
does anybody know a good book or 2 about heat treating? (that i can order over the net)

edit: ok so i found alot and mean alot of books on heat treatment. is this what i am looking for? ASM handbook volume 04 Heat Treating. its published 1991 but i guess most steels have been around for atleast 50 years or so. http://www.asminternational.org/Tem...=Ecommerce/ProductDisplay.cfm&ProductID=10438

i would like to know as much as i can about heat treatment of stainless steels too ( i really like stainless) and this book seems to cover it all or?
 
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