What are you in real life? Does that help your knifemaking?

I'm a third generation precision sheet metal guy. Been around it my whole life. Bending; lasers; punch press; machining; tool making; CAD; about sums it up.
Shop Tour- http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=817449&highlight=daily+playground

I have one completed knife, 2 if you count cord wrap, and 11 more in various stages needing handles.

Funny thing is I was just on the Burl source site before clicking my shortcut to come to this forum. I'm in need some nice Oak, or Redwood Scales. :) How often do new pieces go up on the site?
 
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Surgical PA. Basically a permanent resident. Mostly I first assist in the OR when we aren't being hunted down by nurses to write orders and scripts. I think it has helped being in a field that is analytical, that you have to be technically precise, and have boat loads of patience. Knife making seems like a really good fit.
 
I've been a fulltime maker for 3yrs. Before that, I worked in tool and die for 13yrs. I'm a professional musician and taught martial arts for a time. I am also apprenticing with a wilderness survival and primitive living mentor and hope to teach/guide in the near future.

Right now, steel and leather take up the majority of my time. I consider what I do now to be my "real life" work... the regular 9-5 job stuff never felt right, to me.


Rick
 
rickmenefee said:
federal trapper. It helps because i am poor .I had to learn and make my own stuff. When you use knifes daily like a tool it will teach a guy about corners on handles and how important good grinds are.
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I have a good friend who was a federal trapper in the Col, Wyo area..He trapped problem bears and cougars..He still does a bear trapping demo often at our trap meets..Demos with #6 Newhouses (how they did it when he was yound) and foot snares..He was around when they were still using M-44's on yotes..
 
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college student

it doesn't help much.. because i have 0 free time and a bank balance of 0

i envy you guys who can do knifemaking and jeweling for a living immensely, maybe some day
 
I have a degree in Information Technology, but I've worked most of my adult life as a process/reliability engineer or operations specialist in the pharmaceutical industry. I've been a professional diving instructor for 12 years, but I don't teach anymore.

It has not helped my knife making. However, my knife making knowledge has helped me professionally.

We once needed to have some dies and tooling made for a tablet we where going to produce. The raw materials were corrosive, and the tooling manufacturer offered two choices in steel; 440C and A2.

I was the only person who knew which one to choose and why!
 
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I am a one man operation. I tell people that I own a Lanscaping company. In reality I cut grass and do yard clean ups. No it is in no way related to knife maintenance. That said, I use a serrated Spyderco Salt 1. It take a lot of abuse with little maintenance.
 
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Dave, You are one of the guys I thought of when I started this thread. You don't fit the stereotype I would have placed you in though.

I would have thought a machinist would make tactical knives with man made materials for handles. Instead, your knives show an artistic flair with really nice natural handle materials. What's up with that?
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Hi Mark,
You got me thinking Why did I go the route I did. To start with I have always been making thing's that I thought were interesting.
Cam and programming CNC's would have been a natural evolution. But I lacked the machining center at home. If I did have one I would be doing the same thing day and night.
I wanted a new hobby at the time and I new I could build the belt sander and basic tools needed.
Now my hobby is Sport Shooting at the range.
 
jawilder said:
I am a minister and do find knife making very therapeutic and relaxing after spending most of my time in the office. It is tough when I have to move (4 times in 3 years) because I have to explain why I have so many heavy tools. Making and showing knives is a great way for me to meet new people as well as get kids to learn how to forge knives
Jason
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Jason, I agree with you 100% about knife making being therapeutic and relaxing. Back when I had my day job I couldn't wait to get into the shop and unwind. You can lose a lot of stress hammering on hot steel. Its a good way to reach people to.
 
I'm a machinist and a product designer (degree in industrial design). I'd say there is quite a bit of cross over, both ways.

My experience as a knifemaker has had a positive effect on both aspects of my "day job". For example: A lot of the product design I'm involved in are things like medical devices used by surgeons. These things frequently have handles. Nick Wheeler, there are injection molded GI endoscopy biopsy forceps and snares out there with geometry inspired in part by your kickass handles.

The cross over from product design to knife design is an obvious one, and the crossover from machining to knife making is fairly obvious as well. It is the cross over from knifemaking into my profession that I find most interesting.
 
Good question! I have been lucky do do some interesting and fun things. Beyond that, and with a polite grin, I respectfully decline to elaborate. No further comment.
 
I'm a Field Service Engineer for a day job.

Doesn't feel like it helps much since there are times I have to pull grave yard shifts and I loose my shop time from forced over time, but it pays the bills.
 
My real job for 20+ years has been making knives. So yes it helps.:p

Before knife making;

Vacuum cleaner repair and sales.
Cut and sold firewood.
Welder.
Sold wood stoves.
Commercial fisherman.
Fishing tackle, marine supplies and seafood business.
Sold knives.
Largest selection of factory knives in North Florida, probably the whole state.
Made custom fishing rods.
Made a few long bows and recurves.

All self-employed and/or part of my family's business.
 
... an impish time traveler from a distant galaxy...

It helps.

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Litigation Graphics and Presentation Consultant

It just gets in the way, but it pays, so there you go.
 
I'm a "Bankruptcy Admin" at Frontier Telco. Knife making don't much factor in in the office environment. before that a call center guy...:barf: I am the go to tool guy when the maintenance folks cant be found. I tinker though with machinery and gun smithing as well so the metallurgical education I received here has really opened my eyes to why guns metallurgically fail after x amount of shots fired.

Jason
 
Welder/fabricator business. We specialize in building oilfield equipment. Drilling rigs, servie rigs etc.

Jim
 
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