Roman knot file work?

This is a good thread. I'm learning a bunch and seeing that there are still opportunities for new guys. The post Tracy just wrote is a shot in the arm to some of us new guys.

When I started my shop 13 yrs ago machining was in a slump. I quickly realized that my days of daydreaming about hobbies were over.
I had to make all my creative pursuits geared towards profit as well as fun just to survive. Things aren't really different now. For me I can't think of knife making as only a hobby. If I want to be able to spend some time at it there also has to be a financial upside. I think for anyone making a nice knife, the highest compliment is to hear, "Can I buy one of those?"

If it is truly beautiful, others will want it. I would think anyone making knives would want someone to be using/enjoying them. So either as gifts or business items it seems to be an art that needs to be shared.

Whether or not you actually make a profit selling it is a whole nother deal.....Some of the prices of some of the knives I see are so low that I am amazed that such high quality can be made at such a reasonable price.

I have wondered if many makers sell at break even (or less) to subsidize their addiction to knifemaking? Or perhaps they have gotten so efficient at the art that they are indeed making money?

Either way, they are indeed creating art.
 
I would love to do a frank conversation between all the makers of the site because I think this difference of how to handle things such as trade secrets has a lot to do with how you approach the idea of knife making. For instance I am a hobbyist at best at least for the present! I would also love to hear what you are making and what drives you to make that, IE is it your passion, your full time business etc. etc.

So if Boss or one of the moderators can say say where to take this discussion I vote we move it there. We could call it "why do you make knives" because like I said I think the answer to such things as "trade secrets" may lay heavily in the fact at what level you are in knife making!

So Boss or one of the other moderators want to say what category to put such a discussion in???? I am not really sure after looking at the subtitles as to which area is appropriate for a discussion like that! And everybody remember everyone is entitled to an opinion, whether you or I feel the same way or not.
 
Tracy was concerned at one point that this thread was headed to "bash-town" but we all settled down and traded a lot of thoughts so he let it roll. This thread is only about a week old and has had almost two thousand views.

I wonder if every knife maker really wants to weigh in or just see what the general consensus is? It might be that most of what would be said has been said?

I would love to hear knife making insights that aren't only "how-to" but I know that many folks aren't comfortable sharing their personal stuff....especially if it's going to draw fire from us less experienced guys.

I have a few questions in my above post that I would love to hear answers on but I know that on a public forum everyone has the right to refrain from answering something that might seem too forward.

If moving this to a spot with a new title or just creating a spot for these type of discussions will legitimize topics like this I would love to hear what experienced people have to say on business and personal philosophy as regards knife making.

C Craft, maybe start a thread and see what kind of interest it draws?
 
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That is why I was wanting Boss or one of the moderators weigh in because this type of discussion doesn't really fit in, "shop talk" however, when I read the descriptions that go with all the forums I am not sure where it does fit! It is pretty much general discussion but it is about knives which rules out the "Dog run" and even though some "how to" will probably work its way into the discussion............. It leaves me wondering just what category to put it in!
If one of the hierarchy will post what section to put a general discussion about knife making in maybe we can get the ball rolling!
 
the main forum is entirely appropriate.

Post a starting topic/thread(s) and we will let it wander around. If it needs to be split up or grumped about, I'm your guy. We moderate here if things get rude or inappropriate. Everyone is usually fine with that until their thread/post gets moderated. We are equal opportunity that way.

I have no problem with controversial topics and there are plenty in knife making. What I have a problem with is bashing people, companies, ideas that don't match your own ideas, practices, beliefs. We are not Angie's list where you can post a negative review about someone or something. If we can keep it from getting personal and we don't say "your way is stupid and you are too" kinda things, we can talk about most anything you want.


That is why I was wanting Boss or one of the moderators weigh in because this type of discussion doesn't really fit in, "shop talk" however, when I read the descriptions that go with all the forums I am not sure where it does fit! It is pretty much general discussion but it is about knives which rules out the "Dog run" and even though some "how to" will probably work its way into the discussion............. It leaves me wondering just what category to put it in!
If one of the hierarchy will post what section to put a general discussion about knife making in maybe we can get the ball rolling!
 
First let me say that I rated this thread as Excellent! I have hear some great points & thoughtful discussion on both sides of some topics .

I would like to close with the most important thing any new maker that comes over to my shop brings, isn't beer or kids or guns we can shoot. It's that they bring their dog or at least give a real warm hearted hello to my dog or the visit might get cut short!

I don't trust people that don't like dogs!
 
First let me say that I rated this thread as Excellent! I have hear some great points & thoughtful discussion on both sides of some topics .

I would like to close with the most important thing any new maker that comes over to my shop brings, isn't beer or kids or guns we can shoot. It's that they bring their dog or at least give a real warm hearted hello to my dog or the visit might get cut short!

I don't trust people that don't like dogs!

:) Like a friend of mine says to his guest about his dog, "just remember he lives here, you don't!"
 
I saw this filework on a knife once and really liked it. I thought I would give it a try. I used a drill press and two different files.
 
That is absolutely beautiful. I like that it runs on a nice contour like that. good job. maybe you and tony can compare notes?
 
I have posted here from time to time with the way I do certain things. I have had a lot of makers ask where did you get that, or how did you make that. Well, I sometimes put a lot of work into things I make. And after several months of labor I build what I have been working on and I begin to use it. And for just a while I resent them asking when I did all the work. I have answered hundreds of questions, shown lots of people how to make jigs, and lost time on my work to show someone how to do it. Now I am trying to get some of my back orders done and the same time pass it on. A young man who is a long time friend, has been an excellent maker of 10 years, and who is now the lone recipient of this knowledge will get all I can share with him. He inherits my shop when I can no longer make knives. Free of charge. He does not have to do anything for it as he is already doing what he needs to do.
 
I saw this filework on a knife once and really liked it. I thought I would give it a try. I used a drill press and two different files.

I'm impressed!!!! I want to try that. I sure appreciate all the ideas that get posted here.

Ken H>
 
I know that we started another thread......

http://knifedogs.com/showthread.php?36799-Knife-making-thoughts-level-what-are-you-building

.....but Tom's post was in line with most of this discussion on this thread. Unless I'm misunderstanding what "Incorrect thread" was referring to?

My post was about makers sharing knowledge with other makers. I spend a lot of my time researching how to do something in making a knife and it can turn into weeks and months. This is why I don't like to share some things. Things that have taken me away from knives. I built a jig for my use and a few saw it and immediately they wanted me to build one for them and teach them how to use it. It would have been better if they tried to build one. Even one of these so called knife designers wanted me to grind blades for him to put his name and logo on. WHAT!!!!!!!! NO!!!!!!!!. I will be careful of what I post from now on. Some of what I have built is quality enough for a patent. Will ask my son about these as he used to work for the patent office. That is why I don't want to share knife knowledge.
 
The filework shouldn't be that hard to duplicate with a drillpress, protractor, a scribe, and a small triagular file. If you save the picture, you can then enlarge it about 50% before it starts to blur and get a very good idea how its done if you done filework before. :biggrin:
 
I finally managed to do this on a piece of scrap steel. I will do a WIP when I put it on a real blade.

The biggest hurdle was getting that hole the right depth and centered. A little experimentation got the drill press set to the right depth and some careful center punching got them lined up.

I used a jewelry sized triangular file to make the line and a larger one for the triangular cut.

As it stands for me, it is a lot if work. I don't think I will use it that often until I can come up with a better method.
 
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