Tools for a new knife maker

S

SGTCap

Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Messages
177
I have been a knife freak ever since my dad took me to my first gun and knife show in a stroller. After 27 years of feeding the addiction I am ready to start turning out my own blade, or at least attempt to. Right now I am just looking at the stock removal method. I know I need to tool up for this endevour and am looking for some guidance as to what I should buy. I have a budget of about $400 for tools and all I have at the moment is a dremel and a good hand drill.

Any help is appreciated.
 
Blow it all (and a little more) on a decent grinder. You wont regret it.
 
Best tools are a decent grinder and a drill press. Files and a vice will do the rest. DO NOT BUY CHEAP FILES!!!!!! You'll thank me for that advice. Now overspending is not the rule but the "dollar store" files are not gonna work well at all. Sears files work nice and Nicholsons are easy to find and they last a while. Same advice for drills,belts, and such. If you are lucky you may have an industrial supply shop locally. They can be a big help with tooling. Don't know if Grizzly still offers their Knifemaker's grinder but it is a really nice set up for a start up operation. Coote grinders are nice too but you'll need to find your own motor. Keep asking questions here and the search feature will help out a lot too. Don't forget to read as much as you can as there are many good books out there. I really like Wayne Goddard's book the $50 Knife Shop. Even for the non forger, there is a whole lotta info there.
 
what size grinder is recommended? is a 6" too small? I was looking at the delta belt sanders at lowes, are they worth the investment? can the 6" be used with a 60 or 80 grit belt to rough out blanks or is that a job for the grinder. IS the 6" too big to convex and sharpen edges? What kind of drill bits to y'all recommend? I imagine they need to be pretty hard to cut through hardened steel. I do have a vice already so I guess thats a start.
 
When most makers say Grinders they meen belt sander.
I started making knives 30 some years ago and started with a good assortment of Files. I made and sold my first eight knives befor I even saw a belt sander. I bought a Used Delta Rockwell 6x48 and still use it today for all my Flat Grinds.
Check your local used tool places that sell industrial tools
A good drill press can also be found in the Sale papers like the Nickel or even your Newspaper classifieds.
I have bought a couple of lathes,drill presses and even a Bridgeport Mill by watching for bussinesses that are closing down. Auto Machine shops,machine shops are going out of bussiness all the time.Another good source is schools that are shuting down their shop classes. I bought a Welder last year that the local college used,they replace them every year.
I hope this didn't just confuse the matter.
I have helped some guys get started by letting them use my equipment. You might look for a maker in your area and see if you can work something out with them.
 
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=487628
Look at this guys knife. He used only a dremmel and a drill press.
knives11-01002.jpg

This knife was made with only a dremmel. and files, because I could not get to my shop due to a broken leg.
 
grinders-

the No Weld Grinder plans from tracy are great- or get a coote. That blows your budget, though. I dunno about the grizzly 2x72- I ALMOST ordered one but decided to starve a bit and go for the Coote, which is on order.

Start with a half dozen or so nicholson files, a LOT of sandpaper, a drill press (look, you get what you pay for but my harbor freight $60 one is doing fine, someday I'll have a $300 one, but....) good drill bits. If you want to do your own heat treating, you need a forge of some sort- definitely read and re read the $50 knife shop book before making decisions on that.

You'll need a few leatherworking tools (the drill rpess is one of them for me). And some vises.

I'd recommend doing at least one knife with files and sandpaper before investing in anything other than a vise.
 
If a belt sander is used with metal cutting belts to reduce metal it is called a GRINDER.
If it is used to remove wood, it is a SANDER.

While the 2"/4"/6" units at Lowe's/HD/HF will work on metal (with the proper belts) they are not built for the stress and wear, and will not always last as long as they should. A knifemaking belt grinder (KMG/Coote/Bader/Grizzly/etc) costs a lot more , but will last a lifetime of heavy use. Saving up some more and purchasing an entry level grinder like the Grizzly or Coote will be money well spent if you plan on sticking with knifemaking . You can make a first class knife with only a grinder and some hand tools. A drill press is a nice thing to have, too. A cheap $50 drill press will do the job for most makers.
So a grinder (from $400 to $3000) and a drill press ($50 to $200), plus files clamps and supplies will get you going for a good while. You can start with the files alone.
A search on this topic will find many threads where this question is asked (about once a week)

As always, I recommend that before you buy a single tool, you read up on knife making. The $50 Knife Shop, by Wayne Goddard is the first book of most who are on a budget. A search will turn up these books ,too.

Welcome to the forums - Stacy

Read the stickies at the top of this forum, they cover your question ,also.
 
If you're going to spend money on a grinder first off, I'd really look hard at the Coote. If you're looking to get the most tools for your $400, I'd get quality files, vise and a drill press, as well as ordering some good sandpaper from 120 - 1000 grit. Maybe also look at a metal cutting bandsaw and use the rest for materials and/or saving for your grinder.

Stacy has the right idea about getting a book, also look at www.engnath.com for a lot of good knife making information. I tell everyone to read it twice and book mark it, the info is solid.

There are plenty of knife makers in GA that you could probably book up with, there is a GA knife maker's guild with some great maker's and, if you don't mind making the drive, we have a guild here in NC. If you wanted to, you could also spend a bit of that money on one of the classes that we have at MCC in Troy, NC. They're very affordable and very good.
 
get the Goddard book!
I just got the Grizzly 2x72 for my Ithaca shop and it's a good investment in the entry level range.
The first tool I got when I started to get serious about making knives was a good heavy duty drill press, the second was a belt grinder. I did most of the work on my first knife with files, it's slow as hell, but gives you super control (and sore hands)
By the best tool you can afford cheap tools are not an economy.

-Page
 
SGTCap said:
I have been a knife freak ever since my dad took me to my first gun and knife show in a stroller. After 27 years of feeding the addiction I am ready to start turning out my own blade, or at least attempt to. Right now I am just looking at the stock removal method. I know I need to tool up for this endevour and am looking for some guidance as to what I should buy. I have a budget of about $400 for tools and all I have at the moment is a dremel and a good hand drill.

Any help is appreciated.
Click to expand...

1 bastard mill file, flat, large, with safe edge
1 second cut or smooth mill file, flat, large, with safe edge
1 bastard cross cut file, half round, large
1 second cut mill file, half round, large
1 round file, small
1 triangular file, small

Buy good Nicholson files or like that, not the crappy chinese stuff. The files should be of W1 / W2 tempered steel, not case hardened.
The fine thing is that, when they get too worn for use, you can get great knives out of them! :D

1 bench vise (the machinist kind), the heaviest and sturdiest you can get. Don't spend less than 50$ on that! (and that's already far too cheap) It's for life, so buy one that will last you a life. Get a good american or european made one. Avoid chinese or russian crap.

1 working bench. If at all possible, get a wooden framed one, not metal. The bench should be FUCKIN' HEAVY. If you find it "heavy enough", then it isn't.
Prepare to spend at least 200$ on that. Actually, a good bench may cost over 500$ alone.
If you know somebody who can spare you a working bench, take it, and spend at least 30$ in a wine store to thank him, or, if you are the religious type, in your local church, temple, mosquee or what else in blessings upon him, his house and his family :D.
A good bench, apart from a good anvil, can be the hardest thing to get.
If you have to cut expenses on something, at least initially you can use any old table, reinforcing it with some iron L profiles%
 
I found a PILE of about 3 dozen ikea picture frames in the trash, 5x7. I glued the glass fronts on a bunch of them to 3/4 inch plywood. Really nice for sanding if you can't find thick glass blocks.

It is possible to build a table easily, and it's going to cost less, but it needs to be pretty hefty. I used 4x4 legs on mine, with 2x6 and 4x6 cross members from a carport I demolished. (I got the wood AND $200) it's surfaced with old scaffold planks and plywood on top of that. and I STILL rock it on occasion. Should have gone with 6x6 and 6 legs instead of 4. or maybe I should put plywood across the back and sides....

Get one of the vises that swivels AND rotates.
 
SGTCap said:
I have been a knife freak ever since my dad took me to my first gun and knife show in a stroller. After 27 years of feeding the addiction I am ready to start turning out my own blade, or at least attempt to. Right now I am just looking at the stock removal method. I know I need to tool up for this endevour and am looking for some guidance as to what I should buy. I have a budget of about $400 for tools and all I have at the moment is a dremel and a good hand drill.

Any help is appreciated.
Click to expand...

1 bastard mill file, flat, large, with safe edge
1 second cut or smooth mill file, flat, large, with safe edge
1 bastard cross cut file, half round, large
1 second cut mill file, half round, large
1 round file, small
1 triangular file, small

Buy good Nicholson files or like that, not the crappy chinese stuff. The files should be of W1 / W2 tempered steel, not case hardened.
The fine thing is that, when they get too worn for use, you can get great knives out of them! :D

1 bench vise (the machinist kind), the heaviest and sturdiest you can get. Don't spend less than 50$ on that! (and that's already far too cheap) It's for life, so buy one that will last you a life. Get a good american or european made one. Avoid chinese or russian crap.

1 working bench. If at all possible, get a wooden framed one, not metal. The bench should be FUCKIN' HEAVY. If you find it "heavy enough", then it isn't.
Prepare to spend at least 200$ on that.
If you know somebody who can spare you a working bench, take it, and spend at least 30$ in a wine store to thank hima, or, if you are the religious type, in your local church, temple, mosquee or what else in blessings upon him, his house and his family :D.
A good bench, apart from a good anvil, can be the hardest thing to get.
If you have to cut something, at least initially you can use any old table, reinforcing it with some iron L profiles or wood planks, but your results will improve greatly with a steady, solid working surface.


1 Drill press. This is actually, together with the bench vise, the only essential tool you can't do without, and will be the single most used power tool in your shop even when you'll get a grinder, band saw and even power hammer.
Get the best you can afford.
Get it heavier than you think you need, if at all possible.
Get a good american or european made one, avoid chinese crap.

2 glass blocks, 1" x 2" x 4", to glue sandpaper on.

4 wooden blocks, 3" x 3" x 5", for the same use

Sandpaper, 400, 600, 1000 grit.

A sharpening stone, at least 2" x 5" in surface. 300 or 500 grit. No finer than that.

1 soft firebrick, to be hollowed out in an oval cavity, with 2 tangent holes, upward slanted, for the burners.

Some iron wire, to hold together the firebrick that will crack at first use.

2 MAPP gas burners.

1 old .50 ammo can.

1 gallon 5W30 motor oil, or hydraulic oil

With this, you can stay within your 400$ budget and start making knives.
A grinder will greatly benefit you, but isn't essential. You can make great knives by hand.
 
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