Thinking of getting into knifemaking.

[Jefff504]

Hey guys. I'm new to this site and joined up cuz my friends are tired of hearing me talk about knives and was actually was curious as to how I would go about beginning to make medium sized folders and fixed blades. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Kevin Cross]

First, welcome!!! Next, look at the stickies at the top of this forum. They will give you an incredible amount of info that you are looking for plus, after reading them you will be able to ask more specific questions. I don't know folders, but I can help with fixed blades. You will quickly find out a couple of things. First, the folks here are great. Second, knifemaking is a terrible addiction for which there is no known cure. Enjoy the ride.

Kevin

 

[Jefff504]

Thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to look those things up.

 

[cbr900son]

Id start with a small fixed blade and take pics along the way and ask for tons of advice!

 

[Will Leavitt]

Go burn your fingers, cut your arms and hands, be a hermit that people shun... if you're still happy then you too can become a knifemaker.

 

[Patrice Lemée]

Get away fast, while you still can.

 

[Jefff504]

What tools would I need to get started making knives

 

[Justin King]

Go burn your fingers, cut your arms and hands, be a hermit that people shun... if you're still happy then you too can become a knifemaker.

Nice one! Almost made me want to quit. Don't butter it up too much for him, guys. It's just a little obsession that quickly consumes all your spare time, money and most of your sanity. No big deal. You can make some money back after a few years
if you play your cards right. The sanity, well, it was over-rated to begin with.

 

[12345678910]

Welcome, this should get you started.

The Standard Reply to New Knifemakers v13

The answer to a 13 year old student is different than to a 40 year old engineer.
We may recommend a local supplier, or you may have a helpful neighbour; but that depends on where you are. We have members worldwide.
Fill out your profile with your location (Country and State at least), age, education, employment.

Look at the threads stickied at the top; many are expired, but not all.

The basic process in the simplest terms
Absolute Cheapskate Way to Start Making Knives-Printable PDF-Right Click and Save
Absolute Cheapskate Way to Start Making Knives-Website


Web Tutorials
Detailed instructions by Stacy E.Apelt

The Things I Advise New Knife Makers Against-Printable PDF

Handle Tutorial - Nick Wheeler-Website

http://www.engnath.com/manframe.htm

Books
A list of books and videos

BladeForums - E-books or Google books


I like:
David Boye-Step by Step Knifemaking
Tim McCreight-Custom Knifemaking: 10 Projects from a Master Craftsman
These are clear, well organized, widely available and inexpensive too.

Knife Design:
See the Google books thread for Lloyd Harding drawings & the Loveless book. Google books thread


Forging Books:
Lorelei Sims-The Backyard Blacksmith
An excellent modern book with colour photos for forging in general - no knifemaking.

Jim Hrisoulas- has 3 books on forging knives. Check for the cheaper paperback editions.
The Complete Bladesmith: Forging Your Way to Perfection
The Pattern-Welded Blade: Artistry in Iron
The Master Bladesmith: Advanced Studies in Steel

Machine Shop Basics -Books:
Elementary Machine Shop Practice-Printable PDF

The Complete Practical Machinist-Printable -1885-PDF
It’s being reprinted now, you can get it for $20 ish

The $50 knife Shop
It confused me for a long time.
Forging is NOT necessary; you can just file and grind to create a knife (stock removal)

The goop quench is total Bull, commercial quench oils are available, even grocery store canola oil works much better.

Junkyard steels require skill and experience to identify the steel and heat treat it properly.
You can buy proper steel like 1084FG from Aldo very cheaply.

I like cable damascus, but that advanced project has no place in a beginner’s book.

The grinders are the best thing about this book, but there is a huge amount of info for 2x72” belt grinders on the web, including free plans.


Videos

Heat Treating Basics Video-downloadable
Right click and save this. Watch it once a day for 10 days.

Safety-video
Right click and save this. Watch it once a day for 10 days.

Many specific how to knifemaking videos are available, some are better than others.

The best overall Knifemaking video I have seen is
“Steve Johnson-Making a Sub-Hilt Fighter”

The best video on leather sheath making I have seen is
“Custom Knife Sheaths -Chuck Burrows - Wild Rose”
-(Paul Long has 2 new videos, his sheath work is fantastic. I hope the videos are too)

Green Pete's Free Video
Making a Mora bushcraft knife, stock removal, hand tools, neo tribal / unplugged heat treat.
"Green Pete" posted it free using torrent files.
Be sure to look at the other titles too-The account index has disappeared, but search for LOTS of info.
Greenpete Knifemaking Basics-on TPB

You can see a list of videos and reviews at this rental company; some are worth buying, some renting…
http://smartflix.com/store/category/9/Knifemaking

Draw Filing Demonstration
YouTube video -Draw Filing-for a flat finish

Steel
The “welding steel” at Home Depot / Lowes… is useless for knives.
If you send out for heat treating, you can use O1, A2, D2, CM154, ATS34, s30v, 440C, plus many others.

If you heat treat yourself, find some 1070, 1080, 1084,
1084 FG sold by Aldo Bruno is formulated just for knifemaking.
http://njsteelbaron.com/
Phone # 862-203-8160

You can find a list of suppliers here

Heat Treating
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9143684&postcount=7

You can send blades out for heat treating at $10 or $15 per blade for perfect results, and avoid buying the equipment.

This PDF brochure gives a good overview
http://www.buckknives.com/resources/pdf/Paul_Bos_Brochure.pdf

http://www.petersheattreat.com/cutlery.html
http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/privacy.php#services
http://www.knifemaker.ca/ (Canadian)


Grinder / Tools

Hand Tools
You can do it all by hand with files and abrasive cloth like the Green Pete video.
Photo of a nice bevel filing jig

Entry Level Grinders
Many makers start with the Sears Craftsman 2x42 belt grinder

Commercial Production 2 x 72” Belt Grinders
http://www.prometheanknives.com/shop-techniques-3/grinders

Mapp arm – Grinder Toolrest


DIY 2 x 72” Belt Grinders

KMG Clone Free Plans
http://www.dfoggknives.com/PDF/GrinderPlans.pdf

NWG No Weld Grinder
http://www.usaknifemaker.com/plans-for-the-no-weld-grinder-sander-nearly-50-pages-p-723.html

EERF Grinder (EERF =“Free” backwards)
http://wilmontgrinders.com/EERFGrinder.aspx
http://blindhogg.com/blueprints.html
http://www.atlasknife.com

Buy the kit
http://polarbearforge.com/grinder_kit.html


Safety Equipment
Protect your -Eyes, Ears, Fingers, Lungs - take off jewelry and put on safety gear.
http://www.howtomakeaknife.net/SafetyVideo.htm#video

Respirators
Chronic lung disease and cancer really suck the joy out of life.
The minimum I would consider are the 3M 7500 and North 7700 silicone half masks with a P100 Filter.
Use a VOC & P100 combo cartridge for protection against acetone and solvents.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=788837
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=726309


V13 Edited dead links

 

[Justin King]

Your very basic setup for stock removal would be a drill, files, sandpaper, hacksaw, and a big box of band-aids. A more complete setup would include a drill press, a bandsaw, a belt grinder of some sort, more files, maybe a disk grinder, heat treat oven.
Tools like Dremels and angle grinders can help fill in gaps in your capabilities when starting out also.

 

[Will Leavitt]

What tools would I need to get started making knives

Please read the stickies, they will out line what tools are needed.... but you can make knives with only files and a clamp. I forge my blades then use files and sandpaper to finish them out. Only power tools I use on a knife are a drill press and angle grinder from time to time on tangs.

I sharpen with a 1x30 sander and buffer. I also use the sander to clean up edges on my sheaths.

 

[Jefff504]

Wow that was perfect. Thanks guys

 

[Makermook]

Please read the stickies, they will out line what tools are needed.... but you can make knives with only files and a clamp. I forge my blades then use files and sandpaper to finish them out. Only power tools I use on a knife are a drill press and angle grinder from time to time on tangs.

I sharpen with a 1x30 sander and buffer. I also use the sander to clean up edges on my sheaths.

I was going to say almost exactly the same thing. Sounds like we have very similar setups.

 

[Makermook]

Hey guys. I'm new to this site and joined up cuz my friends are tired of hearing me talk about knives and was actually was curious as to how I would go about beginning to make medium sized folders and fixed blades. Any advice is appreciated.

Folders I can't help you with. The absolute minimum equipment to make a medium sized fixed blade knife would be a hacksaw, some files and some way to clamp your workpiece in place so you can use both hands to work on it.

You might check YouTube and look for some videos done by a guy named GreenPete. He shows a *very* basic knifemaking process. It's not fancy, but it'll get you your first knife.

 

[Will Leavitt]

I was going to say almost exactly the same thing. Sounds like we have very similar setups.

Don't get me wrong, I used to have a Burr King 960 with all the bells and whistles but I noticed that I designed and built knives that fit the machinery, now I make knives without any constraints other than my imagination and whatever I can beat the steel into. I may buy another grinder in the future for some of the knives I make but I don't NEED a grinder to make a knife. I'm in the middle of a project that hopefully will show people what you can do with minimal tooling.

 

[RyanW]

Don't get me wrong, I used to have a Burr King 960 with all the bells and whistles but I noticed that I designed and built knives that fit the machinery, now I make knives without any constraints other than my imagination and whatever I can beat the steel into. I may buy another grinder in the future for some of the knives I make but I don't NEED a grinder to make a knife. I'm in the middle of a project that hopefully will show people what you can do with minimal tooling.

Better not be the Pay It Forward Project!

Good Luck Jeff, some of the best people you'll find are here!

 

[JCaswell]

.... but you can make knives with only files and a clamp ...

Too high-tech!

If we had a stock-removal knifemaking contest wherein you can only do freehand grinding on a curb, I think we'd all be amazed at what could be accomplished!

 

[Will Leavitt]

Too high-tech!

If we had a stock-removal knifemaking contest wherein you can only do freehand grinding on a curb, I think we'd all be amazed at what could be accomplished!

Yeah but I'd have to drive 10 miles to get to a curb

 

[james terrio]

Knifemaking is like keeping a pet elephant... it costs a fortune and sooner or later will it poop on your head.

Having said that, start with a kit, especially if you want to make a folder. Minimal investment in time and tools, quick learning curve.

 

[Carl_First_Timer]

Seriously run. Or buy 10 knives from makers here. It will cost about the same as making a few yourself.