Where'd you learn to make knives?

I learned the basics of how to work a hot piece of steel more years ago than I would care to admit while an apprendice blacksmith. Some of this carried over into knife making. Luckily most (if not all) knifemakers are more than willing to share their techniques & hard earned knowledge and I would be hard pressed to name all that have helped me along the way.

I have long believed that if you stop learning that you are prone to regress and look forward to associating with (and learning from) the knife making world in years to come. It's not many people who can say that they work at something that they love and feel fortunate to be able to do so.

My thanks to all those who have shared their knowledge and hope that I can pass on the favor.
 
I'm still new at this, and will definitely be learning about it until they shovel me in one day, but the majority of what I've learnt has been through reading (mostly on here), and then just jumping in and trying. I've done a lot of woodwork and have been building things like medical equipment prototypes and model airplanes since middle school, and a lot of that translates in some shape or fashion. I've never actually spent any time with another knifemaker, but I'm planning on attending at least one hammer-in next year, and attending Blade again.
 
I've had many "teachers" along the way. A gentleman by the name of Eric Harris got me started forging, a member of the Knifemaker's Guild by the name of Beryl Driskill was the first real knifemakers to take me under his wing, and taught me much about handles, guards. and fit/finish.
I've been blessed to learn many things from Wayne Goddard, Ed Fowler, and a number of other top notch Bladesmiths. Since I started teaching Bladesmithing, I've found that I learn from each student that comes through my shop....fresh eyes, fresh ideas.

For a lot of years here in Montana, there were a number of us who simply relayed information to each other.....every time one of us would come up with something "cool" we'd call one of the others and pass it along. Eventually it would work it's way back around, and be something even better than when it started. Those years of sharing ideas/information benefited us all greatly.

One of my favorite Bladesmiths is, and has always been JD Smith.....JD is one of those rare people who has a visionary mind for design/flow, plus the technical skills to "pull it off". That's a very rare and precious combination. It was JD who gave me the idea of carving/texturing with a simple statement that went something like....."Why not design knives with not only lines and color, but depth and texture too?" Sometimes the most simple thing in a conversation can evoke new ideas and new directions.

I think that whether we realize it or not, we learn from just about everyone we come into contact with in the knife world. I know the reason that it has kept my interest for all these years is the wonderful people that I get to meet, and the fact that every day that I walk into my shop, there is a new challenge to overcome, and something new to be learned.
 
I am still learning after seven years, but when I started I used a file and drill, sanding attachments, etc. Then I bought a grinder and immediately started ruining perfectly good steel. And I mean by the dozens and dozens and dozens. I can't tell you how long it took me to learn to just grind out a decent flat ground, and hollow ground blade. Years, I think. Then, well, years again, to learn heat treating and forging. All done alone, no one to talk to (other than this great forum) in my little shop, radio blairing country, then many years later, hard rock. Heck, if this learning stuff goes on long enough, I might even get into hip hop. Then, there's damascus, sword making, san mai, all stuff I've yet to do, but will!

Good thread,

Dave

Frustrating, oh yes, but I can't stop. When you get that perfect blade...
 
I keep coming to Bladeforums with the hope that one day I'll learn how to make a knife. But I keep getting distracted with knife porn. Maybe sometimes it amounts to the same thing.
 
Ed Caffrey said:
I've had many "teachers" along the way. A gentleman by the name of Eric Harris got me started forging, a member of the Knifemaker's Guild by the name of Beryl Driskill was the first real knifemakers to take me under his wing, and taught me much about handles, guards. and fit/finish.
I've been blessed to learn many things from Wayne Goddard, Ed Fowler, and a number of other top notch Bladesmiths. Since I started teaching Bladesmithing, I've found that I learn from each student that comes through my shop....fresh eyes, fresh ideas.

.
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Hey Ed, talking about what goes around comes around? A few weeks ago I went to Beryl's house to help him fine tune his slip joints. Beryl is a great guy and he told me him and Loveless were friends back in the early days of the Guild. What a small world......:)

TA
 
The very first few I made were started at age 14, and done all by myself along with some reading. The reason I even wanted to try, was a family friend had taught me to carve knives out of wood. I made about 5 or 6 and decided they were neat to look at.... but weren't the real thing. The tiny grocery store in the tiny town I grew up in, just happened to have BLADE and Knives Illustrated in their magazine rack. I was fascinated by the daggers on the pages by men I'd never heard of before... like Buster Warenski, Willie Rigney, Fred Carter... :o :foot: ;) I bought both magazines, and was just sure I could make knives like that. :foot: :foot: :foot:

I think I was hooked right from the start.

I didn't meet a custom maker until I was almost 17, Tiny Spencer (RIP) down in Astoria, OR. Tiny was pretty gruff on the outside, but was very generous in allowing me to watch him work for awhile.... enough to convince me that I did need a metal cutting bandsaw, a Burr King grinder, and a Baldor buffer.

I did a lot of self teaching and head scratching...

Went to visit JP Moss when I was 21 and learned a lot about fit and finish.

Spent time with Mike Vagnino a couple years later after I started forging. Mike taught me a notebook full of things, many of which were taught to him by Tim Hancock. I know it REALLY changed my approach to bladesmithing.

Watched damascus being made for the first time ever in Tom Ferry's shop around 23 or 24. Which tied into a relationship with my good friend Bill Cottrell, who really got me off on my way to wanting to build my own forges, learn to weld, and just be more independent in my approach to making THINGS.

After that, it's hard to distinguish singular men.... there isn't a man who has stood at a show and talked with me, that I didn't learn something from.

There are guys 100 levels above me, like Don Fogg, John White, Russ Andrews, and Tim Hancock, Bill Burke, Don Hanson III (the list goes on!!!) that are ALWAYS willing to lend a hand to try and help me get better.

I do want to single out Mike Quesenberry, because in him, I have found both a friend, and a guy that approaches knifemaking VERY similarly to me.... so we are constantly bouncing ideas back and forth... which has greatly helped and inspired me in the last couple years.

To all of these men that have helped me try to find my way down the road of knifemaking and bladesmithing.... THANK YOU!!!! :)
 
NickWheeler said:
The very first few I made were started at age 14, and done all by myself along with some reading. The reason I even wanted to try, was a family friend had taught me to carve knives out of wood. I made about 5 or 6 and decided they were neat to look at.... but weren't the real thing. The tiny grocery store in the tiny town I grew up in, just happened to have BLADE and Knives Illustrated in their magazine rack. I was fascinated by the daggers on the pages by men I'd never heard of before... like Buster Warenski, Willie Rigney, Fred Carter... :o :foot: ;) I bought both magazines, and was just sure I could make knives like that. :foot: :foot: :foot:

I think I was hooked right from the start.

I didn't meet a custom maker until I was almost 17, Tiny Spencer (RIP) down in Astoria, OR. Tiny was pretty gruff on the outside, but was very generous in allowing me to watch him work for awhile.... enough to convince me that I did need a metal cutting bandsaw, a Burr King grinder, and a Baldor buffer.

I did a lot of self teaching and head scratching...

Went to visit JP Moss when I was 21 and learned a lot about fit and finish.

Spent time with Mike Vagnino a couple years later after I started forging. Mike taught me a notebook full of things, many of which were taught to him by Tim Hancock. I know it REALLY changed my approach to bladesmithing.

Watched damascus being made for the first time ever in Tom Ferry's shop around 23 or 24. Which tied into a relationship with my good friend Bill Cottrell, who really got me off on my way to wanting to build my own forges, learn to weld, and just be more independent in my approach to making THINGS.

After that, it's hard to distinguish singular men.... there isn't a man who has stood at a show and talked with me, that I didn't learn something from.

There are guys 100 levels above me, like Don Fogg, John White, Russ Andrews, and Tim Hancock, Bill Burke, Don Hanson III (the list goes on!!!) that are ALWAYS willing to lend a hand to try and help me get better.

I do want to single out Mike Quesenberry, because in him, I have found both a friend, and a guy that approaches knifemaking VERY similarly to me.... so we are constantly bouncing ideas back and forth... which has greatly helped and inspired me in the last couple years.

To all of these men that have helped me try to find my way down the road of knifemaking and bladesmithing.... THANK YOU!!!! :)
Click to expand...

Thats a beautiful story:thumbup:
 
No fancy story for me. A little from books but most of it from Bladeforums and especially Bladeforumites. Oh and lots of that trial and error too... Ok, who am I kidding, mostly the error part. ;)
 
Patrice Lemée;14509955 said:
No fancy story for me. A little from books but most of it from Bladeforums and especially Bladeforumites. Oh and lots of that trial and error too... Ok, who am I kidding, mostly the error part. ;)
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Oh, you've made some good knives, Pat:D
 
There has been a few that helped point me in the right direction but Don Hanson has for sure been the biggest influence on my work.

Cliff
 
I collected for years and went to knife shows and talked to many famous makers. I was lucky enough to have within a 1/2 drive Bob Loveless, Bob Engath, Phil Hartsfield, Rick Browne.

I talk to them about knives but not about making them but their influence is still felt.

I am a self started. I taught myself how to tie flies for fly fishing from there I taught myself how to make split cane bamboo fly rods. After doing that for years and filled all my orders I put up the hand plane and decided to look at making knives.

Once I found the Grinder in the box I realized I finally could rationalize getting a knife grinder and not go broke trying to make knives.

I the internet has been of utmost value and so have the videos by Wally Hayes, Bob Loveless, Steve Johnson and Harvey Dean....All of their work was a tremendous help in showing me how it is done and then gave me something to work from.
 
I've been at it for about 6 years now and still learning everyday. A lot of trial and many errors, and youTube. Walter Sorrells and SugarCreek forge are two that I learned a LOT off of on the youTube. The rewarding part is when you finally get one to end up the way you first saw it in your head.
 
jonnymac44 said:
I haven't learned much in the grand scheme of all things knife making, but what I have learned has been self taught so far, with lots of help from these forums.

When I decide to do something I usually do it all the way. So it was with knife making. I had been collecting factory/custom knives, selling factory knives on a website, and doing sharpening/minor repair work for some time when one day I decided I wanted to make one, and now here I am fifteen months later completely addicted with no end in sight.

Thanks to all those who put up with my questions in the beginning and those who encouraged me early on......Matt Bailey, Coty Handley, Richard J, and most of all Ken Onion, who has been there to guide and motivate me!:thumbup:
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That's pretty much my story too... And Matt Bailey was one of my inspirations/motivations too! I've learned a lot and I've barely scratched the surface here
 
Where'd I learn to make knives?

Here - with direction provided by Nick Wheeler's(and a few others') extraordinary videos and WIPs, reading everything Stacy Apelt has to say on anything, and just merely viewing the endless display of creativity and excellence exhibited by the rank and file of BF. And, on my own with LOTS of reading interspersed with an occasional phone call to, and one enlightening visit with, Rick Marchand.

I enjoy figuring things out by myself, and doing everything on my own as my overflowing "drawer of shame" will attest. I've mangled lots of fine steel and many, many pieces of top-shelf wood in my quest to get it right. But always, this place continues to offer a source of info, tools, materials, and inspiration that has guided journey. I'm now at a stage where I feel a fair degree of pride in my work and confidence in my finished product. I also enjoy the heck out of this endeavor.

-Peter
 
I made this big black dog suit, and snuck into Nick Wheelers shop and layed on the floor for a few days.
 
Lots and lots of reading. The first few years Shop talk is the only place I visited on the forums here. Then more reading. From books as well.

And lots and lots of trail and error.... Mostly error though.
 
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