Knife Making Startup Costs....Need Input/Help

[madupree]

Actually, some of the plans for building etchers are twice as strong as the professional model I bought! I know that having it (I think) 24 volt can be too much, but mine, I believe is a 12v, its just not as strong as I'd prefer, and there are other things the stronger etcher can do as well! Other than a makers mark that is! That mine would have a lot of trouble doing, if it can do it, at all.

If I had to do it over again, I'd go with Bob Warner's plans , awesome guy with an incredible mind...., in the 'smarts' dept., anyway! I'd have a stronger etcher, and a lot more money left in my pocket! And if I wanted, I could probably have a annodizer too!

Most of the plans out there for sale give a detailed list of what to buy and where to buy them, with parts numbers and the costs of each item , I know there are some plans that are free as well, but I don't know much about them or if they have kept their price lists up to date,etc.

I think I would add that to apply to everything, like Ken H. said, if you have the cash to buy whatever you want, I'm asumming within reason, if you bought a DECENT Mill, (look at the Little Machine Shop's) Hi-Torque Mill as well as their Hi-Torque Lathe, if you work on your abilities to run those two pieces of equipment, you will not only have an endless supply of your own manufactured blades, you could build MOST of the machines you needed to boot! That is the approach I wish I could have understood when I first started thinking about making knives!
Machinist in my opinion, go into knifemaking with more understanding of Metalurgy, of the mechanics of how to make things "square", there is so much they have a huge head start on that people like me did NOT benefit from! People like me are driven more by passion, by some freaky URGE(!) that made me WANT to, MADE ME NEED TO, make knives, I didn't want to make anything else when I started, until I had a little ( meaning a lot) of help from one of our resident Mastersmiths, Ed Caffrey! He helped me build my first forge, and he really opened my eyes that I CAN DO IT!! Something as simple as a forge, gave me the confidence to try to build other things, I've since built a 2nd forge, and several other things that would have costed me hundreds of dollars, if not thousands! It was just that little boost in the confidence in myself to be able to do it, was all I really needed, now I want a Mill, a Lathe, a Press, and several other things, the press I plan on building myself, once I get my funds in better order, to start the commitment! I don't think I'll need a mill to build the press, but I'm sure I will to make the Dies.

There are as many approaches to getting into knife making as there are to making knives! I'm not sure why your being defensive about your skil level, but do know if you have NEVER used a 2 X 72 grinder running a couple thousand RPM's, then you will learn the hardest way possible that the learning curb to making knives, is SHARP! The only reason anyone would ask about your skills, would be to better answer your questions, the same questions all of us have already asked, and answered! Some did it the hard way(me!). Some eased their way into it, maybe started off learning to forge their knives to shape first, then progressing into a grinder after they learned how to Draw file first. Like I said there are a lot of different ways to make knives, none are wrong as long as the end result is what the original goal was for.

BUT, PLEASE UNDERSTAND, as a group Knife Makers are solid gold!!! They are the most giving of themselves, their knowledge, and I think their most precious commodity, their patience! Please try to understand that when someone comes asking for that knowledge, no matter what that may be, that being defensive is the wrong approach, when the original intent is to help you no matter what you may want to know.

One more thing that might be a big help, is by using the SEARCH feature, in each section there is a SEARCH button , you will more than likely find your question asked already. Hope this helps, Rex

Thanks for all the input, I'll definitely keep all that in mind!

 

[Gratmars]

I haven't posted much on here and have only been making knives for about 7 months, but here's my take.
I HATE the HF 1x30 with a passion.
Variable speed is worth it's weight in gold.
Making good knives is hard as crap.
I do not have a band saw but cut a section of stock and profile with a 36 grit on full speed.
Handles take a lot of time and patience.
Your first knives will suck.
$400 will buy you a ton of belts, make sure you're buying a ton of the belts you KNOW you like. You have to grind to figure that out.
If you are committing to 50 knives, I hope you're making an extremely profitable product and one that you love making. Making 50 of something you find out you hate making after the first 5 would suck.

If I were you, I'd try to make 5 knives before you even consider not only the investment, but the commitment to making these knives. 50 is a TON of blades. I make simple knives with scandi grinds and average about 6-8 hours per knife from start to finish

Seriously, get a maker here to sell you one HT'd blank and see if you can make a single knife you're proud of. It looks like a maker here offered to let you check out his shop, maybe he'll let you spend a couple hours in front of his grinder.
I took a leap of faith before dumping $1500 on my grind, but I love it. I love it because of the variety and the fact that I don't have to make any if I want.

 

[roadapples]

I made a vacuum chamber out of a wide mouth quart size mason jar and a hand operated brake bleeding/ vacuum pump ($30 at Auto-zone). As long as you aren't stabilizing pieces that are larger than 3" x 6" that will work fine, and save you about $200. With this setup I can draw and hold 15" of vacuum for over an hour.

 

[JimBob]

'madupree' et al: I am new to this vocation/avocation of knife making. Found your original post by searching for 'knife vise'.. Saw your 'list!!
My next search was/is to be for drill press. While perusing MANY posts and forums I have seen (in folks shops etc) a variety of drill presses!
So, I figure a DP is most definitely an essential - while I can drill somewhat straight with my handy dandy battery powered drill I have also discovered that "STRAIGHT" isn't good enough most times.. But, as I don't have $5-600 for a super good drill press...I searched internet a lot..
I have just about decided that every DP out there for about $2-300 or so has a bit of wobbledegook inherent ... I think it is called runout!
Now the real question... IS a $225 Craftsman made in the far east actually 'good enough' for hobby/avocation knife building?
So far, I buy blades and 'make' handles and almost ready made sheaths..
Foto here I hope of latest handle endeavor.


Thanks folks.
Looking forward to your progress in fotos and etc.

 

[McClellan Made Blades]

Jimbob,
when you have YOUR own question, start YOUR own thread!
Hi-jacking someone else's thread is considered bad etiquet ,
just saying, anyway, to answer your question, yes....and no.
confusing, I know, but it all depends on what you want to do.
If you are doin precision folders, you will need a DP that will drill
precision holes, but if your planning on full tangs, you do not have to
drill a 1/4" hole, for a 1/4" pin, in fact it actually will not fit!!
it has to be reemed for itchy pin to go in. Here's the skinny, and
what I like to do, 1/8" pins, 1/4" hole, 1/4" pin, about a 1/2" hole
maybe smaller, you can see where I'm going with this I'm sure,
OH AND BTW, I have the same DP your talking about for about
6 or 7 years now, has worked great for full tangs, hope this hp helps, Rex

 

[JimBob]

Sir; Thanks for your input.
Too new to know about what you call Hi-jacking!
Having said that ... after this post -- it won't happen again.
However - when you say 1/8 inch hole for 1/4 inch pin I presume you refer to the blade; not the handle!

 

[McClellan Made Blades]

Jimbob,
All Im saying is that some folks, start a thread and they want that thread to be about them, or pertaining to the topic they started. What I was saying is that you should have started your own thread! That way your answers would be for you,ONLY! Now technically you didnt hi-jack his thread, it was only a little ways off topic. Plus, I dont think any offense would be taken, the main thing I wanted to get across to you
is for you to get the answers you're looking for, you shohld start your own thread. Thats all, OH! And dont call me Sir!! My name is Rex!
Nice to meet you!
Now about the holes, I AM TALKING ABOUT THE HANDLE, you do not have to have the exact same size hole for the pun stock you are using, matter of fact, I did that for YEARS! Until, I had another.maker at BLADE, ask me why they had the be so tight? I was like, because the hole.and the pin size should be close.to.the same size....right? He simply said why? I actually had NOTHING! No reason, why a .25 " pin had to be drilled with a 1\4" drill bit.and then reamed out, so it would go in. I kind of felt dumb when I realized that the only reason I did it that way was because, that was the way I haf always done it, not the best reason!!! He then explained that it is so much easier to drill a.bigger hole.in the tang, that way it is so much easier to get tjebpins in, AND the extra.room will be filled in with epoxy, making better contact. Or more area for the epoxy to have to adhere to. That make sense? Now when it comes to the HANDLE material, that had to be drilled to the same.size.as.the pin stock and reamed, or as.some have found there are some bits in mm size that are a tiny bit bigger than desired.size needed, so there is no reaming. Cant recall the only one I know, I.do.have it in the shop, it for 1/4", and drills.it.a.touch over, so.the pin fits.perfect.
BTW, Welcome to KNIFE DOGS! You have found the best friendliest family of dissimilar people ever seen before, but we are all family!
Join in and you too can be a part of the BEST KNIFE FORUM ONLINE!!!
Btw, if your.looking for the best starter grinder, its going to be Jamie's new design of his G.I.B. SERIES.OF.GRINDERS! This one is called.the.SLING! So.well thought.out, its designed to.be a.single function grinder, meaning a.flat grinder.does.only that! But the ptice.reflects that! The least rxpensive, without sacrificing the quality!
Look.up POLAR BEAR FORGE, and tell him Rex sent you! Or maybe,.leave.that off, he may charge you more.if you say my name!!!
Kidding aside, its a great.design, well thought out, in fact, I contacted him last night about me getting one! Thats how much I like it!!!
And I have a KMG!!! But I need to set up a grinding bench where I can grind while sitting, or my knife.making life may be coming to.a.close!.So.this design is a lifesaver, far as Im concerned!
Hope all of this.helps, and if you need anything, ASK! I'll do my best to.answer every question I can, if.I cant I can find.the answer, I.will point you to it! Hopr all of this helps, typing on my pbone SUCKS!!!!

 

[scott.livesey]

Ok guys here's some more info...

After an email this morning with my contact, everything is a go with a first run batch of 50 fixed blade knives to be made. With that in mind, i have not ever completed a knife,
After grinding all the blades to perfection ( i will not let them leave my shop unless they're perfect) i am going to bring all the blanks (S30V or S35VN) to Texas Knife Supply where they are going to heat treat, temper & cryo treat all the blades to the proper hardness. After receiving all the blades back from heat treating, i am going to do my post heat treating finishing on the blades.
Then i will do my final knife sharpening of all the finished knives and deliver them. DONE

Bring on the comments.......

how is it going? how many blades are done? have you made a test knife or 3?

 

[KenH]

Scott - I've been looking forward to his first knife myself. I do wish him success in his endeavor.

Ken H>