My First Knife Making Class

Had the great fortune of hanging out with a group of knife makers today. First up, we set up a Grizzly 2 x 72 grinder in one guys garage. One of the veterans took a piece of D2 steel, profiled a hunting knife and did the hollow grind on it…….all in a matter of 5 minutes. I guess with a last name of Bowie (yes, he is related) it’s in the blood. Then on to one of the guy’s knife shop. Kind of a unique set-up.

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There is stuff everywhere that can be used. Saw blades – a gator skin being dried – a couple of water buffalo hides drying – some rattle snake skins drying – bones and antlers of all kinds piled up.

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After cutting a chunk of metal from an old sawmill blade, they had me shape a blade on the grinder, and then showed me how to do a hollow grind. They did one side, I did the other. My side needed to be cleaned up a little, but man – what a difference proper tools make.

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I left with some bones, pieces of steel, a Ryobi cutoff saw (needs a little work) and an invitation to return. These guys are fantastic! I really can’t say enough about them. I ended up bringing home a knife that one of the guys made from an old sawmill blade that was badly pitted. I think he do pretty good with it.

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I like the pitted blade look!

Just wondering about the semi trailer set-up...in case of a fire, I hope there is another way out other than the back.

If they have any more to give away like that throw my name in the hat!!!! That is Gorgeous!!! You lucky Dog you!! I am Sooooooo jealous!!(going to get a 5 gal. bucket for the drool)

@ Rebel - one way in and out.

@ Poco - The knife wasn't a give away - I bought it. Kind of wanted to say thanks for all the help.

Crash, The blade looks good so far. I like the brass on the finished one.

Crash I'm Still drooling!!! I Wonder what else they might have for sale?

Nice, I remember doing my own knife several years ago.
Shame I don't have the pics any more, it lies in the other side of the country at my parents place.:smash:

Nice Crash! I bet you had a blast! I am drooling over all that handle material he's got there. Thats alot of money sitting there.

In the bottom of the picture with all the bone handle material is that Armadillo?? Can you use that for a Handle??

Panch0 - he had over 20 drawers just like it, plus an entire drawer of armadillo hide that he uses on sheaths - maybe 100 pieces in that drawer alone. He has some machine that he stabilizes his scales (wood, bone, whatever) in. He draws a vacuum in it with the material in there, introduces the dye he's using and then pressurizes it to 3500 psi. He's made some pretty cool stuff.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pocomoonskyeyes

In the bottom of the picture with all the bone handle material is that Armadillo?? Can you use that for a Handle??

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Yep. Armadillo tail. He's got a lot of armadillo hide as well (see previous post).

that is beautiful crash.

it sounds like you found just the right people to share your knifemaking adventures with.

Armadillos. MMmmmm. During WWII the U.S. thought the Germans had infected the armadillos with leprosy. http://svm369.vetmed.lsu.edu/images/...%20Leprosy.pdf
Just sayin'....

I love the look of pitted blades. Do you know how to make it pit like that? I always thought they just hammered it that rough. I wish I could have gone with you. I am sure you learned a ton.

tannins from fresh hardwood bark like to pit steel. i mentioned my fiendish plan to try and utilize this effect in another thread.

This particular blade was pitted from deep rust. It was an old sawmill blade.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by finallyME

I love the look of pitted blades. Do you know how to make it pit like that? I always thought they just hammered it that rough. I wish I could have gone with you. I am sure you learned a ton.

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Sometimes the hammer marks are left to add a rustic look.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by finallyME

I love the look of pitted blades. Do you know how to make it pit like that? I always thought they just hammered it that rough. I wish I could have gone with you. I am sure you learned a ton.

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Dip the blade in something very acidic such as phosphoric acid, maybe even vinegar. Coat with saltwater and wait. When pitted sand-cold blue-sand and you'll have the look. Oh and it must be carbon steel. Or, just start with a rusty peice of steel, just say'in!

nice man very cool.

i love shop set ups like that where everything is right on the edge of breaking down in to total chaos but stays put together in some form of organization that only the proprietor can fully understand. awesome.

I swear if I had a set up like that and it caught fire I'd just sit in the middle and go up with it. I'd be too heart broken to stand outside and watch it burn.

Crash, I'll bet you needed a cigarette when you left there. :innocent:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rick

I swear if I had a set up like that and it caught fire I'd just sit in the middle and go up with it. I'd be too heart broken to stand outside and watch it burn.

Crash, I'll bet you needed a cigarette when you left there. :innocent:

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i'm with you there.

Beautiful knife Crash. You're a lucky man! When are you going back?

Sometime soon. It has put my knife making projects on hold for the time being. Gotta make room for a grinder in my small shop (there's always room for a good too right?), talk Mrs. Crash into letting me spend the $$$, and then order one.

What kind of grinder did you decide on Crash?

While a KMG, Bader or Wilton would be nice, they are not in the budget. I'll probably go with the Grizzly and add the 10" wheel to get the grinding surface out a little from the motor. http://grizzly.com/products/Knife-Be...r-Buffer/G1015

My Craftsman is 3000rpms That one is 1750. I think it would work awesome. Mine is way fast and can screw up a blade quick if you are not careful. I really need to upgrade.

Everything I read says go with variable speed and this and that - just not in the budget, so this will have to do. I helped a guy set up his last week and one of the more experienced makers took a piece of D2 stock - profiled and did a hollow grind in a couple of minutes. Of course this guy could probably use jewelers files to make a knife too.

yeah, you can do a lot of jobs more quickly or easily with fancier tools, but a good craftsman can find ways to make do.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by panch0

My Craftsman is 3000rpms That one is 1750. I think it would work awesome. Mine is way fast and can screw up a blade quick if you are not careful. I really need to upgrade.

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Would a rotary switch for varying the speed work?

I thought of that but was advised not to. I don't remember the reason, I think cause it had a low hp motor and it would become even weaker so when you apply pressure it bogs down.

Yep, from what all the guys and gals that seem to know what they are doing, they say that even a 1hp motor with a variable speed option is too small. They suggest 1.5hp to 3hp for that or different sized pulleys.

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