Building shop is a term I've heard, to describe building the tools and jigs etc to actually build something in your shop. Not the actual shop itself. I got the term from a book by Randolph Bulgin. Actually a series of books, and if you like building things, you should try and find a copy of those books at your local library. They're aimed at machinists, but if you like to make just about anything, you won't be disappointed. Well, I like to build things. All sorts of things. I build dump trailers for my ATV, I build sheds, and gardens,and retaining walls, tools, and just last week I knitted my daughter a toque. Not the manliest of things, but I built it. So, as it happens, I'm a budding new knifemaker. At least I've tried a few times in the past. I have never made a knife though as something always seems to get in the way. Sometimes it was a lack of tools. So I had to fix that first. I have a fairly well stocked shop, and I work as a machine shop instructor, so I should be able to come up with something that will help me make a knife. I like to do a lot of research in forums like this one before I take up a new hobby. I find a little snooping around beforehand answers a lot of the questions that come up when getting started, or in this case, lets me see what everyone is using to make knives... So here is what |I have come up with so far. Apparently you need some sort of knife vise to hold the blade when you work on the handles. This one screws to the bench, and then rotates around 3 different bolts to allow me to work on any part of the handle I want. The slots down the side allow me to insert the blade across the vise instead of straight in. It seemed like a good idea. It has flat aluminum jaws lined with cork to prevent marring my nice new blade (eventually)...
And of course you need a clamp with a hard surface to allow you to file the blade to fit the guard. The hard surfaces are 3/8 HSS cutting bits ground to fit the radius left after I milled out a pocket for them to fit in. I was going to put in guide pins to keep the mating surfaces parallel, but after trying it out, I figured they won't be needed yet. Maybe after the holes loose up a bit...
And a set of clamps to help hold handles while the epoxy cures. Yes I know the handle on that full tang knife won't require a clamp like this. I made a set of clamps. There are different sized slots to better hold different thicknesses of blades.
And last (for now) I made a Gough style filing jig to get the bevels just right. I'm pretty happy with how this turned out. It all fits into this toolbox. Except for the long stainless rods. The files have the tangs ground off, gently so as not to ruin the HT. And they mount to the rods with this hardware. And then they slide through these modified Heim joints. They are 5/8 joints with a small brass bushing pressed in to better fit the 3/8 rods.
I think its a pretty good start. I'm slowly gathering parts and pieces to build a proper grinder, but I think I will appreciate the whole process a little more if I file the first few blades the old fashioned way. I tried out the filing guide quickly this afternoon, and in about 2 minutes got a pretty good bevel started on one side. I think later tonight when I get a little more time, I'll be able to grind both sides in a half hour or so. But first dinner and then skating lessons for the little ones...
Sweet tools. Love the knife vice. Can you switch the bolts to lever knobs? That would make it easer to tighten/loosen, no? And holy cow man. That filing jig is off the chain. It would make a great sharpening jig too. A monster sized Lansky.
The bolts work fast enough. They hold quite well even just finger tight. I may make some knobs to replace them later on. The nuts at the rotating parts need a wrench to hold tight. Not sure there's any way around that... I have a sharpening jig in the works too. A cross between a Wicked edge sharpener, and an Edge Pro.
