Where do you all Get Knife supplies??

B . Buxton

B . Buxton

Joined
Jul 8, 2001
Messages
3,623
I just ordered some knife supply stuff this morning and wow, the prices these places are charging just keep getting higher and higher. I think a person would be way ahead to be a supplier then a maker. So where do you all get you knife supplies? There's got to be alternative places to get Nickel/Silver and spacer material, etc.

Thanks,

Bill
 
I pick up a few things at each show I attend. I try not to pay too much attention to how much the stuff costs; I just buy what I really like.
 
Bill, The main reason I stay with pure gold is the price is more stable. Wish I could help you but haven't bought any nickle/silver in years. I remember talking to Burce Evans a few years back and he had gotten a good deal on some. The suppliers for knifemakers got a good thing. Compairable to the local crack dealer except there dealing with differenct addicts.
 
I buy a lot of my wood, mammoth ivory, and damascus at the Blade Show, I want to see first hand what I'm buying. I buy a lot from Jantz, who I understand bought Koval's. Fast service and good prices.
 
B . Buxton said:
I think a person would be way ahead to be a supplier then a maker.
Click to expand...

LOL, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fench...trust me, it's not really. :)

I've had good luck with K&G, Pop's, Alpha, TKS, RB Johnson, and Rade Hawkins... I'll have to check out Jantz, I've never really looked at their site...

:)

-Darren
 
Ray ain't that the truth.

Danbo, I try to do the same thing but when your looking for enough supplies to work up 15-20 or more knives in the future it gets pretty expensive real quick unless you can find the best prices.I'm not asking for cheapness I'm just looking to get the most for your money. An example is, I usually deal with 3 different suppliers for handle stuff. This morning I checked all 3 suppliers for what I was needing, 1 supplier was 1/2 the price of the second one and 4 times cheaper then the 3rd. supplier for the same item. This is fine and dandy but then the next item I needed was a great deal cheaper from the second supplier then it was from the first supplier. You think, will just order each item from each supplier, I could, but unless I want to really over indulge in each item the shipping from different places for just a few items eats up any savings. I don't understand why there's such a difference in prices from 1 supplier to the others, I guess its just to get you to thinking you'll save more on this 1 or 2 items that you'll be willing to pay higher dollar for any others.
I'm all for everyone making a good honest living, but darn its hard to produce a reasonable priced piece that sells reasonably soon if your supply costs won't let you.
So if I can find suppliers from others suggestions that are more fairly priced and will meet my knife supply needs, then my now suppliers can do without my business, thats why I asked.

Thanks,

Bill
 
I end up buying a lot of stuff from Sheffields -- they don't have everything, but enough for me to justify trying to go with them to cover all the shipping. I have been trying to get as much stuff in bulk lately as I can. I'm sure if you looked hard enough you'd find out who some of the suppliers get their spacer material from and buy it in larger sheets from them.

BTW --- I'm not trying to undercut any suppliers here, but sometimes you gotta have it in larger amounts. :o
 
The price of every item I can think of has gone up.
This always has a trickle down effect.
Knifekits.com is adding more and more supplies for building custom guns and knives with standard items and SPECIAL parts that cannot be had anywhere else for knives and guns that are new designs and only available from Knifekits.com.
Keep you eye out.
 
Alpha Knife Supply for some things. Chuck puts up nice pics of the wood blocks and scales. I prefer to see in person what I'm buying when it comes to woods, so this close to holding it in your hand.
Darren Ellis and Knifekits have both been a pleasure to deal with.
 
O I agree Darren and several others have been wonderful to deal with, but when you need certain items that they don't handle ,its amazing how the prices for the same item (with some of the suppliers) can very up to 4 times more in price. Those are the ones I'd like to find replacements for.

Thank you,

Bill
 
For Damasteel, Sandy McClure is the rep for U.S. now...was Michael Walker.
For giraffe bone, I like Sandy McClure.
For bones and pearls and sambar stag, the Culpeppers who own Mother Of Pearl Company are fine folks to work with, and their pricing is very competitive, especially on jigged bone...and they will work with you to do special patterns and dye runs if you are looking for a quantity.
For 416 and a wide variety of tools and supplies, Jantz is good folks.
K & G is very reliable for a variety of supplies and nice filks to deal with
Hard to beat Pop's for abrasives...belts and pivot pins and excellent prices and excellent service.
Chuck, Brenda, and Jessica Bybee at Alpha Knife Supply are fine folks to work with and their titanium is well priced compared to the market...and they are exclusive marekteers of Timascus...really like that stuff on linerlocks.
Stainless Damascus either direct from Devin Thomas or Mike Norris at shows is good pricing and good folks.
I like Don Fields and Roland Quimby each as fine suppliers of good Woolly Mammoth bark ivory.
From a cost point of view, Tru-Grit has excellent prices on 416 pin and bar material. Their abrasives are priced well also but I have an eecessive stock that I got from Koval's and Pop's over the years.
For what you get, Signity has good prices and excellent service for preset jewels for thumb studs and knive embellishment.
Rio Grande has decent prices, excellent service and a wide variety of tools and supplies oriented toward the jewelry part of the craft.
GRS/ Glendo has also fine products oriented toward engraving and their service and classes are nothing short of excellent.
for steel, while not the cheapest, Terry Summers at Admiral Steel carries a good selection with lots of different options on sizes of pieces. Admiral is usually at Blade and other Shows, and is very "knifemaker friendly"
If you will upfront spend on a quantity of steel, CPM has real good prices on the steels they produce ....S30V, 154CM, etc.
Les and Marianne Halpern at Halpern Titanium usually has a good selection of Titanium and fine service. They also have the best prices I am aware of for stainless steel Torx drive screws, especially in the 1000 quantity prices.
Paul Bos for heat treating especially of stainless for slipjoint blades and springs is just excellent in service and his pricing is as good as I've experienced anywhere.
I did a lot of business with Mick and Judy Koval as their service was absolutely excellent and selection fine. Also they were good friends...miss them very much. Jantz obtained the balance of their inventory and is carrying many of the things that Mick and Judy used to carry.

I have just mentioned where I go for certain items, many of the suppliers carry many other items.
 
We could always form a "knifemaker's co-op...think about it.

The only problem is that the "co-op" may purchase things that some of the members have no use for.

Craig
 
In Canada, I've been using Rob and Marilyn Ridley of Ranger Original Knife Maker Supply (http://www.knifemaker.ca) out of Alberta.

Very nice to deal with, all the necessities (steel, abrasives etc.) at a good price. And much faster delivery than waiting for customs. Given exchange rates and Ontario tax on U.S. goods, I can get my steel and belts cheaper from them than from the bigger suppliers in the states, and get them in a matter of days, rather than weeks.
 
Bill, bring yourself down to Tulsa in a couple of weeks for the big gun/knife show. There are several knifemaker supply dealers there. I ALWAYS come home with some good materials from the Wannamaker show. :thumbup:
 
i found these guys to have nice stabilized scales
http://stores.ebay.com/STABURL_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm
also ive done lots of business with these guys with no complaints
http://stores.ebay.com/The-Rivers-Edge-Exotics_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm
http://stores.ebay.com/Sampson-Knifeworks_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm
http://stores.ebay.com/Vedder-Mountain-Hardwoods_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm

ive a few good deals on ebay. if you search hard enough you can find anything. hope this helps someone

mike
 
Darren Ellis said:
LOL, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fench...trust me, it's not really. :)

I've had good luck with K&G, Pop's, Alpha, TKS, RB Johnson, and Rade Hawkins... I'll have to check out Jantz, I've never really looked at their site...

:)

-Darren
Click to expand...
Darren, You have to try Jantz http://www.knifemaking.com Lots more in stock than on the web. 3M products now in stock! You won't find them at shows, their goal is to stock what they sell and get it to you on time at best price. call 1-800-351-8900 for catakig or email jantz@jantzusa.com
be sure to give your complete address and phone #.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top