[damon]

When setting out to learn something new, you will only hinder your ability to learn it if you start off assuming you know how it SHOULD be done.

Even with forging you will still need some stock removal to clean up. The more techniques you learn the more tools youll have to work with. i dont mean literal tools, but those will come too in time.

Ive done both forging, and stock removal. As has been mentioned there are benefits to both methods, and materials you cant forge with. The hammer has less to do with how good the knife will be as the heat treat.

Welcome to the addiction.