The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need. |
08-08-2011, 11:39 AM
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Member
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 14
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Me too haha. Is the blade in a kit already sharpened or does it just have a false edge?? And yeah id definitely send my blade out. I'm no where near doing my own heat treating.
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08-08-2011, 02:58 PM
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Master
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Posts: 872
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They are all ready to go, sharpened etc. They lack only a handle. For starters, I think full tang is easiest. Kit knives are a really great way to get started. You really learn a lot. The different knife suppliers have about the same selection.
www.knifemaking.com
www.texasknife.com
www.knifekits.com
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08-08-2011, 03:28 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 14
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But that won't teach me anything but how to attatch a handle.
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08-08-2011, 04:33 PM
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Founding Member / Moderator
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wauconda, WA
Posts: 9,840
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QUOTE: But that won't teach me anything but how to attatch a handle.
Sure it will. You buy whatever handle material you want, just as you would for your own blade. You still have to do all the drilling, shaping, sanding, gluing, etc for the handle material. Look at the websites Cpt-Jens posted, once you see what is offered as a blade it should become obvious how easy or difficult a particular knife will be. For most of them you have to do everything you would do on your own blade except for actually making the blade. All types of handle styles are available, full tang is easiest but there are stick tangs also and you can grind them down to make a stub tang if that's what you want.
You need to do a lot of reading. Go through the websites to see what they offer and you'll get a good idea of what knife makers use to make knives because they sell all the tools and supplies we use and nothing else. Order catalogs where possible, they make it easy to comparison shop across various suppliers and they sometimes have tutorials you may not find on the websites. Finally, read the $50 knife shop several times until you understand what he's doing and why he does it. Doesn't matter if you do it that way or not but it will be a good start on the education you need....
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08-08-2011, 04:53 PM
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Master
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Posts: 872
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Sure it will only teach you how to make handles. But thats still a lot to learn. I made probably 20 kit knives before I made my own blade. It's easier to master one thing at a time. If you take it all on at once, you'll probably either get overwhelmed and quit, or get burnt out and quit. You're going to make mistakes. If you're really good, and/or if you stick with it, you'll make A LOT. And trust me, making A LOT of mistakes at once is VERY VERY frustrating. Stepwise is much easier, and it's a much better way to determine if it's a hobby you want to stick with. You'll save a lot of money that way too.
In my opinion, there's a lot more to learn about handles than there is about blades. And a lot more you can do with a handle. Thats saying a lot considering there's no end to what you can do with a blade.
If your heart is set on carrying a blade you made yourself, I would suggest two options:
1) Find the nearest knife class and enroll. They usually are several days and you walk away with a knife.
2) Make several kit knives and give them as gifts, and then graduate to making your own blade. This is the cheaper route. By far.
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08-08-2011, 05:26 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 14
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Alright. Kit knife it is haha.
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08-08-2011, 05:33 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 14
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08-08-2011, 06:56 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 14
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Bolster holes??
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08-08-2011, 07:26 PM
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Master
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Posts: 872
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holes to attach bolsters. using pins
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08-08-2011, 07:27 PM
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Founding Member / Moderator
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wauconda, WA
Posts: 9,840
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Both nice blades. I'm not keen on bolsters either but he doesn't have to use them on these blades. Just cover the entire side of the knife with your scales, maybe put a couple of pins through the bolster holes (the smaller holes at the front end of the handle) and some Loveless bolts through the main holes. Don't know what a Loveless bolt is? Better get that catalog and see all the various methods of attaching a scales to a full tang handle ....
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12-16-2011, 10:40 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 4
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Here is another solution
You could go and check out CCIV (Center Cross Instructional Videos) a part of Center Cross, it was started by Gene Osborn the "Unknown Knife maker", there is a video in there that is for he beginner, intermediate and the advanced, take a look at www.centercross.com
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Tags
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art, blade, brass, fixed blade, full tang, hidden, hobby, hunting, hunting knife, kit, knife, knife making, knifekits.com, knifemaking, knives, palm, pins, post, scales, supplies, tang, teach |
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