A beginning...

[smithy]

Hi Folks. I am an old f**t newbie. I have been a goldsmith for 30+ years and have just retired. I WANT TO MAKE KNIVES. Not for sale as I have made "stuff" for people long enough...knives will be just for me.

From browsing this fine forum, I see that I am lucky enough to have a lot of equipment that is of cross purposes between jewelry and knife making. Now all I have to do is learn how to use it .

I hope to learn a LOT and contribute what I can. AND, thanks for having me.

[Ray Rogers]

Howdy, Goldsmithy and welcome to the forum! Sounds like you already have valuable skills to share.

Have you started your first knife yet? If not, what are you thinking for your first project? Let's get you started ....

[Doug Lester]

Welcome. First of all, you might want to get some books on knife making. Which will depend on whether you want to do smithing or stock stock removal. Let us know what you have in mind and there are plenty here who can steer you in the right direction.

You may end up wanting to sell some of what you make if for no other reason than so you can make some more but you can always keep the freedom of making things the way you want them rather than on order.

Doug

[Ed Tipton]

Goldsmithy (AKA "Old F**t Newbie")...Welcome to the forum. There are many parallels to be drawn between making jewelry and making knives. The biggest single difference to my mind is the different characteristics between working with gold or silver, and working with knife steels. All are metals, but that's where the similarity stops.
Your skill set from thirty odd years of making jewelry will serve you quite well in this hobby.
I am retired, and as such I have no desire to ruin this great hobby by trying to turn it into a business. I make whatever I want to make, and I very seldom do anything of a custom nature for anyone. I have found that whatever someone envisions in their mind is usually quite different from what they describe to you....and quite often they are disappointed in the end product.
What I do is make knives that I want to make. I feel that I do make a quality knife, but admittedly, I am sometimes disappointed in the final outcome. If someone wants to look at them, I am only too happy to show what I've made....and if they are interested in buying it...it probably is for sale....warts and all...but they are buying what they're looking at...and something that I wanted to make....and not my interpretation of what they are imagining. In effect, they are buying into my dream and my craftsmanship, and I like that.
Still, I cannot say that I do not sell knives, and it always gives me a feeling of satisfaction to sell something that I've made and that has value to someone else.
Enjoy the hobby, and you've landed in a good place.

[JakeThief]

Hey there Smithy, welcome aboard. I'm new here also, as well as knife-making. I can tell you this, after you make your first knife, get ready to be consumed by your new-found passion. Once you catch the bug, you've got it BAD.

Like I said I'm new here as well so if you ever want to talk to another newbie knife-maker just send me a message. Cheers, Smithy.