Like many new activities the getting started can be expensive. There are many who recommend starting with hand files. I did a lot of hand filing at one time, but not much was carried over to the knife making when it came to sizing and shaping blades and handles. I tried all sorts of power stuff to remove the material not needed and even on several occassions material that should have been left. I eventually managed to get a few dollars together to seperately buy a reasonable but not expensive metal cutting band saw for metal and wood use, that still is in use and a 2" X 72" belt grinder that is aso in use with another I cloned. My wife who is a super gal bought me a good drill press. These three tools are in my mind absolutely needed in the process of what I call making knives. If one or two are all you want to do then the filling may be the way for you, but realize this is such a tedious effort that after barely getting started, you will want to quit.I also warn people, yes warn them that even with the big equipment I have suggested, you will end up making many before ending up with something that will be okay. How many? For a lot of us 40 - 50 might(?) do it. There are a lot of good steels and handle materials to get involved in. I, like most makers recommend for blades,to start with wooden strips or mild steel which is easy to purchase. Almost any hard wood can be used to make a good handle. A piece of a rake handle can work very well but only if you aren't going to use that rake again or unless you are a midget, in which case it's something you should have done long ago.
If you are good at "hands on skills" the work will proceed but still usually not very quickly. Remember I said 40- 50. So you are not good at hands on work? So what? If this is what you want to do you will be immediately involved and isn't that what you wanted?
Besides the books for materials the knife making supply books can be excellent sources for information and the people operating these stores most often have knowledge to give you. This "spot" will probably be one of the best. The websites are super great and I know because I started back the in the "olden days" when they weren't available
And now I actually hope the action will start with peole saying you can do it this way or that and don't need the stuff I recommend. This is super since there are so many ways can work. As we go along there are so many arguments about this or that over this or that. In the end it all ends up by saying it's not how you do it or what you use but how good it is finished? Frank