Need help in GA

[newblade67]

Hello to all on the board. My name is Rick and I am as about as new to knife making as you can get. I am real eager to learn and I try to read as much as I can so I do not have to ask a lot of basic question and forums like this are what made me decide to give it a try. I went and Got Wayne Goddard?s book ?The Fifty Dollar Knife Shop? and I have started to get the things I need. I think I have what I need to do material removal knives and I am working on gathering the things for a forged knife. I would like to make a proposal to anyone in the Atlanta area to help me out. Maybe just an hour here and there over a cup of coffee, beer or 14 year old single malt scotch whatever I?m not that picky. I would love to watch you go through the precess of making a forged knife and a material removal one then let me ask a bunch of questions and take notes. Not just on the knife making process but on setting up a small shop and purchasing gear. If you also do leather work (sheaths) that would be a plus because I will need some place to put the knives when I am through.
Now what I have to offer is besides eagerness to learn how to do it right, but I have 22 some odd years Flyfishing, flytying and a few years of rod building. I even owned a guide service for about four years up in North Carolina. I flyfish for anything from small mountain trout, panfish in fresh water and to tarpon and shark in the salt. I can teach you how to cast and fly fish for many species of fish. As for rod building well I just do not have that much experience I have only built about 10 rods although I do believe they came out very nice but not perfect
If you have no desire to learn how to fly fish or tie then maybe I can help you around your place with some good old manual labor.
I just really would like someone to take me under their wing and help to guide me through the process of making a knife I would be proud to own and give as a gift
Thanks for listening and I look forward to learning much more from the forum.
Rick

[Carey Quinn]

You might want to check in with the Georgia Guild Forum. There are a bunch of knifemakers in GA and those in the Guild are happy to help when they can. I just happened to peek in here and saw your post so it was found kind of by accident.

Hope that helps,
Carey

[Martin Brandt]

Welcome Rick, I would second Carey's post even if we lose you here, though you can visit both forums, and many others. A local forum could connect you with many local to you makers, and perhaps to some local hammerin's where you would be welcome to learn and participate as well. There are also local chapters of ABANA (Artist Blacksmiths of America) who would have blacksmiths and knifesmiths where you could watch and learn. Many of the skills of decorative smiths transfer over to knifemaking. It's amazing how much of your tooling can be made by yourself. Sounds like you've the required curiosity, and hand eye skill. Also the blacksmith chapters usually have a couple of conferences a year that include blacksmith tool vendors, and the regular folks who bring along their duplicate tools, anvils, forges, post vises, materials to tailgate sell as well. Don't get discouraged if first pieces fall a little short, as we all have a few ugly firsts hidden away to remind us where we started. I've got some rather rough ones still from first knives from 15-16 yrs. old, and my first forged leaf is hanging in my shop to keep me humble and encourage me that I have come a long way when I get frustrated on a piece. and good luck!

[Crex]

nb67
Sorry, been away from the forums for awhile.

First - Welcome! Second - There's no hope for you....we're too close to Alabama!

I'm up in the Acworth area just off I-75. Would enjoy getting together to talk a bit.
I don't normally barter instruction especially with this current economy, but never hurts to consider options.
I am a charter member of the Georgia Guild. Wish I'd seen your post earlier as we just had a meeting this past weekend (30th) and you'd been more than welcome to attend. The next one will be in Jan/Feb.
To find out about these and other Georgia events check the Georgia Guild Forum here on KNF.
If you'd like to get together, send me a pm and we'll see what we can work out.

(I flyfish too, by the way)

>just a side query - You don't really mean an hour or so, do you?

[RICK LOWE]

I see a match made in heaven here. A newbie that fly fishes, and wants to learn knife making and leather work as well, teaming up with Brother Carl. Newblades67, jump on the boat and get going. Contact Carl and get ready to learn! Can't go wrong.
RLo