What are y'alls backgrounds?

I read how to make a knife from a file in the Popular Mechanics Do it yourself encyclopedia when I was 14, I softened a file with a bernz-o-matic after my parents went to bed and filed the blade out, I finished that knife when I was 19 after learning about heat treating from a metals grad student at RIT

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(I filed out several other knives in between, mostly daggers that I was never able to properly heat treat ) around then I dropped out of school for a year on sick leave, went to work in a jewelry repair trade shop because I had started to teach myself how to make jewelry, and worked my way up from polisher to bench jeweler, then I went back to school for photography. I was a commercial photographer for 25 years, never really making much money, making jewelry and knives on the side, then when I moved to Syracuse to get married I got a day gig as a bench jeweler until most of our customers got laid off which meant there wasn't enough work to keep me employed, so I went self employed as a metalsmith (jewelry, knives and fencing swords plus whatever fabrication work I can get) then I found myself in need of health insurance and predictable income so I talked myself into a day gig as a metallurgical associate engineer at an aerospace plant, and I make knives and jewelry on the side.

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My dad bought my first knife when I was 8, a Case 2 blade with yellow scales. I made my first knives in high school or maybe I should say knife shaped objects. One bowie was so big we used it to split kindling. Still have it. I made a folder blade years ago (still have it too) just the blade. I have collected mostly old pocket knives for years but lost interest. This year at the Eugene Or knife show my desire to make knives was rekindled. Partly because I sat at a table behind Bruce Bump. I may never achieve his level but I will aspire. In my day job I am a public works employee and work in the water dept. Jess
 
To answer for my son, who is 11, he was trying to grind a knife blade out of a chalk rock on the sidewalk. I explained to him that chalk rock doesn't make a good knife. I made him watch a few(7-8) videos and read a half dozen WIPs. I cut 3 8" pieces of 1/16" mild for him to practice his convex grinds on. 12 edges later and a better ricasso than I do, he will be working on his first piece of s30v Thursday morning. I demanded that he take a day off and think about what he has learned.

As for me, I fix computers all day, so I enjoy actually creating something rather than just fixing.
 

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Was working as a Class A hunting guide when a client (R.B. Jenkins) introduced me to customs (which I didn't even know existed). He tipped well and I went to Calgary in the hopes of buying a nice custom. Couldn't get any service, so I bought the Barney and Loveless Book instead. That first blade led to a couple thousand more.

A few years back when the local Canadian suppliers crapped out on us, I figured it was time to step up to the plate.

Making knives is a rewarding and honourable craft. Selling knifemaking supplies is a fun buisiness with reasonable profits (and it gets me my toys at cost).

The best part of all is the people. Knifemakers are the best in the world. :thumbup:

Rob!
 
About the same as most, it seems... I've been using knives since before I could ride a bike, and was never quite satisfied with their edges or performance. Made plenty of pointy sticks and remember "sharpening" a cheap slippie on the concrete retaining wall out front of the house when I was about 11. My pals and I used to beat the snot out of each other with "swords" made from pine laths around age 13 (we were big "Conan" fans :)). I always had a fascination with the weapons of my ancestors (Vikings, Celts and Germanic folks) and read up on that. In high school I discovered modern custom knives through Bill Bagwell's column in SOF and scoured the local library for anything remotely related to the field. Got my first decent pocket knife (Buck 110, still have it) with birthday-card money at age 16, and soon ordered a K-bar blade and a set of Dymondwood scales from Atlanta Cutlery, still have that too... as well as the first soft Arkansas stone I bought, not much later. I sharpened everything in the house an actually got yelled at... mom was used to dull kitchen knives, nearly cut herself, and hated the "shiiick... shiiick... shhhiiick" sound of me honing stuff ;) Developed a bit of a reputation for sharpening knives and soon discovered that people would actually pay me to do it. Pretty soon I built another K-bar for a friend... forget what he paid me for it, but we got in touch recently and he still has it and takes it camping every summer, nearly 25 years later. I think that's pretty cool.

I guess some folks really are born with the itch for sharp things :D
 
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I was born with the itch too. I grew up hunting and fishing, and it just feels unnatural if I don't have a knife in a pocket or on a belt.

I got started because I got lost when I moved to Columbus, OH. I turned around in the parking lot of a small business complex. Looked up and a sign said "Koval Knives." I went in, bought my first kit, and put it together. Built kits for a while, took a break from it for several nomadic years, then started making my own a few years ago.
 
As a smith I was created when I was about 20. My dad built a small forge to heat up some parts for his fab shop. He asked me what our first project should be for it, I said a knife, we grabbed a hammer and a railroad spike and I've been hammering since... :D little did I know it was in my blood too, My grandfather made kit knives and his brother (my great Uncle) forged knives like me :)

Jason
 
I was raised in a family that went hunting and fishing for recreation. I always carried a knife and have never been satisfied with the performance of the knives I had.

I became a mechanical engineer and landed myself a job that works with many different metals. One day an order came in that was for an industrial knife company and we had to cut some D2. When researching I came across the world of knifemaking on the internet and became hooked. I thought about it for a while and always wanted to have my own business, have experience in metal working, and needed a little extra income to pay for my sons therapy. I spent the time making a couple of knives by hand then bought a Crafstman 2 X 42 and have not looked back.
 
I wanted a really top end knife one day, looked at custom pricing, and told myself "Way too expensive, I can do that for a lot cheaper!":p

I learned the folly of that sentiment fast.:foot:

It was too late, and I was hooked...
 
Charlie Mike said:
What kinda degree are you working towards?
Click to expand...

I'm a fourth year in the Philosophy PhD program of a large graduate research institution in Baltimore. Specifically I work on 17th and 18th century philosophy, and history of science.

CDH said:
? "..I can do that for a lot cheaper!":p

I learned the folly of that sentiment fast.:foot:

It was too late, and I was hooked...
Click to expand...

Yeah, at the end of the day you learn that it's a zero sum game -- you'll always pay for it in some way.
 
That is so awesome!
 
Well I just started, but I've got a background in Farrier work. I build a lot of shoes, and work in the forge everyday as it is and I made a lot of my own tools.

I decided to start makign knifes a couple weeks ago for the groomsmen in my wedding.

As of now I've made 7 knifes, all of them were chainsaw domascus. I havent made any out of normal stock yet. I'll get to it, but chainsaw chain just looks so damn cool!!!!!!
 
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