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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #31  
Old 07-26-2008, 02:21 AM
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One more thing Lee.

Since you told Andy that you would be going with the stock removal method after his great suggestion about a right angle grinder and Mr. Goddard's book...here comes the voice of experience.

I would suggest putting a sheet metal back stop and sides (steel or tin not aluminum) around the vise you are going to do your grinding in. Grinding slag will set 2x4s, insulation backing, loose sand paper, steel wool and the coat you have hanging next to the vise on fire. The problem is that it will usually smolder for about an hour while your eating a sandwich and be blazing about the time you walk back out to the shop! GRRRR!

It's also dusty as a mug. It will cover every square inch of your shop a 1/16" deep by the time you've made 10 knives. If you put up a back stop and box with a drop down at the top to form a kind of grinding station, you'll head off fires and knock the dust down. As a matter of fact, I built a lean too out the back of my shop and put a vise out there just to do the angle grinding outdoors. As I said, I'm a lazy putz and I got tired of cleaning.

You may have already thought about that. For all I know I may have just insulted a certified welder. But, you did say you're a true newbie and so better safe than sorry.

By the way, hurry up and get to work so we can see what you can do in the new shop! ;~)

chiger,
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  #32  
Old 07-26-2008, 08:25 AM
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I'll throw in another vote for grinding outside. Angle grinders will throw sparks everywhere, and even wearing a full face shield I still get them bouncing up under the shield and hitting my face. I have a Black and Decker Workmate bench that I use when I need to set up outside my garage.
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  #33  
Old 07-26-2008, 01:54 PM
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It's funny you guys posted that. I went yard/garage saleing today and got frustrated with the total lack of anything even closely resembling wood/metal working tools and stopped by Lowes and Home Despot and was looking at a couple portable benches and started thinking the same thing.

chiger, that wouldn't be actual experience would it?


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  #34  
Old 07-26-2008, 09:33 PM
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Garage sales aren't what they used to be. Not so many people actually make stuff themselves anymore, so less tools out there.

Do you have a Harbor Freight near you?
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  #35  
Old 07-26-2008, 10:06 PM
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Hi Guy's, I've been making folders for 5 years and this year I've started working
about half and half folders and fix blade. After reading through the threads I looked at Graigs List for the local area and found all the tools in my shop and then some.
Everything but a 2x72 belt sander. Can't wait to get to work Monday and tell a
guy that just started 4 months ago . He was living at Harbor Fright But Graigs List is a gold mine. Thanks for all the help on that. Soon as I can figure out how to post
some pictures and I complete a couple in the next two weeks I'll share some of my work.
My real goal is to be able to set up at the Blade Show in Alt. next year. Would be my frist show. Thanks Jim
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  #36  
Old 07-26-2008, 11:25 PM
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LOL. Yep, actual experience Lee.

Making knives for 30 years has afforded me many many opportunities to do dumb stuff. And I don't pass up many opportunities.

Hope you learn from our mistakes. I'm just lucky I've still got all my fingers. Even if they are slightly crooked and slightly shorter.

I think you'll be a lot happier grinding outside. I put the lean too up and wired a GFI plug so the weather wouldn't stop me. But if you've got a nice wide door you can just shoot the sparks outside. A mobile bench will be useful for that too.

Graham, we'll be looking forward to seeing your work.

chiger,
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  #37  
Old 07-27-2008, 12:25 AM
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Nathan, that's the truth. Yeah, we have one in Springfield. But I'm a bit wishy washy about them. I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for. But if it looks like it'll take it, I'm willing to gamble once in awhile.

Graham, your welcome. Keep an eye on there, it changes constantly. Another tip, if you have friends or relatives in another area, look through that area and have them pick things up for you. It's a great resource.

chiger, I'm always lookin to learn from others experience, seeing as how I make more than my share. Like lopping off the tip of my thumb cleaning tree rats!!!! My family has a tradition that if there is one of us guys and a bare knife in close proximity, blood will flow.

But, yeah on the bench. It's a 30x40 enclosed shed with a big roll up door. Grinding by the door would be no problem at all. And the lean too has my thinking too.


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  #38  
Old 07-27-2008, 07:25 AM
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HF is okay for some things. My 18V cordless drill is from there, and is still going strong 2 years later, and was used to drive over 75 pounds of screws into my 10x24 porch and 10x16 shed last summer.

I have their 4 inch angle grinder, and it has worked fine for me for cutting down bar stock to more manageable lengths (my last order from Admiral steel was shipped as a single 8-foot bar). Just be sure to use better discs. I switched to DeWalt discs after the ones from HF started flying apart on me.
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  #39  
Old 07-27-2008, 09:12 PM
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I may look at the angle grinder a bit closer.

I went to my parents place today and found a forgotten treasure, 1/2 of an osage orange log I split and left to season 2 years ago. 8' long and 10" wide. Plenty of knife scales there!!!


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  #40  
Old 07-27-2008, 09:28 PM
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If it's straight enough you could get some bow staves out of that as well. . .
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  #41  
Old 07-27-2008, 11:00 PM
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Now that is a treasure Lee.

I have part of a 2"x 6" stave I've been using for special projects for over 25 years. It still comes up bright and golden when I cut into it.

I don't know if you know the history of Osage Orange or not. But, if you want a piece of really stable old Osage there is a relatively easy way to find some. A lot of single trees for plowing and work horse rigs use to be made from Osage Orange. Usually found with plants hanging from each end nowadays.

And I like the way Mr. Stricker is thinking. Native Americans known by the colonist as Osage Indians made the best bows in the world at the time form Hedge Apple (Osage Orange). In the early years of the New World, the export of these bows back to Europe was big business. The stuff makes killer long bows.

Oh, and I count how close to finished a knife is by how many band-aid day it was. We have that tradition of blood letting around here too.

So I might remind you of the first rule of knife making and smithing. Never, ever, ever, never try to catch anything that falls in a knife shop...EVER!!! It's either hot or pointie and no good will come of it. ;~)

chiger,
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  #42  
Old 07-28-2008, 07:23 AM
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I really like working with Osage. And yes, I have 4 longbows hanging around the place.



If you look behind me in the pic you can see my 3D rig and my favorite recurve hanging on the wall.

Thats the reason I cut and split it, but just forgot it was there. This is me and my Pops when we harvested those logs. The big one made 4 really nice bows, one was donated for a charity auction and I gave another away as a gift.



Glad to see a couple trads here.

Lee


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  #43  
Old 07-28-2008, 11:06 AM
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Very cool!

I had a sneakin' suspicion you were a county boy. I've also got a sneakin' suspicion we're gonna see something pretty cool come out of that new shop given your experience crafting bows.

Although it looks like Pop has the experience making stuff sharp! ;~)

chiger,
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  #44  
Old 07-28-2008, 12:06 PM
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Yeah, he always did. I lost my Pop a year ago. But I was very fortunate to spend quite a lot of time with him those last 6 years or so. He taught me a great deal about working with my hands and around the shop. He was the epitome of a jack of all trades.

We'll see what comes out of this shop, I just hope it's something I wont be embarrassed to post a pic of!!!


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  #45  
Old 07-28-2008, 12:09 PM
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Country boy? Yeah, I guess I am that in every way but one, I can't stand country music!!


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