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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 12-18-2008, 08:41 PM
huntforlife huntforlife is offline
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Howdy!

Hello from CT!

You guys are awesome. Some of the work here completely baffles me.
I have never made a knife, never assembled one from a kit....nothin.

But my dad made a few knifes when I was very young, and now I want to carry it on I guess.

Soon, I hope to be posting pics of progress and what I hope to be the continuance of the "RICKITY XXX" knifes.

I hope kits are not frowned upon. As I dont have the means to forge or mill blades yet.
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  #2  
Old 12-18-2008, 09:20 PM
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ranger1 ranger1 is offline
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Welcome. Kits are a great place to start. Just a note you don't need a forge or a mill. The knife in my avitar was done with a hacksaw and hand files. After that first one your hooked.


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  #3  
Old 12-18-2008, 09:23 PM
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NJStricker NJStricker is offline
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Welcome! No kits are not frowned upon. They are a great way to develop skills if you really want to get into knifemaking, and even if you don't, there are lots of people that like to build and embellish kit knives. Check out the kit knife forum. . .
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  #4  
Old 12-18-2008, 09:55 PM
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bindlestitch bindlestitch is offline
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Thumbs up

Great to have you here.
You've picked a nice place to settle down in.
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  #5  
Old 12-21-2008, 11:28 AM
huntforlife huntforlife is offline
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Thanks all!

For the most part I will be making knives for family work. We butcher all our own beef and pork, so blades see some punishment come fall.

Ive got an old Buck knife that I use primarily as a skinner. Its got almost a green river profile to it. Not a drop point like a hunter.

I'd like to start off making a couple of these, but Im not real sure what the old buck steel was, or if there is an equal to it. Im guessing its a pretty high carbon stainless, since it retains a pretty sharp edge for a decent amount of time. We still end up touching up edges every hour or so of skinning work. Whats a steel that will hold an edge for a long time?
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  #6  
Old 12-21-2008, 01:07 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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It's not so much about what steel, Grasshopper, it's about the heat treat. Any of the common cutlery steels will hold an edge as well or better than your Buck if they receive the proper heat treatment.

Kit knives will already have their heat treating done so they will perform according to what they are made from and how it was treated, you don't have any choice there. Right now, worry about how to finish a kit. Then, work on how to shape your own blades from good steel and where to send them for heat treatment. After that, you can worry about how to heat treat them yourself .....


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  #7  
Old 12-21-2008, 04:11 PM
huntforlife huntforlife is offline
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I appreciate the advice Ray. I wasn't to awful full bent on forging a blade from the get go.

I ended up ordering an upswept skinner Aus8, 3/16 mosiac pins, and some brazillian rosewood scales.

Just gotta figure out a good 2 part epoxy, or whatevers best to use.

Got some new blades for my scroll saw today for cuttin up the scales. Dug out an old 1" X ?? sander from the cellar (old 3 wheel job). It hasnt been used in years, and when I turned it on the plastic wheels all but flew to pieces, so that things shot. I used to do a lot of woodworking, and its a shame the equipment is in shambles.

So it looks like I'm finishing this knife by hand. Hope to post some pics in the next couple weeks.

Thanks again for the advice.

Now....how do I buy a sander without the wife figuring it out. ;^)
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  #8  
Old 12-21-2008, 05:44 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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Forging is only one way to shape a bled. There are probably more makers, like myself, who make our blades by stock removal (grinding them to shape).

As for how to sneak a grinder past the lil' lady, my advice is don't. Unless you find a smokin' deal on a used KMG, Bader or similar uber-grinder start saving your pennies for a Grizzly. At about $400 it is by far the most grinder - and the minimal grinder - that you want for grinding blades. That amount of money is within reach of most people for a Christmas or birthday gift once you show the wife you're serious about making knives. Make a few by hand, maybe sell them for a bit over your cost to friends and work buddies. That helps justify it to honey buns. What you don't want to do is buy a $90 cheapie at the hardware store, then a $150 one from Sears because the first one really was kinda useless only to find out the second one wasn't much better. Wives track that sort of thing. Bite the bullet, bide your time, and go for the bronze at least if not for the gold (which would be a KMG at $1500+)........


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  #9  
Old 12-21-2008, 06:56 PM
huntforlife huntforlife is offline
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Thanks Ray. After some digging around the cellar, I found a couple extra wheels. Not sure if they are for that sander or not. Its a 3/4 horse 1X42 vertical. If I recall, the belts are easy to find, so I may as well just try to replace the wheels that are bad and use it for wood finishing.

If it gets serious, like you said, then I can spring for a good belt grinder.

Thanks again for all the advice. You have any advice on epoxy? Full tang with (3) 3/16 pins, stabilized wood.

(dont want to start the glue wars again, just looking for a tough epoxy or what not that will work good)
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  #10  
Old 12-21-2008, 10:36 PM
chris moore chris moore is offline
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devcon 2 ton epoxy is great and simple.
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  #11  
Old 12-22-2008, 05:28 AM
huntforlife huntforlife is offline
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Preciate it Chris. Thanks!
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  #12  
Old 12-22-2008, 09:53 AM
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dbalfa dbalfa is offline
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Hunter - look at what I am trying with Sumo glue, you might want to consider it. I like it better than Devcon or Loctite epoxy- at least the kind you get at Lowe's. Those have seen thier share of failures. However, the Devcon 2 ton would probably hold for a good while under moderate usage with good peened pins and little time in the dishwasher (you read the "glue wars" I assume)
I took epoxy for granted until I had some failures lately.
I've got some of the "high-end" Loctite ordered- it looks to be a viable choice.


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  #13  
Old 12-22-2008, 11:21 AM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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I second, third, and forth what Ray said about cheap grinders. I started out with a 4X36" grinder and that was money down the drain in my estimation, even though I liked it at first. There are those here who do like them but the majority here don't. You might also want to look at the Coote grinder. It's a bit more expensive than Grizzley and you need to supply your own motor for it but I think that it is more flexable. That said, I ran into a knife maker who earned his master's stamp with two Grizz's. Also, don't ignore what you can do with hand files, polishing stones, and sand paper. Draw filing, when you learn the technique, is a lot faster than one would think, just not as fast as a good grinder but it could be faster than a 4X36 or at least close to it.

Doug Lester


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  #14  
Old 12-26-2008, 05:27 PM
huntforlife huntforlife is offline
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Welp, I started on this project yesterday. Got everything in the mail way faster than I thought I would get it.

I love this old upswept skinner design, except for the semi-squared off corners on the tang. So I ended up digging out my files and went to work making some radii. I put about an 1/8" radius on the top, and about a 3/8" radius on the bottom. I think it makes the knife "flow" better.

I hand sanded everything on the scales today except for the parts that follow the tang. I aint hand sanded like that in a long time, and my fingers are feeling it now. The Brazillian Rosewood is absoluetly beautiful. I was praying that it wouldn't chip due to the sharp point I put on it, and it didnt.

Got the first scale glued and clamped, and its curing. I wont touch it for 24 hours. Then its drill and put on the next side. Then more sanding. UGH!

I did figure out a couple things today. God invented powertools for a reason, and Epoxy in your nose will burn like fire and make you sneeze uncontrolably for about a day.
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  #15  
Old 12-26-2008, 10:29 PM
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bindlestitch bindlestitch is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by huntforlife
Epoxy in your nose will burn like fire and make you sneeze uncontrolably for about a day.
HA! That is one lesson I would rather read about than actually have happen to me.
But don't worry , I know how it is, I've learned many lessons the hard way.
Just wondering why you didn't go ahead and glue up both scales at once instead of putting one on and then waiting for it to cure?
God bless,
Iz


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