How many actual newbies do we have?

[NJStricker]

It may be tough, but not impossible. I've done hidden tangs from manufactured blades, but I did not pin them. I drilled a hole in the handle material (antler or wood block) large enough for the tang, then added epoxy and set the tang in place.

If you were going to do a pinned hidden tang it can be more complicated if you do a mortised handle. Check out this tutorial (newbies should check out as many tutorials as they can on this site--I have over the last year.)

Anyway, check this out: http://www.primosknives.com/articles...ed_tangs_1.htm

[John T Wylie Jr]

I consider myself a newbie also. Got my Bader about 21 months ago. Find time to finish one every now and then , but for me it is just a hobby , I am getting to the point where I am doing more leatherwork than grinding.

[skipknives]

I've been playing at knife making sence 1999 when i walked into a knife shop and was blown away.
now that my grandson started school, i'm in the shop full time now.
but the more i read,,the more i realise i didn't know the stuff you need to know,,,you know
Skip

[Andrew Garrett]

I still consider myself a noob, but perhaps a sophmore noob since this is my second year of trying to make steel look cool and cut stuff. I started in the spring of 05.

My next step is to fire up my newly aquired forge and start irritating the nieghbors with the sound of a hammer on steel.

I did participate in the newbie KITH and still find KITHs a great way to grow and explore in knifemaking. It's a chance to be creative without meeting the requests of a buyer who has placed an order.

For you makers who find design difficult (BeeBee), I'll share what I've learned any time. This is my favorite part (I come from a drawing background).

Some quick design basics (and I'm no expert):
I start all my handle lengths at 4 1/2" and adjust from there depending on design.
I allow 7/8" for a finger groove.
Tapered tangs are awesome for wieght reduction and asthetics, but it can make pinning the handle on a real bear sometimes.
Flat grinding is not easier than hollow grinding. What you learn first is usually easiest, so have your chosen grind type in mind when you draw out you design.
I avoid guards that extend above the spine (personal taste-gives good flow).
I avoid vertical lines such as where the handle ends at the ricasso (again, a flow thing).
I just like knives to look organic--like they grew in the hand that wields them.
It's a simple tool. A simple design works.
Have fun!

[Carey Quinn]

I've been at this for about four years but haven't been able to do a thing for almost two years and it keeps me up at night. Health matters (everyone is fine now) and lack of equipment have been a bugger. Well, I just became the proud new owner of a variable speed Bader and now I am trying to learn how to grind all over. It's funny how rusty you can get by not doing something.

I've got the forge up and running and am trying to get back in to it. Now if life just wouldn't get in the way.

Carey

[jdm61]

Originally Posted by beebee58

I'm a "newbie" myself and I have 4 years of knifemaking behind me .............. I also started with wood and have proceeded to metal. With the woodworking behind you, I think everyone will do fine.

The hardest part for me is the design, and finding the right proportions for everything. The sanding, file work, polishing is the same as woodworking just doesn't proceed as fast. What I found helped me is too make a templet of "kit" knives that I built and then make my own blades and guards with that templet. I also bought some "carbon" steel that I could heat treat myself (I bought 5160).

BUT, by far the best thing I did was to enroll in the "knifemaking" class. I took the ABS "intro" class, but there are many others out there. You can also attend a local "hammer-in", there is a lot of OTHER actitivty going on there besides just forging. There are seminars on Grinding, Handles and Guards, Heat Treating, Silver wire inlay, ect.


Just another Newbie say HI,

BB

P-shaw.......designing is easy....grinding is the real bugaboo......especially plunge cuts i started last spring and had to take January through September of this year off because of business. Just started up again last onth and am SERIOUS this time. I have probably attempted 80 knives and have thrown away over 70 of them. I think that i lost fewer than 10-12 of the 70+ to forging problems, evenly divided between bad forging and hitting the steel when it was too cool and causing cracks or too hot and causing grain growth. The rest were gridning mishaps. i have around 6 in various stages right now. I still have 4 or 5 completed or almost completed knives from back before i stopped. They all have galring flaws, mostly related to grinding. That is what I am working on now and I decided that i will not "fix" messed up blades anymore by thinning them out or grinding them down to smaller sized. If they get messed up, they go in the garbage. I am tryng to learn some patience, too Less obn the grinder and more hand finishing. I know that is more work, but it it turns out good knives, then I will be ahead of the game compared to where i have been so far. i am eligible to take my JS performance test any time afgter Amrch and I need to be ready not only for that, but also for the judging in 2008. LOTS of work to do!!!!!!

[jdm61]

Originally Posted by Carey Quinn

I've been at this for about four years but haven't been able to do a thing for almost two years and it keeps me up at night. Health matters (everyone is fine now) and lack of equipment have been a bugger. Well, I just became the proud new owner of a variable speed Bader and now I am trying to learn how to grind all over. It's funny how rusty you can get by not doing something.

I've got the forge up and running and am trying to get back in to it. Now if life just wouldn't get in the way.

Carey

it's good that you are back in the saddle, Carey. I bought one of those Radiusmasters because of space considerations, but it is not the iedeal knife machine, especially for flat grinding. I just ordered a variable speed KMG. i hope it helps. Also have ordered a small press because i live in town and a power hammer is just to loud to use except on weekends and maybe even then. The press motor makes noise, but not that bad. I see lots odf integrals and eventually some damascus in my future
Joe

[J. Knife]

Howdy Ya'll,

I made my first knife in 1992-3.
Since my last brush with death 5 years ago,
and deciding to become a {pretty much} full time knifemaker,
I have 189 knives hanging on the wall out in the shop,
or in someones sock drawer as a former x-mas gift.
And at 5 years, a full time messenmaker,
I consider myself a 'old master newbie'.
Like with white hair down to my shoulders,
I been a newbie a looong time.
This winter hardening and tempering steel, rather than using junk.
59 blades are profiled and will be... hardened and tempered,
Handled and 'waxed' up.
And I have steel for 20 more.
Thanks Terry and Lee at Admiral steel.


Howdy Ray,


J. Knife

[Mungo Park]

I made a 2 brick forge last summer and had a go at forging some blades. This spring I built a bigger forge out of a 20lb propane tank. So that makes me a 2 seasom Newbie, up here in the frozen north I only get 3-4 months of knifemaking time per summer.
Likke JDM61 I forge lots of knives and few are worth grinding, I have a cheapo 4X36 grinder and it eats anything left over from the forge. So I get one or 2 knives out the end of the summer and a whole lot of "letter openers", read junk. But I really like forging a lot now if I just could figure out how to do it.
To this end I have settled on a forging to final shape idea and cutting the grinding to a minimum. I use 01 drill rods of various size from 1/4" up to 1/2". I use the rod as a handle and forge the whole thing and when cool I cut it off with a hack saw and I am ready to go at another one. I do 2 at a time, heat one while I puond the other. I an finding it hard to make the bevel to the cutting edge even on both sides, one side always comes out as a bevel and the other is more of a flat ramp flat to the edge .
Great to read about you other guys.
Cheers Ron.

[horseman1]

I am a big time newbie and have only made 3 knives using purchased blades. I find it rewarding and very frustrating at the same time. Also, while I'm listing all my knifemaking accomplishements, I should mention that I made a forge that doesnt work . Darn nice too, but it doesnt get anywhere near hot enough. I need a different burner design I'm afraid. I want to make a blade next and see how I do. I'll post a picture of the last knife I made for a tiki bar bar in another thread for your enjoyment. You might be able to see my frustration in the face of the tiki guy

Regards,

Kurt

[JediOkie]

Just wanted to let all of those that posted in this thread that we have a new 'newbie' KITH started.

[gamcgaha]

started about 2 months ago went to a older gentlemans house that has been making knives here in my home town a long time. makes nice knives still only sells them to pay for his next bottle.sad he will spend all day on a knife then sell it for $35.any way he helped me with my first, and since ive made about 20 kit knives experimenting with differant blades , filework, handle material, ect. now ready to step up, plan on going to Johnny Stouts in Jan. i hope, and get away from the dymond wood.

[jdm61]

Originally Posted by Mungo Park

I made a 2 brick forge last summer and had a go at forging some blades. This spring I built a bigger forge out of a 20lb propane tank. So that makes me a 2 seasom Newbie, up here in the frozen north I only get 3-4 months of knifemaking time per summer.
Likke JDM61 I forge lots of knives and few are worth grinding, I have a cheapo 4X36 grinder and it eats anything left over from the forge. So I get one or 2 knives out the end of the summer and a whole lot of "letter openers", read junk. But I really like forging a lot now if I just could figure out how to do it.
To this end I have settled on a forging to final shape idea and cutting the grinding to a minimum. I use 01 drill rods of various size from 1/4" up to 1/2". I use the rod as a handle and forge the whole thing and when cool I cut it off with a hack saw and I am ready to go at another one. I do 2 at a time, heat one while I puond the other. I an finding it hard to make the bevel to the cutting edge even on both sides, one side always comes out as a bevel and the other is more of a flat ramp flat to the edge .
Great to read about you other guys.
Cheers Ron.

Ron....Now that you have a bigger forge, you should get some bigger round bar like Ray Kirk's 3/4 5160 or some of Don Hanson's 7/8 W2. I bought both and am VERY pleased with the quality of the steel. As a mtter of fact, I bought 237 lbs of the W2 which should last me ablout 4-5 years at the rate i am going

[ballisticbill]

Newbie reporting in

[azmike]

started a little less than 2yrs ago by building a forge, then found a piece of round stock 6" dia X 28" long and set it in a 5 gal bucket with cement, for an anvil. there are about 20 or so knifes around here that are all "practice" and all different in shape/size/steel and finish.
I've given 5 or 6 to friends and family as presents or favors returned, and i sold one (just the blade). mostly all by hand (4.5" disc grinder/3x21 sander).
i'm finishing up 8 right now, 3 sets of twins, a slicer, one other, with 2 others started--- and i do consider myself as a "newbie". azmike