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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 02-03-2013, 04:19 PM
tdmegaman tdmegaman is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Sheboygan Wisconsin
Posts: 4
Red face need the raw basics please!

Hello, I am absolutely new to knife making other than a simple file knife that i miserably failed to create, if you guys would be so kind, do you think you could give me the basics about forging my first true knife? the materials i can work with are files and railroad spikes, and as for tools, i am pretty limited. i have a basic bench grinder, a dremel, and an angle grinder, i however have no proper anvil and probably wont anytime soon. if you guys could concentrate all of the most important information that would be immensely helpful!
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  #2  
Old 02-03-2013, 04:45 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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First of all a good book or two would be nice. They will help keep you from making some expensive mistakes and give you the basics better than we can on a piecemeal basis. I like The Master Bladesmith by Jim Hrisoulas. It deals with the basics as well as more advanced stuff. The $50 Knife Shop by Wayne Goddard is also nice for helping to figure out how to do things on a restricted budget.

Old files might be a source of good steel or they will be a waste of time depending on the carbon content. Railroad spikes are at best marginal for making knives. Check USA Knife Maker Supply, Alpha Knife Supply, and The New Jersey Steel Baron and check their prices. Something like 1080 or 1084 will be great steels to start with.

For anvils see if you can get a block of steel somewhere to use as an anvil. A block of steel, even if it's round will be better than a length of railroad track, though knives have been forged on worse. I picked up an 81 lb block of steel from a seller on Ebay and it cost me $140, shipping included. I much prefer it to either of my English pattern anvils, even the one that's about 30% heavier. A block of granite with a smooth face is also usable. (Just no late night visits to a marble orchard)

Google up tin can or coffee can forges. They're not the greatest but they can get you started and they show the basic, on a smaller scale, of making a gas forge.

A lot of blade shaping can be done with files. The largest single bastard cut mill file will be a great start as well as some round and half round files.

Doug


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  #3  
Old 02-03-2013, 06:19 PM
tdmegaman tdmegaman is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Sheboygan Wisconsin
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Thank you for the recommendations, sir! I am looking these things up and starting to feel a bit less lost now, though i may have to wait a bit to obtain an anvil due to my current budget, that should give me some time to look for better steel and do some more reading up.
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Old 02-03-2013, 07:33 PM
Recurve Recurve is offline
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Where do you hail from there TD? There are a lot of good makers out there who would share their knowledge with you, and you might get an invite to their shop. Fill out your profile and you might be surprised at the shouts you'll recieve. -Jim-



www.shullhandforgedknives.com
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  #5  
Old 02-03-2013, 07:34 PM
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Crex Crex is offline
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Fill out your profile better. You might be living within spitting distance of another knifemaker that can help you a lot in a "handson" way. The books Doug mentioned are great reading and good reference as well, should help you alot.
If, as it sounds, you are forge oriented then seek out and attend a few hammer-ins. They will be worth the effort, you can learn alot and get connected with folks that can really help you get going in the right direction.
If you are in the SE USA, let me know and I'll see about hooking you up the best I can.
Good luck.


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  #6  
Old 02-03-2013, 10:52 PM
Bowman Bowman is offline
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You might also consider starting with a stock removal method until you get an anvil setup. I would very much like to get into hammering but it's stock removal for now. As was mentioned, some basic KNIFE steel, hand files, a small forge, and sandpaper is all you need to get going. All the info is here that you need to learn but one of the mentioned books will put it all in order for you.
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Old 02-04-2013, 05:47 AM
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Crex Crex is offline
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Welcome Travis.
There is a thread here on KNF called "Finding a knifemaker in your area" or something like that. Do a search and read throuh it, you may get lucky and find one listed close by.
Just remember.....an anvil is just a hardspot that will stop a hammer. My first anvil was a large chunk of granite headstone (reject). Still have it and it still works. Sure I prefer my bigger more suited anvils, but if you have the desire bad enough you can learn to adapt.
My second anvil was a rxr coupling knuclke much like the one Wayne G shows in his "$50 Knife Shop". Have also used track, pumpshafts, forklift tines, sledge hammer head, etc. Like I said.....hard spot to stop the hammer. Use your imagination.


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  #8  
Old 02-04-2013, 10:48 PM
tdmegaman tdmegaman is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Sheboygan Wisconsin
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Thank you all for your help, tomorrow i am going to begin work on the design for a makeshift forge (a basic brick tower, blow dryer setup) and i might actually be receiving a pretty nice block of steel to use as an anvil, so the situation is looking pretty good, as for the materials to work with and such, i haven't quite come to that bridge but i am looking into some 1080 steel from usa knife maker, and i may just use the railroad spikes as practice.
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  #9  
Old 02-05-2013, 04:49 AM
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Be sure to use rated fire brick, regular house brick can explode due to trapped moisture.
The size of your hammer will be relative to the size of your block of steel and the combined solid resistance it is attached too. Don't go by "bigger is better" in this area unless everything matches. You'll just wear yourself out and get less than satisfactory results. Secure the block to a stand so it doesn't hop around on you when used. More solid the base the better she'll work. Resist the temptation to "tapdance" on your anvil without hot steel in between the hammer and anvil.....every dent you put into it's face will show up in your work. The surface will work harden with time.
Spikes are good practice in stock reduction and dimensional manipulation, but everyone usually goes through a learning curve on getting a grip on them. Anyone that does more than a couple of spikes a year winds up making or altering a set of tongs to hold them more securely while forging (you'll understand when you work with them).
Sounds like you are on your way. Have fun and stay safe.


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C Rex Custom Knives

Blade Show Table 6-H
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  #10  
Old 02-11-2013, 07:49 PM
tdmegaman tdmegaman is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Sheboygan Wisconsin
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I got pretty lucky on the steel block, my father works at a shop that uses cnc machines to turn blocks of steel into patterns for motor parts and such, so he gave we the "worthless half" of one of his projects, and its perfect! the top of the block is almost exactly the face size of a medium anvil, and is almost perfectly smooth. on top of that, the block weighs a nice 70 pounds, so its pretty stable wherever i put it.

as for the metal, he also gave me some softer grade lengths of scrap steel to start out with, so i have something better than rr spikes to practice with. as for the forge, I temporarily have to give up on the brick tower setup, because all the bricks i have behind my shed appear to be concrete (darn, i thought we had some clay/fire brick!) on that note, Ive opted to use a nice little mini grill i have, and a heat test i did on a rr spike got it bright carbon-spark orange in no time. I hope to start tomorrow if I can find the time.

thank you to all of you guys for helping me with resources and information!
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  #11  
Old 02-12-2013, 05:37 AM
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Crex Crex is offline
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Might check the local ceramics place (where the ladies go to make cups, mugs, and figurines), they quite often throw out old kiln brick when they rebuild. Little crumbly but will work if you take the time to recut and fit together. They usually use the softer brick and you can use hacksaw blades to cut them up. If they have been out in the weather, make sure you dry them out thuroughly before use.


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C Rex Custom Knives

Blade Show Table 6-H
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