Must Have Shop Tools

[jakeb]

Hello everyone, glad to find this forum. I attended a gun show only to see a vendor of custom knives and wound up buying 2 of them. I have been searching for a hobby and decided this could be worth me trying. I will probably make a few fixed blades and kits to get into the grove but all im really interested in making is slip joints, and a few other rypes of folders. Anyway I have bought a few DVD's and looking at some books and reading all I can about. It also didnt take long to add a trip to the BLADE show to my bucket list. Anyway I would like to know what are the must have tools to make a respectable knife. slip joint mainly. Like bandsaw, drill press, and some belt grinders. I need the most help with the grinders. Does it really take 5-6 different kinds of grinders? Finally the man in the DVD used a surface grinder with magnetic chuck, and it was rather expensive so wondering how do you get the blade and sprind the same thickness if you dont have a surface grinder

Also I have seen a dremel tool and a stand to make a make shift drill press and wonder if that would be good for knife making instead of a drill press, maybe I need both? In the video I have the guy has multiple grinders and I looked them up and some cost 3000 or more. I assume there is something that can do almost as good of job much cheaper. I also understand that he can do a very good job because he has been knife making for 30 years. Anyway what models of grinders are better than a file but not quite industrial grade? I would like to buy my tools on a budget of 1000-1500 if possible or will it take much more?

Also I happen to have a LARGE amount of gift cards to HOME DEPOT so anything they cary I would like to use those up. I notice they have an array of drill presses so I could get one there.

Well sorry for so long, and probably rambled but any help is greatly appreciated.

[SVanderkolff]

First off, welcome to the obsession. As for "must haves" there really is no one right answer. Many wonderful knives are made strictly with files and sandpaper. Of course sainthood is almost a prerequisite for that. I would say a drill press and a vice, a work bench, clamps or vice grips, digital calipers. A metal cutting bandsaw will save you a ton of time and are fairly cheap, $300. A good respirator and a fire extinguisher are also required. As for the grinder, I would suggest you try the files for a while first to see if this is the hobby for you and then get yourself a KMG grinder from Beaumont Metal works. Runs around $1500 with most of the tool arms you could reasonably use and agrueably the only grinder you will need. I am sure I have missed a bunch of stuff. Get yourself the $50 knife shop book by Ed Fowler. If you want to see how to do things cheap to start and is a good contract to the multiple power tool videos.
Hope that helps
Steve

[grant]

Originally Posted by SVanderkolff

Get yourself the $50 knife shop book by Ed Fowler. If you want to see how to do things cheap to start and is a good contract to the multiple power tool videos.
e

I have Wayne Goddard's "$50 knife shop" and really like it. I can't seem to find a book of that name from Ed Fowler. Do you know where it can be found?

[SVanderkolff]

Ooops , sorry about that, wrong author. You are correct it is Wayne Goddard.
Steve

[Ray Rogers]

First, welcome to the forums. It will help us and you if you will fill out your profile so we know where you are.

As Steve said, start with files and sandpaper, make at least one knife that way. You'll learn a lot about the process and you'll see firsthand where power tools will help the most. All of the files and other hand tools you buy for this step will continue to be used for as long as you make knives even if you eventually have as many power tools as I do so the money isn't wasted.

Dremel on a stand or drill press? Drill press hands down, 12 speed or better. Since your goal is folders you need rigidity and repeatability so you need a good drill press. About $300 will do it. If you don't already have a Grizzly catalog get one. Don't ever read this catalog when you are alone, rapid heart palpitations and shortness of breath can lead to trouble in us older folks.

Grizzly also has the most grinder for the money, a knife maker's grinder for under $500. Not the best design but about half of us still have one in our shops and they still get used even after we get the $3000 grinders. Or, you can build your own, many of us do. The important thing is you want a 2x72" grinder.

Grizzly also has surface grinders. You'll be pushing $2000 for the smallest one but once you get really serious about folder making you'll want one. Until then you'll probably want to use precision ground steel in your folders. Folders have moving parts - in order to function well the parts have to fit together well. That fitting can be accomplished by hand but it does take some patience, skill, and care.

I started in much the same way as you. Saw some knives at a show, could have paid for them but they were $600 and I was too cheap. Bought some knife kits and files and sandpaper instead. Graduated to making my own fixed blades, then on to folders. Now, I can make all the $600 knives I want and all it took was 17 years and a $30,000 investment .

Many of us have shop tours on our websites if you want to see what tools we use. You'll quickly see there is no universal answer to what tools are needed to make a knife....

[Ed Tipton]

I may as well throw my hat into this ring with the others. One power tool that is absolutely indispensible in my shop is a disc grinder. I have several angle grinders and i keep a different type of "disk" on each one. Angle grinders are cheap, fast, and with practice can be very useful. I also have a large fixed disc grinder. With this single power tool I can use conventional grinding stones, angle grinding discs, cut off wheels, wire brushes, and flap wheel discs (my favorite). It is a custom made unit of my own design, but it is a killer machine, and it takes much of the "drudgery" out of the process.
I do not knock the file and sandpaper approach, but those techniques are not for everybody. I thoroughly enjoy my time in my shop, but if I was limited to files and sandpaper, I would probably have given it up by now. I guess it all depends on how serious your "sickness" is. I have a bad case of it, but I doubt that sandpaper and files would have helped any. The whole idea of forging, grinding, and producing something from "nothing" can be quite exhilarating.
Just my thoughts.
Enjoy, be safe, and have fun.

[ARCustomKnives]

Hopefully nobody is getting tired of my "standard" recommendation, but I recommend you look into building a NWGS (No Weld Grinder Sander). You can get plans from USAKnifeMaker.com and if you source your parts just right, and have a little patience, you can likely get up and running for less than $500 and have a much more versatile (or potentially more versatile) grinder to boot, with the possibility of interchangeable attachments/tool arms.

I'd also recommend getting a halfway decent drill press as well. Heck, even a used benchtop drill press isn't a bad investment to get started with.

[jakeb]

Great! thanks for the answers and keep them coming. I usually like a set list, but with you guys showing so many approaches and different tools etc actually sounds great. Lets me know that there probably is not a "right" way and that if it works for me thats all I need.

As to how bad my sickness is, well im willing to spend about 1500 to get a taste, and then add on as I can if I like it! I dont see myself doing it as a job, but I would love to do it for myself and friends etc as a hobby. I can see myself jumping into the deep end on this!

I also have a good friend that has a shop and is a silversmith and makes bits and spurs for horses, also engraves very well I should go see him and he may have some of the tools I need, I could go try some at his place before I go crazy

[Kostoglotov]

First I'd recommend fill out your profile. You might live near a knifemaker and could get invited over to take a look at/use some of the tools of the trade


Files - You'll never not use files for something and buy good ones and a file card (These guys have the best pricing I've seen - http://shop.vendio.com/satco/item/879197718/index.html)

Drill Press - You might (based on where you live) be able to score a good deal on craigslist

Drill Bits - I'd invest some coin in Cobalt bits. You should be able to score these at HD/Menards/Lowes

Vice(s) - You can get away with something cheaper like a HF vice to start.

Clamps - C, Spring, etc


The above is a pretty good start



Belt sander - The cheapest one out there is the craftsman 2 X 42. Its $100-140 and works. Runs at about mach 3.2, but you can definitely make a knife with one. The Griz is the next step up.

Getting a KMG/Burr King/et al is never a bad investment, if you decide that knifemaking isn't for shouldn't have much of a problem selling for near cost

One last thing about a belt sanders/grinders its a great tool but you are only starting to spend money once you buy one. You're going to spend some $ on belts as well

[jakeb]

Ok I think I filled out the profile. I have a question for you guys, what type of folder is easiest to make? or requires the least tools? Is it more of personal preference?

[Dave Armour]

+1 on the angle grinder. Once you get used to them they're really handy to have in the shop.

One thing I would add is get extra safety gear: gloves, glasses, ear protection, & respirator. That way you have them on hand for guests in your shop or when your shop gremlins borrow them.

Can't help you with advice on folders- I've only made a couple and they look like I did it with my eyes closed the whole time.

[Ray Rogers]

All folders are "easy" to make if you take the time to learn how and build all the little tools and fixtures that make it easy to make a particular type of folder. To me, building liner locks is easy but I've been building them for many years. I've made a few slip joints - which are much simpler from a mechanical point of view - but they don't come out nearly as well. The reason is that I haven't taken the time to build the fixtures and learn the little tricks that convert a massive pain in the @#$% into an "easy" task. What all this means is, figure out which type of folders you want to build and then learn to build them, build the necessary tools and fixtures, and practice, practice, practice. But, don't assume that because you can build one type of folder that it will automatically mean you can build all other types just as well. Doesn't work that way.

There are lots of books, videos, and tutorials for most every type of folder. Start by looking in the Tutorial sticky at the top of this forum. Then, get some catalogs from knife supply places (because they list books and videos), check some of the suppliers who have websites, and buy some copies of Blade magazine and Knives Illustrated for their listings of suppliers, books, and videos as well as the articles on knife making. Buy some cheap examples of the style of folder you want to make and take them apart until you know how they work. Build a few kit folders too. That will get you started making folders.

BUT, before you actually try making folders build a few fixed blade knives - skinners, hunters, kitchen knives, doesn't matter as long as they aren't too large. Doing this is the fastest, easiest, and cheapest way to learn the basic processes and tool requirements for building any kind of knife....

[ARCustomKnives]

I'll second what Ray said about starting out with something like a small fixed blade. One thing you'll quickly find out if you're like 99% of other beginning makers, is that it's about 10x easier to grind a blade that's 3 or 4 inches long than it is to grind one that's 10 or 12 inches long.

I.E., I'd probably start off with a neck knife before I made a machete...

Personally, I started off with chisel ground neck knives until I was comfortable enough to grind on both sides.

[NJStricker]

If you want to start out with folders, look into friction folders. Very simple, there are no latches or springs. A blade, handle slabs, a pivot pin, a spacer, and a stop pin--and that's it for parts. The rest is up to you.

[Eli Jensen]

Just thought I'd throw my two cents in. I'm a poor college student so I've found ways around the multi-thousand dollar pieces of machinery. I might suffer in quality and efficiency, but I'm a beginner and it works.

I've got bottom of the line everything, but I've modified about everyone of them and I'd say only half of my tools perform their original function (which also means I'm a HUGE advocate for safety.

The first thing anyone should invest in is complete protection for EYES, LUNGS, and EARS. Everyone else can grow back or heal.

Anyways to my main point, when I was a freshman I bought a $100 4x36" stationary sander. I use this tool more than anything else. I use zirconium belts for planing and shaping wood for handles and other projects and ceramic belts for metal. I use the wheel for profiling blades.

I set up a FLAT stand to sit in front of the sander when I set it up vertically and it works perfect with a jig if flat grinds are your thing. I've cut off all the plastic siding and such to make it less akward. The only problem is around the choil and keeping things even because the belt can come 1/2 way off the track on one side but not at all on the other, and its difficult to get consistant tracking. Its probably going to die soon from the swarf and pushing it too hard buts I've gotten more than my $100 out of it thats for sure.