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I might get bashed for asking these questions but here goes:
Q:What type of bench grinder is good for beginners?
Q:Belt grinder or Wheel?
Q:What are the best types of metal to use at beginner status?
Thanks guys i really would appreciate any tips you have because i'm just lost on this art of crafting a blade.
Pick up a copy of $50 Dollar Knife Shop by Wayne Goddard, its worth its weight in gold when you are starting out.
As for grinders go with belt (there are plans for building your own in $50 Dollar knife shop if you are on a tight budget)
For metal old files (or even new files for that matter) make great inexpensive knife blanks that will take an amazing edge but you will have to anneal the files before grinding and then quench and temper them once you are done. All of this is covered in the book.
Steel and other supplies are available from Janz Knifemakers' Supply. O1 is a good steel to start with - or finish with, for that mater. As to grinders, you generally get what you pay for. My KMG was arould $700 without a motor. My motor came off a junk treadmill. Good luck! Ditto on the $50 Knife Shop
I too have a copy of $50 Knife Shop. Read around on the knifemaking forums (BladeForums, KnifeDogs, Jerzee Devil, etc...), they all have great info. Take a look at THIS post, has a lot of links that might save you some time searching... Good luck, brother! It's quite the addiction! By the way, I use a GIB setup with a 1.5HP motor from Wayne Coe. I really like it, but I know there are lots of great machines out there.
amcardon pretty much summed it up in one post! That should be plenty of info to get you pointed in the right direction! Good luck and be sure to post your results!
+1 on the Wayne Goddard book.
As for tools:
A good set of files will go a long way. (even instead of a grinder) together with some elbox grease.
If you decide to use old files for steel source then don't remember to anneal them (just chuck them into the fire when BBQing and pull them out of the ashes the next day) otherwise you're going to have a tough time filing or grinding the steel.
I'd recommend just buying some carbon steel though. It's really not that expensive and saves hassle. Most people recommend O1. Personally I don't like O1 on a knife. (it rusts WAY too easily) and from some of the experts I've heard that giving it the perfect heat-treat is a bit finicky.
Instead I'd recommend 1084. (NOT 1095 also a finicky heat treat to get just right).
As from what I've heard it's very forgiving in the heat treat, will get a good edge retention and is a tough and easy to work with steel. This is all hearsay though because the carbon steel I've worked with so far is 1.2519 (german steel type name) and that stuff was a dream to work with....in fact I'm going to have to buy some more when I run out of Damascus
:rofl2:
For the rest....good luck and don't worry about making misstakes....we all do.
All good stuff that. Start with files and save money on power tools until you really need them. The principles of removing metal are the same whether by hand or power and learning the principles from the beginning using simple tools is much more important. The benefits are better control over the work by hand = less scrap from mistakes. You can always buy or build power tools later when your customers have you to stuck to a waiting list trying to get them a piece of your work.Quote:
Originally Posted by LX_Emergency
Also look here: Index Bob was my first teacher of blades. He was the best of his day. His shop catalog was the original knifemaking instruction book and it only got better over time. This link contains all those pages.
Another book often missed is by David Boye. Called Step by Step Knifemaking. It's a worthy addition to the library. Boye Knives Cobalt Blade Boat Knife - Rigging & Sailing Yacht Knife
Another, Knifemaking: A Complete Guide to Crafting Knives, Handles and Sheaths by Bo Bergman if you're into scandinavian style knives. A good copy is getting rare and spendy but rumors are that a paperback print is coming.
+1 on David Boye's book, another one in my collection.
Another WIP to check out...
I know for some guys files are a great place to start. To be honest, my ADD would never allow me to do a knife that way, I am far too impatient (not a good characteristic for knifemaking!) so withouth a grinder I never would have made a single knife. Granted, I started with a $50 used Delta 1x42 belt grinder I found on craigslist and used that for the first couple dozen knives before I upgraded to the GIB. I still use it for every knife I make.
I've read David Boye's book as well. It's a pretty decent read. I do use powertools when I can. But I've had a time when my grinder died and I got on just fine with files.....(although progress was annoyingly slow sometimes.)
If you'd like to know what you can do with files and handtools this guy does (almost) all his work with handtools. I believe the only exceptions are things like drilling:
MAknives
http://www.maknives.nl/fotos/1295894...0big%20050.jpg
http://www.maknives.nl/fotos/1260738...ding%20001.jpg
Here's one of my own that I made solely with files, sandpaper and elbow grease. Power tools are a luxury, a nice luxury to have, but not required to make a knife. This one is ATS34. I would also suggest for a carbon steel to try L6 as well. All those previous posts contain all good advice. You just have to get in and give it a go.
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...6/IMGP3612.jpg
Mick
i already have a grinder just needed to know what types of metal to use and beautiful blade mick
I'd recommend starting with O1 - easy to forge and heat treat. Or, you can send it out for heat treating. Mike Blue would be a great choice - he is a member here. What king of a grinder do you have? Good luck on your new journey!
you will get more info here
Forum Index - Knifeforums.com - Intelligent Discussion for the Knife Enthusiast - Powered by FusionBB
and here
BladeForums.com
I have always favored simple carbon steels. 1095 has been mentioned and as a simple steel it will do just about anything you could ask it too. The heat treatment is not as complicated as some think it is. I routinely quench 1095 in good old Wally World canola oil and/or water and it will take good hardness and toughness either way.Quote:
Originally Posted by DoubleEdgeFreak
1084 is a good material, nearly foolproof since the Mn in the mix makes it through harden. That's not something I personally care for since I want the steel to be able to do other things. It's popular and relatively inexpensive.
O-1 is something I was reintroduced to on this forum (Thanks guys) and it has some very attractive features, but to make full use of those requires a little more complicated system. But, it will work in the simple dunk it in the bucket of oil method quite well. It was designed for that. It makes fine blades.
W1 is acceptable. W2 is available. Either is a very good other choice for anyone who wants to play in a water quench. Water does not have to be scary. It's not complicated or expensive and will teach you a lot about how to get a hot blade in and out of the quench in time.
L6 has been one of my all time favorites. Using simple methods it will perform very well. Using the complex heat treatment methods it will produce some very interesting and superlative features.
Find a good steel for the cheapest price possible. Files are free when they are used up. Most of the old brands are very good high carbon steels, often 1095 or W1 variations. Watch out for new files, some are merely case hardened mild steel.
Anneal them. Grind them. Heat treat them and if they break, you haven't lost much more than the time you put in.