Heads up Brits....

Hey mates, I see there are a few of us (James, Roger, Colin, Jony) and I thought I would ask here as I didn't want to Hijack Ed's thread.

Where do you get your supplies from? I mean I have got stuff on order from the states, but it takes an age and postage can be crippling too. I am working on my first knife. I've a cable Damascus blank that I bought from Gene and am busy fitting it out. I need some nickel silver barstock for bolsters, some NS for pins and lanyard tube - any suggestions?

Does anyone have a list of usefull knifemaking supplies for the UK?

I know Craft Supplies in Derbyshire have a good selection of wood, I haven't worked out if it's stabalised yet though. I've discovered Halfords sell JB Weld (is the Araldite metal epoxy the same stuff?) and B&Q and Wickes stock some Chinese machinery similar (if not identical) to the stuff Grizzley sells in the States. Anyone else got any good weblinks for UK stuff? What grinders do you use? Where do you get your belts from? Ahhh so many questions

PS, (Roger) I'm from Staffordshire, great knives BTW, love that neo-tribal stuff.

Hi Martyn

I'm a knifekit neophyte and was just gathering info before I took the plunge and bought a kit.

I was wondering how big the UK knife scene is?

Hi Guys,
I have a useful list of url's if you're interested, mostly from the states, sadly. (no offence to you guys out there, but, unless us Brits get together, the shipping (& import duty) are very restrictive.

Speaking of which, perhaps we SHOULD get together for some of our supplies, whaddya think?

Martyn, you need pins for the bolster I assume? How about soldering?

I've got a standard 6" grinder & the aforementioned B&Q belt sander, but I've also managed to get hold of an upright linnisher from a s/hand tool shop (very useful)

Jony, welcome, I don't think the UK knifescene is all that big (I know several re-enactment specialists & have just (today) met a nice guy from Cambridgeshire, who is just starting out) but apart from that you guys are all I've heard of.


I've asked Mike Koller, if we can start a UK pass around knife (might be fun) & I hope that some of us can get together on it. (lets make a complete hash of the first, have loads of fun, get to know each other & learn from our collective mistakes)

I'm currently looking at an unfinished blank from Geno (I only do stock removal & Martyn's looked sooooo good, I thought I might have a go (maybe get to like it & learn to forge myself))

Anyway, my email addresses are:
colin.mciver@virgin.net (evenings & w/ends)
colin.mciver@kpmg.co.uk (worktime)


Take a look at the Fusion knife forum & give it a go (go on, go on, go on, go on! Ahhh go on, go on, go on, go on,go on,go on!)


Colin

Hi Guys,
I have a useful list of url's if you're interested, mostly from the states, sadly. (no offence to you guys out there, but, unless us Brits get together, the shipping (& import duty) are very restrictive.

Speaking of which, perhaps we SHOULD get together for some of our supplies, whaddya think?

Martyn, you need pins for the bolster I assume? How about soldering?

I'd really like that list of links Colin, especially anything in the UK. It's not just the import duty, postage and customs, but the 2 week wait that's a killer too. Perhaps you could post anything with a UK address (or Europe for that matter) in this thread? I need the Nickel Silver for the pins holding the scales on. I though about using mosaic pins, but I wanted a simple look to the knife, nothing unduly fussy. Gene sent me some bronze damascus for a slip guard, which looks cool, but I wanted to pop a couple of NS bolsters behind that too. I thought about solder, but if any should get onto the blade - eeeekkkkkkk - I don't want to re-etch! So the slip guard will be held on with JB Weld (courtesy of Halfords). I suppose I could use stainless instaed of NS, but again, sourcing is the problem. You approach some of the foundry's and ask for a 2 foot length and they ask how many thousand of those you would like - lol.

I've also got some stabalised Amboyna burl scales on order from TKS ($30). I mean to pop over to Craft supplies in Derby, about an hour from me and check it out, see what their wood is like. I don't know if it's stabalised, but they may be able to do a batch for a small fee. Maybe if a few of us got together and bought a few pieces from them? I don't know what the cost would be like, but should be a lot cheaper than buying scales from TKS when the shipping is factored and I know they stock the same range of exotic woods and more. I've actually been before, about a year ago and picked up some really nice pieces of wood for a Hi-Fi stand I made, great place. I don't want to go too nuts on the outlay at the moment though, this is my first knife and it may be my last (though I very much doubt it ).

Hi Martyn, & everybody else.

I'm not sure that ckdadmin would approve, or, indeed Coop or Darrel.

But, if anybody would like to email me at colin.mciver@virgin.net
& I will send it by return.

Can't promise that they are all gonna be very helpfull, but, I've picked them up as I've bimbled along & they may be of some help to you guys.

I've culled a few of the more obvious sites (CKD for example) & most of the U.S. sites, that probably wouldn't be of any use to you, & of course the sites that are only any good to sad geeky computer nerds, (don't know how they turned up on my computer)


Kind regards


Colin

I'm not sure that ckdadmin would approve, or, indeed Coop or Darrel.

This is an open forum on 'Kit Knives'--knives completed and customized from the hard parts purchased and mfg'd by someone with that type of equipment and expertise. It's up to us to share our info and support each other.

You guys can do what you need to help you get the best deals out there. I have no outside involvement other than the support Alex and Darrel have given me on my own projects. Althought they have spawned this forum, and offer valuable info and commentary and products, they are NOT the 'only game in town' whom we need to whisper around.

It don't matter if you buy a Darrell Ralph kit, or get it through KnifeKits.com, or buy something from ANY other knife kit supplier. If it's a 'Kit Knife' *I* want to see it and hear about your trials.

The purpose of this forum is to promote involvement. As long as I don't see anyone openly blasting individuals or businesses, it's all good. All-in-all this area of the industry will find the the winners and the less fortunate rising and falling as a by-product of their service/value back to their customers. No different than any other area of business.

That's my take. Thank you guys for your team efforts!

Coop

Coop,
Thanks for the input, but the reason why I said it is because I wasn't sure on the policy for putting a rash of links on the thread.

Most of these are for material, some are lists of knifemakers that MAY have steels or other stuuf for sale, I don't know, just a bunch that I bookmarked, some for future reference, some I have contacted & used.

But if you are saying "go ahead, no problemo" I'll do just that.



Kindest regards


Colin

Colin, you're welcome to add any links you want. We like good info!

Having said that, I hope you have taken advantage of the HUGE inventory of links on the 'sticky post' on the 'Supply Center' forum. They have done some darn good homework for ALL of us in there already! Of course it's primarily for US markets. But what the hay....

Coop

Thanks Coop,
Well here it is, not really worth all the fuss, & probably not the right forum for it, but...

www.ghcook.com

www.enghydmat.co.uk

www.advancemetals.com

www.westyorkssteel.com/uk

www.ims-uk.com

www.kpsteel.co.uk

www.thyssen.co.uk

www.bkcg.co.uk

www.knifeworld.com

www.crucible.com

www.simonichknives.com

www.brisa.fi

www.keenjunk.com

swan-portaforge.co.uk/

www.knifeseek.com

www.kovalknives.com

www.gatherwood.nl

www.knifescales.com

www.knivesby.com

www.agrussell.com

www.cgcweb.com/bakca/cstmaker/knfmkr.txt

www.scblades.com


regards


Colin

Guys.

The fusion thing sounds great, but waaaaay out of my league. I'm not sure I was clear enough about just how inexperienced in the way of kit knives I actually am :+)

I wouldn't dream of laying my hands on any piece of cutlery you chaps had put your skills into. I'm going to need a fair bit of practice before chancing my arm on that type of project.

I'll probably start my first kit in June. I know that sounds a long way off, but I already pull a 45-50 hour week at work and then do a part time MSc on top of that. June is when my course breaks up for this year and I'll be able to focus on matters more Dremel oriented ;+) I'm really looking forward to it.

As long as its okay with you fellas, I was hoping to pick up some real basics from you before I start. Jony is more experienced with cutlerly culture than I, but this will be his first project too I believe (he introduced me to the forum). We're hoping we can get some support from those in the know.

Do you think a belt sander is a pre-requisite? The thing is I'm going to be working largely on a workmate outside (my house is compact and my g/f will not be overtly forgiving about the level of dust kicked up. Espeically CF fragments).

Btw. I checked out the neo-tribalist work. I was gobsmacked. Really impressive.

Coop. Your knives are the business. I was stunned by your latest CF job. If I can put together a kit which is a fractionally as impressive as that I will be a happy man indeed.

James

James,
We need design for it, your interested & obviously keen.

Help us out, I only work from customer designs, or offcuts & damaged steel, for myself & practice & just use "feel" for what it's going to be, in short, I don't do design!

Grab a scanner & email, or post (on the Brit collab forum)

Or at least help us decide WOT it's gonna be.


C'mon geezer


"Go on, go on, go on"
Mrs Doyle.


Colin

erm, what Brit collab forum?

Thanks for all the links BTW

Jony,

Go to the forums main page,

scroll down to the last forum in the first section & go to


"British Collaboration Knife?"


"You will, you will, you will"
Mrs Doyle again


Colin

Found it. Thanks!

I have to confess to not being DIY minded at all, so I'll be of limited use in the project I'm afraid.

Every little helps...

If you like knives, you must have an opinion?


Colin