Starting with knife kits

B

Bradleyrj

Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Messages
22
Who all started with a few knife kits before going full tilt and making thier own knives. I dont have the equipment currently to make my own blades but love the idea of doing a few knives with blades from some suppliers and making some really nice handles. I have done a few but was approached today about putting some together to sell in a local merchants store small store.

I fully plan to one day do my own blades but dont have the setup at this point. I mean no disrespect to the true craftsman here but would be it be ok to make some up using knife "kit" blades?
 
They sell the blanks and kits for you you to use, use them up! As for equipment you really do not need much, couple files, hacksaw, drill, and some sandpaper. Send out to be heat treated and shape the handle with files and sandpaper
 
I have done several using the blanks and making my own handles and think they look pretty good and gave them as gifts. Havent had any complaints yet. I got the handle part... just not comfortable with the blade, ya know the most important part.
 
Green River knives were forged, shaped and treated in one facility. Then, the blades were often sold to cutlers who finished them up. Old Sheffield knives required three trades to make; forger, grinder and cutler. There is nothing wrong with you practicing cutlery and selling your wares, as long as you are upfront with your customers.
 
My wife, father in law, and other friends (whom i've done knives for) all want me to get into it more so I think im going to give it a try.
 
Bradleyrj said:
My wife, father in law, and other friends (whom i've done knives for) all want me to get into it more so I think im going to give it a try.
Click to expand...

Go for it! I love seeing a knife i designed worked into shape no matter how crappy it is it is very rewarding. I have 6 now and 3 are going to be gifts to family members and I know they will always be in the family way after I am dead and gone and that makes me feel great.
 
Go for it. It is an excellent way to get started imho.
There are a few makers that will even supply you with a blank of your own design if there isn't anything ready made that catches your fancy.
Good luck. And IMHO, it doesn't matter how you get started as long as you just get started...
 
agree with above. I have purchased blanks from the forums (Big shout out to Backwoods) for my builds. I have a bunch of big site blanks to play with too. I got my interest up from playing with micarta and decided I should try the whole thing. Waiting on my Esteem grinder now.
 
Blanks are nice. You get a lot of good experience with minimal equipment requirements.

Plenty of makers have their blanks water jet cut to shape. They grind in the bevel then send out for heat treat. That does require a lot of time and talent to do well, but you can easily see the parallels. Not THAT far off from practicing cutlery imo.

I've recommended him before, but Gene Martin (a member here) makes great blanks that require some effort to finish. They are straight out of the oven so you'll practice your finishing more than with typical kits. He also sells handle materials and his wife makes fantastic mosaic pins, lanyard tubes.
 
I started with factory blades too. Nothin wrong with that at all :)
 
I started off buying very expensive and unique blades from established makers. Yeah, probably not the path most folks would choose, but it amounted to the same thing as building from a kit. It allowed me to learn one skill at a time... handles and guards first. Seems a logical first step. Well, it did to me, anyway. And I still own and treasure the knives I made from those early blades.

- Greg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top