Slightly off topic (Age bracket)

Sold the first knife I ground the blade on in 1977, and a few handles before that.
I'm 57 and the learning curve is still getting steeper. My life has pretty much been
and still is knives, guns, dogs and boats. And a passion for steel.
Ken.
 
31 here.

started messing around with making knives late last year and ive gone from nothing to having a serviceable shop in my basement, grinder and all. i started in art when i was younger, slipped into culinary when college didnt quite work out.. got tired of 3d design that only existed for 10min before being turned into poo, and decided to go after something ive always been addicted to, the cutty, hot, slice-y kind of objects that hopefully last forever!

butch harner was nice enough to ht my first batch of d2, five knives, one of which i still havent finished, and with a broken camera i still owe him pics at the very least. they are coming. the ht was amazing, and gave me my first experience with a high-performance steel outside of some really spendy kitchen knives. shazam!! is all i can say.

it's a constant source of amazement how those of us practicing what could be described as a fairly esoteric art are so willing to discuss everything in the public eye. your knowledge philantropy is amazing, and its not like anything ive seen with any other art form. folks do beautiful, stunning work and then happily tell you exactly how they did it. i love it.

thanks to this and a couple of other online sources (and the steel of course) im hooked, working on a smithy in my garage, and probably destined to blow myself up at one point or another.. seems like a good way to go!

ive been lurking here for a couple of years.. its been said before, but again: its really nice to have people around that dont think youre a complete nutcase. :D

all the best to all of you.

~jeff
 
jameson2 said:
folks do beautiful, stunning work and then happily tell you exactly how they did it. i love it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, and then you discover that all of that explanation is worth just how much you're willing to sweat to learn it and do it :D

I love it too.
 
Wow, wasnt expecting that kind of response today of all days:) I have always been impressed with every ones willingness to help a brother out.

I'm thankfull for the help and the companionship.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING guys:D:):p
 
i have always thought of myself as jsut a punk kid in the knife world tho i guess im getting older (sam S better step up and be the new punk kid )

i guess i have been playing around makign sharp stuff for near 10 years so im not as much a noobie anymore tho i thinknmany times i act the part

dont help any that i keep seeing new and great work that i want to see if i can doo (this is truley a field in witch you only stop learning when you close your eyes and you can always get better or learn new tricks )

but i guess in short i act 18 and am view by many as and old crotchty F%^# that cant spell but i am jsut a non spelling 32 year old
Jeff have fun with the knives and at some point it would be nice to see but no worries
 
64 here. Made my first knife when I was 12 and then for some reason
didn't make another until my late 50's. I've found knifemakers to be
some of the most friendly and helpful people around.

Bill
 
23. Though I have yet to finish my first knife (hopefully will by tomorrow) I really see it as the fact that everyone is out to learn. Those who don't usually get left behind, so we are all in this together and everyone here has been at the stage I am at now. So, when you really think about it, there is common bond in that fact that we are seeking knowledge in some form or other, and this really is something everyone can do but most don't, so it makes it that much more special.
 
47 years old, and next year will be my 25th year in knifemaking.....notice I said it will be my 25th year IN knifemaking....I'm not sure I will ever be a "real" knifemaker. Everyday I walk into the shop, I learn something new, and I have to think that is what keeps it fresh and interesting for me.

Chuck wrote some insightful and wise words in his post.

I came into this during what I call "the dark years" when anything to do with knifemaking was a closely guarded "secret", and very few were interested in helping a "newbie". I think that's what made me the way I am...I remember struggling my way along, and not being able to ask anyone for help. That's when I decided that if I ever could learn what I was doing, I would always make it a point to help others when I could. That's not to say that others did not help me along.....once I got going, I learned from many. In fact I like to think that I learn something from everyone I encounter in the knife world.
I've been at it long enough to realize that the internet has proliferated the availability of knifemaking information...you either embrace it, or get left behind. In some cases it has proven to be a double edge sword, in that it sometimes breeds an attitude of entitlement in some.

What it boils down to is that this is not really about making knives, it's about people. Treat others the way you would like to be treated, and everything else will fall into place.
 
20 here, and making my first knife tomorrow. The people here have been some of the nicest people I have talked to and very open with their information. I haven't even made a knife yet and I already feel welcome here. Best guys here. If I ever get really good like some of the masters here, ill be glad to pass the knowledge along. Its an art that really needs to be kept alive.
 
I turn 46 in less then a month, was always into knives, but to a break through the 80s and 90s just because I found cycling again. I made my first knife last year, started around this time too, so I guess this will be my one year anniversary of my first hand made knife.
 
62..... I've been making knives off & on since I could reach dad's bench grinder. Lately it's become a full time obsession.
 
I'm 64 and have been making knives off and on since the 70's . Met some great people along the way and never found a knifemaker who was not willing to share what they knew. It's a great community, and I find that as I grow older in this business that we are more like family than most other occupations.
 
I'm with Dan -60 years old. My name is Mike Miller and I started about like Ed. Nobody would share information 25 years ago and my main source was the Loveless book. When we formed the KGA of Oklahoma I now tell people I LEARNED how to make knives 4 years ago when we started our shop tours. Now it is so easy to pass on info and show people 20 different ways to do things.
 
36 (I think?!?!), ruined my first handmade knife at 16 or 17. Had made a few miniatures before that. Took 20 years to get all the tools I wanted and now I have a whole new list...
 
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