R
RickGI
Guest
Well Let me tell you a little about myself. I was a machinist for 10 years after serving 8 years in the military. Other than the production work getting old after the 1000th of the same part it was a pretty interesting job. Like most machinists I enjoyed the set up much more than the production run.
After 9/11 I went back into the military and have at it since. I have missed the interesting parts of machining so over the years I have bought a mini lathe and a mini mill to tinker with in my garage. I have been a long time knife fan and have been interested in making my own since talking with a maker at the Tulsa gun show last year. I have quite a bit of time on belt sanders and bench grinders so I think I will be able to get after it.
I really love the look of Damascus and some day I will be forging my own. I have been trying to get a good anvil for years. I actually have built a small gas forge for casting metals and still have it somewhere in my shop at home. I was using a dremel to freehand my dies so the results weren't that great but it was fun. The last anvil I got outbid on at an auction I helped the guy load it on his pick up. I have known him for several years and have lots of interesting coffe conversations over the years. So after he helped me load the drill press that I outbid him on I offered to help him unload his anvil. Well after we unloaded his he showed me around his shop including his coal forge. I got to watch him make a tire spoon on it that day so I have been hooked since.
I find myself with alot of time on my hands and guess this is a good time as any to try my hand at knife making. When I get home I will build either a KMG clone or NWG (welded of course) but for now it is totally by file. I have access to a drill press here and have a dremel a jig saw and a sawsall. I have my files coming (magic cut, @@@@@@@ cut, second cut, finish cut) and a few other tools that I own that will be helpful. I have spent some of my free time reading this forum and have ordered enough supplies to make 4 or 5 knives while I am here. With a hand file it will be slow but I have a year right?
The steel I have ordered is 0-1 and some denim micarta handle material as well as some nice burl. The job I am doing here provides me with the use of alot of hand tools but not many power tools. I am an avid woodworker and have a pretty nice collection of tools at home but...
Well I look forward to asking questions when I get to that point and would like to thank everyone for the information and experience you have shared already. Hope everyone is doing well and talk with you down the Road.
Rick
After 9/11 I went back into the military and have at it since. I have missed the interesting parts of machining so over the years I have bought a mini lathe and a mini mill to tinker with in my garage. I have been a long time knife fan and have been interested in making my own since talking with a maker at the Tulsa gun show last year. I have quite a bit of time on belt sanders and bench grinders so I think I will be able to get after it.
I really love the look of Damascus and some day I will be forging my own. I have been trying to get a good anvil for years. I actually have built a small gas forge for casting metals and still have it somewhere in my shop at home. I was using a dremel to freehand my dies so the results weren't that great but it was fun. The last anvil I got outbid on at an auction I helped the guy load it on his pick up. I have known him for several years and have lots of interesting coffe conversations over the years. So after he helped me load the drill press that I outbid him on I offered to help him unload his anvil. Well after we unloaded his he showed me around his shop including his coal forge. I got to watch him make a tire spoon on it that day so I have been hooked since.
I find myself with alot of time on my hands and guess this is a good time as any to try my hand at knife making. When I get home I will build either a KMG clone or NWG (welded of course) but for now it is totally by file. I have access to a drill press here and have a dremel a jig saw and a sawsall. I have my files coming (magic cut, @@@@@@@ cut, second cut, finish cut) and a few other tools that I own that will be helpful. I have spent some of my free time reading this forum and have ordered enough supplies to make 4 or 5 knives while I am here. With a hand file it will be slow but I have a year right?
The steel I have ordered is 0-1 and some denim micarta handle material as well as some nice burl. The job I am doing here provides me with the use of alot of hand tools but not many power tools. I am an avid woodworker and have a pretty nice collection of tools at home but...
Well I look forward to asking questions when I get to that point and would like to thank everyone for the information and experience you have shared already. Hope everyone is doing well and talk with you down the Road.
Rick
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