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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 03-30-2012, 08:06 AM
T. Spencer T. Spencer is offline
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Newb intro

Hi all,
I have been reading the forum for a little while and joined up. I have learned a lot from searching the threads, getting side tracked on my searches even yields results! Looks like a great bunch of people too. I plan on getting my "shop" set up in the next few weeks. Going with the Grizzly 2x72, oven with programmable controller from Sugar Creek and steel from Kelly Cupples. I will have to go with stock removal for now, no place for a forge set up.
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Old 03-30-2012, 08:52 AM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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Glad to have you with us! Sounds like you will have a much better set up than most guys have when they make their first knives. And, don't worry about not having a forge yet - even if you did have one you would still need to do a good bit of stock removal on your knife since most guys can't forge perfectly. I've been making knives for 18 years and I do have a forge which I use to make damascus but I've only ever forged one blade as I prefer stock removal ......


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Old 03-30-2012, 09:05 AM
T. Spencer T. Spencer is offline
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I don't have the grinder or oven yet, but should be able to order them next week. I was going to buy a smaller grinder from HF, build a small forge to HT with propane, and use a toaster oven to temper, but my wife was reading on here with me and said go with the other. Great that my wife backs me on my adventures! She works in a factory and knows what it's like to have good equipment when it runs right.
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Old 03-30-2012, 09:37 AM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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Too many people think that knife making is a choice between stock removal or forging. Actually, it's only a choice between when the forging and stock removal are done and the extent to which they're done to produce a knife. Smiths have to do some grinding. All stock removal makers use steel that has been forged to thickness. Both systems make good knives.

The more high end equipment will deffinitly pay for itself but don't give up on the idea of a toaster oven to heat treat in. You will need something to get your blades into after hardening and it might take too long for the kiln to cool down enough from austinizing temperatures to use it for tempering too. You will at least need to stress relieve the steel at about 300 degrees for a couple of hours while it cools down. Or you could just do the tempering in it.

Doug


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Old 03-30-2012, 09:53 AM
T. Spencer T. Spencer is offline
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Thanks for the tip. I may pick up a toaster oven then, if nothing else I could throw some of those nasty little pizzas in it. I'm still trying to get a handle on the whole process, looks like a life time of learning ahead. I look forward to it.
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Old 03-30-2012, 02:20 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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Ya, it's like learning how to make the most of your tools. Ya know, like making your charcoal forge heat up the coffee pot and grill hamburgers. Stick a wire in a hot dog then stick it in the gas forge and you'll have that sucker ready for the bun in no time.

Doug


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Old 04-01-2012, 10:10 AM
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ckluftinger ckluftinger is offline
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Welcome aboard, T.Spencer. You're about to get ADDICTED. Of all the hobbies I've tackled, this one is the most frustrating, pain-in-the-butt, bottom-less-money-pitt activity I've ever gotten involved in and I LOVE every minute of it and I regret not having started sooner!! Yes, there's a lifetime of learning and more, and most of us will only ever scratch the surface. This is the only hobby I know where you get to burn, bang and sizzle stuff (a lot like cooking...), and you get to work with all sorts of metals, wood, leather, antler and whatever else you can affix to a knife, and turn it all into a piece of art that's functional, too. Be sure to share your successes - and challenges! This is the best forum I've ever come across.


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Old 04-01-2012, 12:05 PM
T. Spencer T. Spencer is offline
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Thanks for the welcome! I have changed my mind on some of the equipment, though. I am going with a KMG to start with, lots of people seem to go that way later, I figure get it while I can! I've been looking at Paragon KM14D Knife Kiln over the Sugar Creek, it's 110 V but larger. I am concerned about what Doug Lester pointed out about the oven cooling down enough in time to temper. I was hoping to use the oven for the first as well as the next 2 or 3, but using a toaster oven will save on the kiln electrical components.
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Old 04-01-2012, 03:22 PM
metal99 metal99 is offline
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The toaster oven is actually a pretty decent tempering oven just do yourself a favor and get a good temp guage and it will work fine. 400 degrees is 400 degrees no matter where its comming from. Just modify the rack or find a blade holder that will fit into the toaster I mean "tempering" oven and its all good.
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Old 04-01-2012, 04:30 PM
T. Spencer T. Spencer is offline
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Anyone know of a good temp gauge? I saw one in the kitchen gadgets at wally world for 5 or 6 bucks, not sure how accurate that would be.
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Old 04-01-2012, 06:03 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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Check eBay, I found some professional dial thermometers a few years back that were very expensive but I got them new for $7 each, stuck one in my toaster oven. Or, you can get a cheap laser thermometer from Harbor Freight that's good for that temp range ...


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Old 04-01-2012, 08:57 PM
T. Spencer T. Spencer is offline
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Thanks for the heads-up, I'll check HF never thought about that. I haven't done e-bay for years.
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antler, art, blade, damascus, forge, forged, forging, grinding, handle, heat treat, hobby, knife, knife making, knives, leather, steel


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