Well since Mark wouldn't answer....

W

Will Leavitt

Joined
Jul 28, 2006
Messages
3,953
Well since Mark aka Wildthing#### never answered my invitation I'm extending it out the group at large. Just post an "I'm in" reply and I'll assign numbers to everyone interested and then use a random number generator to pick out the loser (the one that gets to try to learn to make a knife from me :p). The deadline for entry is January 4, 2010 at midnight CST. The info below is cut from my invitation to Mark.

Traditionaly a teacher makes "sister" knives with his student, I'd like to work with a new knifemaker to make a knife with minimal tooling.

There are some ground rules:

a. I need to verify your age in a private manner. I've had a call from an angry mom before and don't intend to go through this again.... let me clarify I mailed some knife supplies to someone that turned out to be a 14 year old

b. This will be done in public and posted on BF as a WIP (work in progress) so that others may learn and help out, perhaps it may become a sticky to be used in the future.

c. I will choose the steel, primarily because I'm not going to try to offer advice and HT a steel I'm unfamiliar with.

Here's an overview of the proposed venture:

We'll discuss your tools, workspace and knife making budget. Then discuss tools and techniques to fit within these specifications.

We'll work on BF to design a simple but functional and attractive EDC (every day carry) knife.

After getting through all these steps, we'll figure out how to shape the sisters. Not sure if you can forge where you're at but if not I'll rough out the blanks on my bandsaw and ship it to you for work.

We'll work on some basic tools and fixtures you'll need to make to hold and shape your knife. We'll work on tool techniques and finishing techniques.

Ship me your prepared knife for heat treating and then I'll return it for final finishing and handle work.

We'll go through how to finish the blade, then attaching, roughing in and finishing a handle with simple hand tools.

Then we'll work on how to sharpen and polish out the edge on your finished knife.

After that you're on your own, you'll have MADE your OWN knife!

It won't be easy, if you use simple tools you trade speed for initial cash outlay.

I ask for nothing except your promise as a man and a knifemaker (yes, you'll be able to call yourself that) to teach and share when you can.
 
thats a really good idea and very kind of you to offer. so how new to knife making do need to be ;)
 
I'm interested but I only have hand tools at the moment. not sure if that would work
 
I'd love some help in getting going, and would be happy do my part to share as a WIP.

Thanks!


"I'll assign numbers to everyone interested and then use a random number generator to pick out the loser (the one that gets to try to learn to make a knife from me"
Click to expand...

First prize is a weekend in Toledo. Second prize is two weekends in Toledo?
 
Good on ya Will for doing this. Having Stacy offer this to me when he did has been a huge help for me. Perhaps if I ever get to be a competent knife maker one day I will also "Pay it forward" to a noob like myself and do the same thing for a new knife maker.
 
I've yet to make my first knife, but do have a HF 1x30 belt sander and a super cheap table top drill press so I'm game!
 
If you're put off by a lack of tools here's what I currently use (besides a hammer, anvil and forge :p)

Bench vise
$50 drill press (can't afford a hand powered drill press yet)
Sandpaper
Files, primarily use a 14" mill bastard, chainsaw file and needle files although I have about 18 other files that I rotate in and out
Shoulder filing jig
Blade holding jig for filing and hand sanding
Really thick piece of marble tile from Lowes/Home Depot (until I buy a real lapping plate)
Coping saw with metal cutting blades

Don't let lack of experience stop you from helping people, BUT be sure when you pass information on that you qualify the statement if you haven't used the technique. When I used to fly indoor free flight aircraft (very technical branch of a very technical branch of model aircraft hobby) we had a guy that never built or flew them before, he showed back up 2 weeks later with some brilliant ideas that were based out of his lack of knowledge about how things are done. If he had known that things were "always done this way" then he'd have never come up with these great ideas that actually spread through the hobby. The great thing about the internet and the craft is that people from a huuuggeee pool of varied backgrounds come together to help knifemaking. Wouldn't it suck if we were all the same people?


Anyways the point of all this pre-coffee babble is that you most likely have around the same tooling I do. :D
 
Last edited:
Oh yeah, I have a legion of ninja monkeys that do most of my knife related work.... I actually do very little around the shop cept pass out food and crack the whip.
 
I have been lurking here for a couple of weeks trying to absorb all the info I can. I have most of the tools you listed and I,m very interested in your proposal. I,m in Canada so I,m not sure if I can participate but if I can I would love to try.

Thanks

Steve
 
Will,
I'm in!

I started a couple of months ago ... have completed a few so far and have a few working. Since I am completely self learning, through this site and a couple of others, I would love the opportunity to learn correct methods from someone with experience.

Thanks for the opportunity.

Dave
 
Well I'm not promising anyone is going to learn the right way to do things... just the way I do them :p

Rusty, you're a Marine..... too late, learning is usually prevented by the jar over your head. :D I f i t w i l l h e l p, I w i l l t y p e s l o w e r f o r y o u :p
 
Good on 'ya bud :thumbup: :cool:

I'm glad you decided to give knifemaking a new spin/try even after being diagnosed with retarded. :p ;)

For realz though, glad to see you posting and getting something new rolling :thumbup: :cool: :)
 
Will Leavitt said:
Well I'm not promising anyone is going to learn the right way to do things... just the way I do them :p

Rusty, you're a Marine..... too late, learning is usually prevented by the jar over your head. :D I f i t w i l l h e l p, I w i l l t y p e s l o w e r f o r y o u :p
Click to expand...

They didn't really take the brain out when they washed it! Honest I was there! I think?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top