I will start off by saying hello to everyone, I am a self proclaimed knife geek from Raymond Alberta. I joined this forum looking for advice and guidance in turning my fascination with knives into a outlet for my creative energy ( corny I know ) so to begin if everyone reading could tell me how they started out or give me any advice how to start it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all in advance, hope to learn a lot from all of you.
Welcome to the forums SoabChad. In my opinion, the best way to start out in knife making is to start making knives. Draw a design or two on paper, get some blade steel and a few simple tools (files, hacksaw, sandpaper), and start playing. You can read the books and watch the videos all you want, but the only way you can really get the feel for it is by doing it.
Welcome to the forums SoabChad. In my opinion, the best way to start out in knife making is to start making knives. Draw a design or two on paper, get some blade steel and a few simple tools (files, hacksaw, sandpaper), and start playing. You can read the books and watch the videos all you want, but the only way you can really get the feel for it is by doing it.
Welcome to the forum. Here is how you can start right now. Order some 1084 from rob at knifemaker.ca he is in Alberta so it won't take long. In the meantime head down to crappy tire buy a good selection of files, sandpaper, a hacksaw and a knife sized hunk of the mild steel they sell. While you wait use the mild steel to practice. When you get the 1084, make a knife then send it back to Rob for heat treatment and buy some handle material from him. Finish them up, slap the handle on and blamo! You know have a knife.
I started out by replacing my favorite kitchen knife handle and it spiraled from there. I would recommend getting the "$50 knife shop" by Wayne Goddard. A lot of very good beginners info and how to do it on a small budget with very basic tools and from there you can upgrade as your talent and budget allow. In my opinion a very good starting point, because it you find out it's not for you then you haven't invested a lot of time or money. Also start looking online and at auctions for tools and equipment. If you're interested in forging starting asking everyone you know because you might be surprised as to who has an anvil, hammers, tongs etc. buried in an old shed. Good luck and welcome. Joel
Hi Chad, Welcome to the forum. My folks are down in Milk River so I driven past Raymond a few times in my days. I got the bug last summer when I watched a YouTube video by a guy who made a knife out of O1 steel and heat treated it with a brake drum forge. Fascinated, I ordered an $11 piece of steel from Canadian Knifemaker Supply (as mentioned above: knifemaker.ca), sketched a blade on an envelope, grabbed a vise, hacksaw and a file and went to town making a bushcraft knife. Life has never been the same. FWIW, I am a newbie, less than a year, but I have since made a half dozen knives, sheaths, a heat treating oven, belt grinder and some templates and other neat things and documented as best I could in my blog. Good luck and welcome to the twisting, sordid path that is knifemaking. Dan
hello chad and welcome . also if you ever get near tilley alberta hit up jim clow . he is willing to teach and help any one . he is also having a big event around fathers day ? where a bunch of great knife makers will be there .he has helped me out a lot . i text him all the time . his call name is boat builder on the knife forums . not sure if he is on this site , but he is on the knife network forum .go into the newbie arena , then under meet a knife maker in your area . jims number is in there . also he has thursday night knife making drop in . he will teach you so much in one day that would take you months to learn .and you can check out some of his grinders and set ups .later don
Greetings and welcome, Chad! Don made an excellent suggestion about taking in the knifemaking event at Jim Clow's this June. If you go the Knife Show & Events heading on this forum and then click on the heading 2014 southern alberta hammer in, you can get some excellent information on this event. It's on June 13, 14 and 15 and attracts new and experienced knifemakers from all over western Canada. The knifemakers Jim Clow brings in to demonstrate knifemaking techniques are absolutely top-notch talent. Check out the video posted there. Jim T
