What is your source of knifemaking motivation?

G

GrizzlyBear

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Dec 5, 2009
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Just thought I would ask everyone what is their source of motivation in the venture of knife making?

Mine is this:
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I picked this ready to finish RR spike knife early last fall at the local civil war reenactment/encampment. Spent about an hour talking with the smith about forging, grinding, and heat treating the blade. This was before I even got the bug to start into knife making. I was just walking along, checking out the different displays and seen this nearly finished knife for sale and thought "Wow...that would be awsome to finish up on my own."

Well...after getting on the internet and doing searches on finishing it....this knife was the key into the doorway that I didn't know I was looking for. I became obsessed with learning about knife making!

So, as of right now, I haven't finished the knife. I leave it on my desk so I can see it every day and keep it in mind that it was what lead me down this path.

What about you guys?
 
My knifemaking inspiration is the love of a well crafted blade (or anything, for that matter).

You ever buy a new knife or gadget and just find yourself holding it, changing grip positions, opening and closing it repeatedly, etc for hours while watching TV or doing something else mind numbing? That's what I strive for.

To look at and hold something that I made with my own hands and have it please me is what it's all about for me.

--nathan
 
I think we all have a touch of your motivation Nathan.

The 2nd line about a new knife is kinda funny. I got a nice Browning folder for Xmas this year and I found myself just opening and closing it repeatedly while just sitting and watching TV. LOL I would open it, close it, open it again, test sharpness on the hair of my arm (after putting a scary edge on it), close it, etc etc.

The first kit knife I completed is also a bit of motivation for me. I still continuously take it out of the holder I have it in (no sheath yet), admire it in the light, polish it a few times, and put it back. I probably do this once a day or so. hahaha.
 
I mostly work at a desk. If I work hard, I can generate a big ol' stack of paperwork. Not much progress to be made there. On the other hand, I can see a block of wood and a chunk of steel go through a visible process of becoming something beautiful and really sharp. Something to be said for tangible results.
 
I'm really new to this. I haven't made my own knife yet, but I feel that this hobby will require a focus and attention to detail that will keep my mind from thinking about things I'd rather forget. A 2nd point, and I'm sure I'm not alone in this, there is a sense of almost instant gratification you get at each step of the process. You actually get to see your creative juices come to fruition rather quickly. That's all I have to say about that:)
 
I've carried some kind of pocket knife since I was a teenager and am a fanatic with knives. I also have a hunting knife that I keep sharp but requires a re-sharpen after every 1-2 field dressings. I have a brother that received a custom knife as a gift a few years back and that thing stays razor sharp for years and thoughts I'd like a knife I didn't have to sharpen after every use. I also enjoy creating things with my hands so everything just kind of seemed to fit. I saw a tutorial on knife making done by a member of another site I belong to and said "I could give that a shot". So all those factors combined basically led me to trying to make one.
 
I am a custom goldsmith. I work hard all day dealing with people who have no clue what the real world is about. I feels good to unwind by forging hot steel into swords and knives.
The second part is the creative process. It is relaxing to me to see something in my mind and have it come out in 3D steel and wood.
The final part is the joy of being able to say, "I made that."
 
I am just like to make things and always wanted a handmade knife, but couldn't afford one. I finally just decided to try making one, and now I am hooked
 
I always wanted a damascus knife from the first time I saw one. Cost way to much for me then. So, I started learning. Made the first one with a damascus bar and was disappointed with the results, but, kept at it. Got smart enough to go to mono steels, read a lot and kept going. Getting better all the time and hope to keep improving. I get a lot of satisfaction from making a well done knife and I love the thought that some of my knives will be around long after I am gone from this world.
 
always liked playing with knives and never seam to find exactly what I liked so I started trying to forge "the perfect knife" well years later still trying to forge the perfect knife. now I hooked on my quest.....steve
 
For me it's knowing I'm making something that probably will be cherished and passed through generations, that will in all likelyhood will outlive me. That and paying the mortgage, electric, food, etc. And I just LOVE making them; my wife finds me most days with a goofy grin cause I'm having such a good time
 
You ever hear that saying "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself"? Thats my motivation alot of the time besides natural curiosity. Learning about knives opens up a heck of alot of information about metals and working/ht them. I figure it'll spill over into my other hobby of firearms and help me there. I also like to build and make things, and tinker and improve them on my own. I try not to use premade parts unless I have to.
 
I can't say with any confidence where my inspiration comes from, but I suspect it comes from the lack of proper medication! LOL
Jim A.
 
Legacy, a thousand years from now when an archaeologist digs one of my knives from the depths of earth and thinks to himself, what the heck is this and what is its purpose and who in the heck is Warner.:D:
 
I'm obsessed, plain and simple.

A lot of that has to do with the things I learned growing up on the farm with my Grandpa and my Dad:
- Do the best you can at whatever you put your hands to doing.
- There is no shame in failing, only in not trying.
- Don't ever be afraid to sweat & bleed.
- A proud fool will tell everyone what he knows, a man realizes everything he doesn't (better to be a humble man than a proud fool).

There is nothing in the world better to me than the pride that comes from having someone appreciate and value something that you have put your own time, sweat, and blood into. Knifemaking is such a diverse craft that there will always be something new for me to learn and expirement with, I don't think that any one maker has a complete mastery over every aspect of it. In the 6 or so years I've been involved in the craft, every other part of my life has begun to revolve around it. My full-time profession as a welder was an opportunity to learn metallurgy and materials testing, I got into a millwright apprenticeship to learn machining and mechanical function/design. It has become my identity, my enjoyment, and my passion - I go to work to pay the bills, I make knives to keep myself sane and happy.

Have a good one,

Nathan
 
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