Hey! Im super green to the knife making world in fact I just got my first two piecs of steel in the mail today. This looks like a great resource. Anyone have a recommendation on where to buy cheep handle materals and hardware? I dont want to spend too much until i get some practice. thanks.
Welcome Eric. I can't help you with the handle question because I use what most here would advise against, untreated wood. I just have a bunch of old dried wood leftover from my wood working days that i use. I love it and it works for me but i have had some shrinkage in a couple of projects. I would wait to hear from one of the more experienced people. I'm pretty green myself, and cheap... i am also very cheap (i.e. reusing old wood without stabilizing it). But, I also just built a micarta press and have cutup some old fabric i got from the Salvation Army. I plan on making my own micarta. Again, i'm cheap... Seriously, i get more out of trying to make something myself out of junk. I will upcycle as much as i can just for the kick of making something cool from something somebody would throw away.
Welcome aboard. Sometimes it takes some looking, but a good source for cheap handle material are wood shops and furniture makers. Both often have end cuts and scraps of hardwoods and even a few exotics. You can also find metal for hardware and pins at metal scrap yards and recyclers, though getting something useful from that stuff isn't always worth the effort.
I've started saving all manner of spare parts and "junk" in a tote in my shop (my Tote of Many Things). It's really amazing how fast you find usable junk. I found a whole bunch of pin material from these old metal pieces that, i think, came from a chair. They're straight pieces of steel and work great as pins. I'm a bit of hoarder when it comes to bits and bobs of metal and wood and plastic. Found some great pieces of uhmw plastic (i think that's what it is) and it looks like it could be useful for something - maybe just jigs even. With this new micarta press, i plan on going hog wild. I've seen people make old scotch brite pads into handle material. Same for old jeans, tea towels, sawdust, copper scrub pads.. sky's the limit. That's my jam. I love making cool new stuff from junky old stuff. If my first thought is, "that's crazy" it just makes me want to try it. It's not that i'm cheap (not only that i'm cheap at least), it's just another problem to work on. To flex the old noodle and get creative.
Hey Eric, I’m in CR, have all kinds of stuff here, been at it for a year. Pretty steady. I have everything you need to build whatever you like, shop is set up reasonably well. Give a shout, we can hook up and get you a knife built.
Eric, even if you are just starting out and are trying your hand at one knife, grab some G10 scales, or Micarta scales from any of the knife supply guys in the states or off eBay, won't kill the bank account. They greatest lessons I learned was in making my first knife...you have to - like I did finally - say to yourself, "I don't care how it turns out I am finishing one if it kills me, handles and all!" Oh and welcome, lol!
Thanks for all the information guys. Really appreciate it. And Steve I would love to come up and check out your shop if thats ok?
For sure, drop an email, I’ll give you my digits and addy. I’m not far from Oyster River. stephensyncox@gmail.com
