Why did you become a knifemaker?

B

Bufford

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Why did you become a knifemaker? Did you choose stock removal or forging?

I got into knifemaking 25 years ago for a few reasons. Back then I couldn't find a good fixed blade that I really liked. I also wanted a hobby that was unique and would generate some income. I liked knives all my life and wanted to make my own mark in the knifemaking world.
 
I too could not find a knife in my area that would hold an edge or fit my hand just right. So I drew up a few designs and took it from there. I only do stock removal right now but am hoping to get into forging this winter, as I have found someone willing to teach me. I make knives as a hobby, and sell a few. Now, I wish there was just a few more hours in a day so I could spend a little more time in the shop.

Nick:)
 
I'm not sure. I know my mom didn't do drugs when she was pregnant, (or ever) so it may have been a nutritional deficiency during my development. :D
Maybe I was dropped as a baby. Could be any number of reasons.
Oh yeah, I think it's because I love knives, and I'm too poor to buy them. :)
 
same same couldnt find what i was looking for and said why should i pay someone a few $$$ to make it
looking back it would have save me $$$$ but i wouldnt have so much fun doing this
also found out while making a few of my firsts that some people wanted to know how much i would charge them for one
uuummm i dont know was mostly the responce cover my cost and buy me a beer
didnt know i could make money on this till about 3 years ago (bout the time i found this place)
 
I clipped this from my webpage (still in progress - not published yet):
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Why did I choose knifemaking as a hobby? Well, that's a very good question. It really isn't about knives - It's about making something with my own hands.

From my very early childhood I have been captivated by the craftsmanship skills of my Grandfather. He makes beautiful things with his hands. These amazing works of his hands are usually gifts for others, and they are truly treasures.

I find a great deal of satisfaction in my profession, but my work is largely intangible and I needed to fill something that was missing. I wanted to learn a craft of some type - something that produced a tangible thing representing my efforts. To this end I chose knife making as a hobby. Why knife making? There were several reasons. First, I like tools. You can use them for something. Art is fine, but art that can be put to work is GREAT, and the elegant function of a tool is in its self art.

Another reason I chose knife making is a little bit political. When I was a child every man carried a pocketknife. A pocketknife was standard equipment for the tough, hard working, self sufficient, ready-for-anything man. Today's society doesn't encourage a man to be any of those things, and that doesn't sit well with me. So I make pocketknives as a statement and I give them as gifts to important people in my life. It is my way of expressing gratitude to the recipient, and recognizing them for my admiration of their commitment to some old fashioned values.
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-Ben
 
I started making wheellock firearms. That's a pretty tough lock to make (about 50 parts vs. about 7 for a flintlock, lots of little springs and delicate parts.) It's particularly tough to discover how to get it to strike with the period-appropriate iron pyrite, which I did thanks in part to a little advice from Dale Shin.
Anyway, after that, I wanted to make damascus barrels, though the historical connection to wheellocks is somewhat tenuous. Started making knives to learn the craft on the way to barrels and discovered that although knives are simpler in many ways, they involve a great deal of specialized knowledge, plus the medieval pattern welding was intriguing on its own. Reasonably 'correct' swords are particularly challenging.
Never did get into doing the barrels, though I keep thinking it would be a fun thing to do when I have the time .... hahahahahaha!
 
Actually, After putzing around in junior high making a sword (go figure)in metal shop, beating out a spear head or two around the same time frame, and years of wanting to make knives, it was this thread http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=326829&highlight=Troops
that really put a boot in my butt to do it. I didn't sign up as I wanted to make sure that I was able to produce a good, strong, reliable knife before I would send it to one of our finest to trust his life to, but it put me on the path.

I really want to thank all of you for that thread, and what you did, and have done for our troops outside that thread.

I am still building my skills and hope to be able to get a similar effort started when I feel I can produce a proper knife. (And I have some people who really know how to torture test a knife confirm that fact.)

Thank you all again.
 
I wanted a good knife and asked Bruce Evans how much he would charge to make one for me. He told me "nothing, you can learn to make your own." Since I want to be a chef, I decided I could make my own kitchen knives. Haven't made the first kitchen knife yet, more interested in frontier knives, bowies and hunter/skinners. But I'm working on it
 
Couldn't really find a knife that I liked. So I started making my own. One thing leads to another. For me the chase is not in selling the knife I make, but rather improving my techniques to produce a better knife. My two cents worth--Dan
 
Im kinda with IG....i was totally uninformed and refused to pay a few hundred bucks for a custom. So i said "im gonna make one!" and 8$ of mild steel later and a few hours of fruitless frustration, i was a bit wiser but now totally engrossed in doing it better. Somewhere along the way i lost the drive to own and gained the drive to make......
 
Devin Thomas moved to my area and needed part time help processing material for his damascus. The rest is history.
 
...because somehow my life just wasn't frustrating enough without compounding it with something as involving as knifemaking!

I still suck at it, but somehow I'm drawn to it. Every aspect of it appeals to me, from heating and hammering to grinding to the physics and metallurgy of it. In fact, my biggest problem so far is managing to focus on one step at a time!
 
Since I want to be a chef, I decided I could make my own kitchen knives. Haven't made the first kitchen knife yet, more interested in frontier knives, bowies and hunter/skinners. But I'm working on
Click to expand...

I thought a Bowie was a kitchen knife? :confused:
 
why did i become a knife maker? I have no friggin idea!
i remember that i was doing a bit of woodwork at the time but the cost of wood was a killer, and get this, youll laugh. i decided knife making would be cheaper!! ha ha ha
i have no idea how i came up with making knives though, its not like i hunt or anything.
i just searched for my first ever post and it gave me no help, it was about what grinder to buy.
so all in all, i dont know wh, but im glad i did.
brett
 
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