Thinking about knifemaking

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Joey Shabadoo

My pronouns are "He", "Him" and "buggerlugs"
Been watching a lot of blacksmithing programmes on telly and YouTube for a while now and its been creating an urge to make stuff. I did a bit of blacksmithing in my RN apprenticeship so I know the principles, but that was 30-cough years ago.

So to see if it's something I can take beyond the "thinking about it" stage, I've decided to make a wee knife just using the tools I have to hand. I'm going to make a Kiridashi style knife like this -
1605875168816.png


Tools to hand are a hacksaw, Dremel, some files. Going to get a blowtorch for heat treating but hopefully that should be the only thing I need to get other than the bit of tool steel I've ordered.

I've no interest in making big knives, small crafting blades or pocket knives at most.

Any advice welcome.
 

Sharky

Guru
Location
Kent
I remember as a lad, going to visit my Great Uncles. They were blacksmiths or rather wheelwrights, near St Helens. Can still remember the smells (nice ones) and heat coming from their fire.

I'm sure there was a TV programme on not so long ago about somebody making small knives and making a living out of it.

Good luck
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
If you want to get a really good blowtorch, Rothenberger is the brand to go for. They do a variety of gas mixtures in disposable bottles and have a totally reliable piezo spark lighting system. Excellent for plumbing too.
There's lots of stuff on YouTube about using old files to make razor sharp knives. Here's a taste......

[media]


]View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FfpSXoDQMc[/media]
 
OP
OP
Joey Shabadoo

Joey Shabadoo

My pronouns are "He", "Him" and "buggerlugs"
If you want to get a really good blowtorch, Rothenberger is the brand to go for. They do a variety of gas mixtures in disposable bottles and have a totally reliable piezo spark lighting system. Excellent for plumbing too.
There's lots of stuff on YouTube about using old files to make razor sharp knives. Here's a taste......

[media]


]View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FfpSXoDQMc[/media]

Yeah, I enjoy those videos. Then I notice the tools used.

In that one :
Simple 2 burner forge
Drill press
Band saw
Heavy duty bench sander/grinder
Vice & holdfast
Engineering lathe
Anvil
Polishing wheel.

About £2k of equipment to make that file into a knife :laugh:
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
Yeah, I enjoy those videos. Then I notice the tools used.

In that one :
Simple 2 burner forge
Drill press
Band saw
Heavy duty bench sander/grinder
Vice & holdfast
Engineering lathe
Anvil
Polishing wheel.

About £2k of equipment to make that file into a knife :laugh:
Ah, but that equipment has other uses too. My first batch of marmalade cost about £17 a pot if I split the cost of equipment between the half dozen I made!
 

Eziemnaik

Über Member
Been watching a lot of blacksmithing programmes on telly and YouTube for a while now and its been creating an urge to make stuff. I did a bit of blacksmithing in my RN apprenticeship so I know the principles, but that was 30-cough years ago.

So to see if it's something I can take beyond the "thinking about it" stage, I've decided to make a wee knife just using the tools I have to hand. I'm going to make a Kiridashi style knife like this -
View attachment 559128

Tools to hand are a hacksaw, Dremel, some files. Going to get a blowtorch for heat treating but hopefully that should be the only thing I need to get other than the bit of tool steel I've ordered.

I've no interest in making big knives, small crafting blades or pocket knives at most.

Any advice welcome.
Dunno how feasible would it be but maybe talk with people at blenheim forge or prendergast knives if they do apprenticeships. This way you could save on equipment
 
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Joey Shabadoo

Joey Shabadoo

My pronouns are "He", "Him" and "buggerlugs"
Here we go -

20201124_120735.jpg
 

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Joey Shabadoo

Joey Shabadoo

My pronouns are "He", "Him" and "buggerlugs"
The main problem I'm finding just now is the wee workmate-type bench is too low and it's killing my back. But I've very little room in the shed for something a bit more solid.
 
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