The Knife Lovers work bench

wolfmann601

wolfmann601

Gone, but not forgotton. RIP Ira.
Joined
Mar 12, 2001
Messages
7,385
I have tried to look thru the archives for this one, but so far I have no standards from which to grow. Here is the question, and IF you decide to help me, please do it from a NEWBIE perspective:eek:
I am NOT looking for SPECIFIC manufacturers or 'Brand names', just GENERIC responses will do. Here is the question that is killing me:
What do I NEED (must have) to have a pretty decent collection of tools, materials and substances to keep my knives sharp, well-lubed, polished if they need be, looking NEW. Bottom line: How do I set up a NEWBIE knife-lovers work bench?
Dremel tool, sharpening device (stones, rods, etc) what type of cleaning solvents (basic)what type of lubricants (basic)Just K.I.S.
I would greatly appreciate this. AND one final, Can I do this indoors, or do I need to set up my humble workbench in my garage......Thanks.....wolf;)
 
Wolfie,
All you need is a large shoebox.
In it will be:
Spyderco Sharpmaker
Flitz
Clean cotton cloth
Pipe cleaners(for cleaning inside folders)
Large pencil eraser(makes BB titanium look new)
Rennaissance Wax
Lube of your choice
#0000 steel wool(for cleaning heavy duty users, use with Flitz)

That's it. IMO, anything else is just taking up space.
 
Hi Wolf,

My knife care stuff:

1) Sharping stone, Diamond rod sharpener.
2) Various file's.
3) Some buffing, and polishing compound's.
4) Razor strop.
5) A few dental pick's/probe's.
6) Some sheet's of high grit sandpaper.
7) Alcohol pad's.
8) Pint of Mineral oil.
9) Clean cloth/rag.

:D
 
Wolf,
I would add a set of torx head screw drivers and a set of allen keys.Maybe a few Q-tips too.
 
I appreciate this. I have no clue what tools I need to keep my modest collection in great shape. There has GOT to be more????? :confused: wolf
 
I know you said brand names were not necessary, but I'll add one anyway:

Sentry Solutions Tuf-Cloth
 
awesome post guys. I wish I would have asked it about 5 months ago. add to that jewelers screwdrivers and canned air and a thin bladed screwdriver if you have any emersons
 
My kit:

•Spydie Sharpmaker
•Old Arkansas Stone my dad gave me (dont use it much, but it works great)
•Any metal polish, Flitz, mothers mag, etc
•Q tips
•WD-40 (not a lube, I use it as a cleaner
•Lube. My favorites are Miltech-1 and White Lightning. The miltech needs to be heated, so if you have a knife with plastic handles/washers I would suggest White Lightning. Both work great
•Old T shirt
•Set of torx and allen wrenches.
 
I have a 3 drawer Husky tool chest set aside for use just for my knife maintenance supplies and tools. In it I have:

Two Sharpmakers
Diamond bench stones
Diamond files
10" diamond sharpening rod
Lansky kit
Cylindrical serration files
Sharpening steel
Assorted Torx drivers
Full set of hex wrenches metric and standard
Spline drive wrenches
Set of precision flathead and Phillips drivers
LED pen light
2 locking forceps - straight jaw and curved jaw
Tuf-Cloth - Marine and regular
Tuf-Glide
Chamois
White Lightning Clean Streak
Spare pocket clips and screws
2 prs. spare thumbstuds
Cans of compressed air
Bottle of regular lubricating oil (for coating carbon blades)

If you think this is a lot, you oughtta see what all is in my regular toolbox :eek: :)
 
One small fridge.
Well stocked with your choice of personal internal lubricant!
For inspiration, as well as medicinal purposes only, of course, mate.
 
Ira, I keep a pretty basic amount os stuff for my knives. A medium Arkansas and fine India stone and a couple of Japanese water stones, odorless Kerosene to use instead of oil on the Arkansas and India stones, some soft cloths and lubricating oil. I also have some White Lightning, cue tips and isopropyl alcohol for my folders.
 
You've already got once critical knife accessory: a bladeforums.com membership.

Militec-1 lubricant (http://www.militec-1.com)

At Radio Shack or similar electronics supply places, you can get spray flux remover. It comes in a spray can with a little tube you can attach for spraying into tight places. Don't get the kind that has a lubricant mixed into it. This stuff is great for cleaning out folders. Be careful with it on knives with delicate insert materials, woods, horn, shell, etc.

A magnifier is important, I think. A loupe or just a nice lens is fine. 8X to 10X is about right. This is not only good for examining knives your considering purchasing, but it's also a vital tool to learn sharpening. If you can't see what you're doing, you'll never understand it.

Small screw drivers. Increasingly, knife makers are using small Torx(tm) screws.

White cotton gloves that you get at a photography supply store are a nice accessory to have too, if you have highly polished knives that you want to display.

And, finally, a tube of Neosporin. Cut do heal faster with Neosporin.
 
WOW, Do I have a list!!!!:D :D :D My son picked me up a digital dremel to keep me busy and then I realized that all I REALLY had for knife supplies was Sentry solutions goodies as they are HQ'd in my hometown. I was using an "Edgemaker" and a combination of rem-oil and Miltec. I was just about to start buying some REAL tools and Thanks to you I now have a super list. My next post would be "HOW" to use, but that is for another time. I have plans, and have accepted a GREAT invitation to spend a couple of weeks with a knifemaker and THEN I will learn the "How"
Dexter, you mentioned some tools that I have NEVER heard:::Cyndrical seperation file, Spline drive wrench, and "white Lightning clean streak. Could you elaborate.
Also, Sentry makes a "dry-lube" that we use on firearms quite a bit. I noticed it made the SS in a SS firearms always look dirty. Would this also be the case with a blade and is there any benefit to using a dry-lube on a knife?
Thanxs....My mind is wide open, KEEP pouring this knowledge in!!! Also, IS THERE really any benefit to a dremel with the capability of only 30,000 RPM comapred to the 300-440,000 RPM that you guys use?
Thanks again, this is why I love BF:D :D ;) wolf
 
Wolf - you asked not to list brands :D Those "cylindrical serration files" are actually the DMT Diafold tapered serration rods. Also work very well for sharpening recurve blades. Spline wrenches are for spline screws. These type of screws are a type of specialty fasteners. If folks have old, first production run SOCOMs (the original funky tanto grinid) you all know what I'm talking about. MT used to use spline screws before they switched to Torx. The White Lightning Clean Streak is a spray that will dissolve grime, dirt, etc. Sort of a cleaner and metal prep. Works good for gunked up pivots. The stuff really works!
 
As far as I know, wolf, 30k is a normal Dremel speed...not sure who's running a Dremel at 440k. I would think the cheapy grinding wheel would disintegrate from centrifugal force if you ran it that fast. I'll second most of the suggestions here, and add that rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth works well for cleaning pine pitch off of a blade, but you probably already have that in the medicine cabinet. Also not sure if anybody mentioned plain old allen wrenches; good for adjusting the tension on folder pivot pins (at least before a lot of companies went to Torx-head screws).
 
Check Sears for a set of precision screwdrivers...slotted, philips, and torx.

An assortment of hex keys.

Electrical contact cleaner or Gun Scrubber for cleaning out folders.

Q-tips, pipe cleaners, tooth picks, and tooth brush.

Scotch brite pad, pencil eraser, and bright boy rods for cleaning rust.

Various sharpening stones/systems.

A 4 or 6 oz. ball peen hammer.

Dremel or similar rotary tool.

Cotton cloth.

Various lubes.

Any spare parts you think you may need.

Something to keep it all in.

Paul
 
BM's blue torx kit
Allen wrenches
Can of Tri-Flow
Fine Scotchbrite Pad
Edge Pro Apex
Belt sander with 220 through 600 grit (might want a disposable respirator too)
Buffer with white rouge
Piece of leather belt (for strop... use with white rouge)
Q-tips
Arkansas stone
Butcher's Bowling Alley Paste wax (for waxing wood and sometimes knives if they're going to sit in a leather sheath for long periods of time... best to store knives outside of sheath though)
#000 and finer steel wool.
Sandpaper, 220 through 1500 grit
Old rag
Newspaper (Good for stropping on, I think color picture parts work best)
Toothpick
 
440,000 RPM is no-doubt a type-o. Newer Dremels like the one I just bought to replace the one I just burned out go 44,000 RPM.

At 440K, the surface of a 1" diameter tool would be about Mach 2.2. I had previously posted that it would be transonic. I'd failed to calculate the circumference of the 1" diameter circle. That makes it clearly supersonic.

I have a friend who works and an engineer for a local company that is a leading manufacturer of dental drills. They have drills that approach 440K RPMs. I recall that he told me once that the surface velocity of the bearings reaches mach 16. He says these are among the highest speed devices being made today.

I talked this morning after church to my friend in the dental drill design business and he says that they'll shortly be going over 500,000 RPM with bearing surface velocities exceeding mach 20.
 
I could go on and on and just tell you all how:D this has made me. I now have what IS the most comprehensive list, and FAR longer than I had EVER expected. This is not good, this is WONDEFUL!!!;)
I intend to purchase EVERYTHING you guys have been gracious to list. Some things I will be back to ask you WHERE to find, as I am sure that Walmarts, or Home depot here in NH may not carry.
My Wife and my son bought me a Digital Dremel set, the model 5227-01 (I peeked). They of course also bought me some additional attachments, safety glasses, re-filled my Paramedic First-responder kit (this is IRA here guys, I need that for me ON me!!!:eek: )
I am absolutely amazed, I do have some of the things mentioned, but now I realize that I have only ten-percent.
My comment about 400K rotary speeds was NOT a Typo. I referenced it, to compare to a Dental tool, which cranks out at speeds 10 times faster than my 30K "new" Dremel (get it XMAS). My question was more on HOW does a 30K rotray tool handle working on "generic knife steel"? I have so much learning to do, but I also have approx 40 knives I bought at yard sales, for between 5 cents and a buck. I plan to wear safety googles, gloves and keep 9-1- dialed on my phone WHEN I do NEED to hit just the final "1". "Mr.MURPHY" will MOST certainly visit!!!!!
Thank you so much. I have printed this up and now have a solid foundation to begin. I had initially put the term 'generic" b-cuz I did not KNOW who manufactured certain materials and tools. My final question: Who and what set of stones should I buy to complete my basic knife lover's work bench?
YOU GUYS are AWESOME!!!!!!!!:D :D Ira
 
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