Interested in Knife Making

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  • chato

    Plinker
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    1   0   0
    Aug 25, 2014
    51
    6
    Jeffersonville
    Interested in knife making but don't know the first thing about it. Is it something that can be started inexpensively just to try out to see if I like it? I think it would be sweet to make knifes but not sure what equipment would be needed and what a realistic start up cost would be.
     

    PoolQs

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Feb 11, 2014
    124
    18
    Noblesville
    +1 with shaynster !! bladsmth and "The Count" are great people to get to know. They are a wealth of information
    and will help with most situations. One of the best books out there to get started with is; Step-by-Step Knifemaking by David Boye
    First book I was told to read and it will help with a lot of starting questions. If you are wanting to start-up and just make a knife
    for yourself and appreciate your work, you can achieve this for under a $100. Hacksaw, GOOD files, sand paper, and a quality piece of High Carbon steel. (NOT from box store - Lowe's, Menard's, etc)
    Easiest for a novice is 1070/1075 or 1080/1084 and can be heat treated at home with equipment you already own.
    There are suppliers that you can by just enough for one knife or a long piece for multiples. This will run you only $10-$70 in steel.
    I have over a couple of thousand in material and equipment and NOT even close to the set-up I am looking for.
    Good luck with your new endevour !!!
    Troy
     

    Dargasonus

    Sharpshooter
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    0   0   0
    Sep 7, 2010
    481
    18
    Jeffersonville
    You can do it with basic handtools, just depends how much time and effort you want to put in. I only have $300-400 worth of equipment and it would consider it to be very very basic starter stuff. You can do alot with patience, file, and sandpaper.
     

    freekforge

    Master
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    Jul 20, 2012
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    he asked if it can be done inexpensively and i gave him the way:dunno:

    when i asked my dad to teach me when i was younger he gave me a good file, a dull file, and a lighter. I had a knife done in 3 days. that was years ago and i still carry that knife from time to time.
     

    freekforge

    Master
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    Jul 20, 2012
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    I'll dig one up. it is ugly as sin i made it in 5th or 6th grade i think. beat it to hell and carried it every day until junior year i think. I made knife shaped objects before that but it was my first one that was heat treated.
     

    cubby

    Master
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    7   0   0
    Nov 5, 2008
    2,256
    38
    LaGrange, IN
    The easiest way to make a knife is by trying to make a knife. Order some inexpensive 1095 and come up with a design. Something simple. Get a bench grinder or a drill and hacksaw. Knock out the profile. Find the biggest bastard file you can. Shape the bevels to about the thickness of a dime. Drill holes in the tang to use for the handle later.

    Send it to someone experienced to heat treat it.

    when it returns, have your stacks of sand paper ready! Be ready to bleed. Pick handle material, and shape accordingly. Sand sand sand some more.

    be ready to be tired and driven to either quit or invest in tools! And show is your work so we can cheer you on! Good luck!
     

    Gamez235

    Master
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    16   0   0
    Mar 24, 2009
    3,598
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    Upstate
    ^^ What cubby said.. I took that path. I used 0-1 to start..

    Draw something on paper.. transfer it to cardboard or wood and play with it... No crap, file the bevels into the wood, assess your design..

    Then draw it on steel and use a hacksaw, grinder, and files to get your profile shaped..

    Drill some hole in the handle. Cheap drill rod from Lowe's in steel or brass make decent pins, drill those holes to what ever stock you use.

    Have at it with a file for the bevels. All sorts of video to help you find a technique.. File away. My first took a long time, but it only cost me about 8.00 for a file..

    Heat treat. Send it off or find someone local to show you. I sucked a local blacksmith into showing me a few things and help me with the first ones. Now I have an oven and a few good recipes for HT.

    The finish sanding will take a long time, and lots of effort.

    Have at it though. I had about 40 hours into my first. A year later I've managed to make 30 so far, a few got thrown away and chalked up to a learning experience.

    You will however at the end have a deep, deep appreciation for knife makers and other metal smiths at the end though, and have something you created to use.. Then you will decide you want to do it more or just dabble... Even dabbling I've spent thousands on tools and materials since then, but I really enjoy doing it now. Sure beats sitting in front of the TV.



    I saw your first post....

    Steel 1084 or 1095, about 10-15 bucks a foot. - 30-45 bucks for 3 ft.
    Files: Mill Bastard, Rounds, Few Smaller ones (fine cut and more) - 30-50 bucks (get what you pay for).
    6-8" bench grinder - 100-200 bucks
    4" Angle Grinder - 50-100 bucks
    Vise, w/ padded jaws - 50-100 bucks
    Hacksaw - 10 bucks
    Sandpaper 120-800grit - 40bucks
    Epoxy - 10bucks
    Drill - 50-100 bucks

    That will make a knife.... You could spend thousands on tools and such. The biggest thing is the time and the willingness to learn as you go.

    Youtube Trollsky.. He's got a good walk through for a simple tools knife.. I started there...
     
    Last edited:

    Mike Grasso

    Sharpshooter
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    10   0   0
    May 5, 2014
    375
    28
    Westfield
    Three times a year I "officiate" a Grind In.
    This is done at Bark River Knives in the UP.
    That's about a 6 hour drive north.
    The Grind In is a weekend long introduction to knife-making.
    You will learn a stock removal method, starting with a bar, handle materials, corby bolts, edge grinds and sharpening.
    It's quite enlightening. I highly suggest it if you want to learn the basics, make something high quality and enjoy a weekend away.

    Here's a link to the Bark River Knife Collector's Association site.

    Grind-In | The BRKCA

    Here's one of the knives I've made recently....
     

    cubby

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    7   0   0
    Nov 5, 2008
    2,256
    38
    LaGrange, IN
    Three times a year I "officiate" a Grind In.
    This is done at Bark River Knives in the UP.
    That's about a 6 hour drive north.
    The Grind In is a weekend long introduction to knife-making.
    You will learn a stock removal method, starting with a bar, handle materials, corby bolts, edge grinds and sharpening.
    It's quite enlightening. I highly suggest it if you want to learn the basics, make something high quality and enjoy a weekend away.

    Here's a link to the Bark River Knife Collector's Association site.

    Grind-In | The BRKCA

    Here's one of the knives I've made recently....


    And is is the best grind in going.
     

    chato

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Aug 25, 2014
    51
    6
    Jeffersonville
    Thanks for all of the advice. I'll read up on the literature posted. I've been doing a little bartering and trading up lately, so I'll use some my profits to fund my small start up. Excited to try this out and I have a brother who has some tools ( lawn and landscape business), so I should be able to use a few of his things to keep from buying as much tools up front. Might be a while due to my schedule, but I'll plan on posting whatever I make no matter how big a turd it could turn out to be. I have high hopes that it'll be decent, though .
     

    cubby

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    7   0   0
    Nov 5, 2008
    2,256
    38
    LaGrange, IN
    Thanks for all of the advice. I'll read up on the literature posted. I've been doing a little bartering and trading up lately, so I'll use some my profits to fund my small start up. Excited to try this out and I have a brother who has some tools ( lawn and landscape business), so I should be able to use a few of his things to keep from buying as much tools up front. Might be a while due to my schedule, but I'll plan on posting whatever I make no matter how big a turd it could turn out to be. I have high hopes that it'll be decent, though .

    What do you need? Give me your address and I will drop some material in the mail to you.
     

    Gamez235

    Master
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    16   0   0
    Mar 24, 2009
    3,598
    48
    Upstate
    Jump right in.. Some files and a grinder and a bit of steel. If you use O-1/1084/1095, I'll HT for you. DO IT!!! That being said, anyone know how to use an anvil.. I got one now and can't wait to get my hammering on!
     

    Onionsanddragons

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Apr 13, 2014
    158
    18
    Terre Haute
    I really should get up to one of those grind ins...

    I can't reinforce the stuff Joe and the others have already said enough. If you are persistent enough to make a knife with hand tools, and actually finish it, you're there.

    I've had great luck trolling eBay for steel. You can find industrial off cuts of O1 and other great tool steels for really good prices if you look around a bit. The advent of the usps flat rate box makes this very viable. They have weird lengths that aren't much use for their purposes, but are perfect for a knife or two.
     
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