What's happening in the David Mary Custom shop?

Question from a super not a knife maker, would adding a media blasting cabinet be able to offer you different blade finishes besides what can be achieved with a belt? I also have no idea what additional troubles that would add to the process.
 
Maximumbob54 said:
additional troubles that would add to the process
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Exactly. Lots of good ideas thrown at me from people including other knife makers but I have a really simple process that was built to accommodate my restricted budget and space from the beginning.

As time progresses and resources allow, I improve my process through learning either new tools or techniques. Bigger things like what you suggested will involve space requirements probably significant costs and learning curve and are likely possibilities in future where I can afford to take those on. But there are other priorities such as a laser, a band saw, and even more basic stuff like shelves and benches.
 
Surface grinder was another suggestions. And a good one! I see shops that have mutiple grinder stations on multiple benches. Looks convenient. I am not in a position to do it now.

Remember I’m a high school drop out (got my GED with high marks at 24, though) who worked entry level hospitality industry jobs in young adulthood, stupidly drank every weekend, and thus never had money.

Age thirty or thereabouts started taking life and its true purpose a little more seriously but still had not much money until about age 35 when I got a decent factory job making $20 an hour and started blowing all my money on knife stuff and RRSPs (Canadian 401K).

Then Covid and I financially barely survived the first year after the layoff due to both consuming all my savings and being blessed by a few guys “putting me through knife making school” that buying my work and enabling me to keep going. I had been a hobbyist since 2015, but made as many knives or more between march and August of 2020 as I had previously done in the past five years before that.

A married guy with kids and a house and car would probably not make ends meet on the money I’ve made so far.

So I have to be very selective about what I spend my money on, and it has to have a clear and undeniable benefit that justifies the expenditure.

The reblade project I attempted in 2021 I think it was, ended up setting me back significantly. Logically I could probably do reblades to most peiples delight now that I have improved at CAD design and other skills. Maybe even a folding knife. But for many reason including psychological I am not ready to take that step.

And on and on.

I make fixed blades. I’m getting decent at it. And I just invested a bunch of your money and mine into a pile of blade blanks for that purpose, expecting to follow my familiar and proven process, improving it as I go. So that’s the plan for now.
 
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