Gil Hibben's Knife Class and/or Texarkana College - American Bladesmith

[Grizzly Bear]

Hello all,

I new to knife making. I have signed up for the Gil Hibben's Knife making class for late Sept. I was also thinking of going to the Texarkana College - American Bladesmith for courses.

Would the Hibben's knife class be enough to become a good knife maker (I just buy finished blades on line and put scales on them know) or should I also go to the Blade Smithing College?

Please advise. I wanted to do both but can't swing it this year. If you think I should do both, I will save up money for next year. It's not the tuition, it's the room and board.

Thanks

Grizzly Bear

 

[TacticallySharp]

Hibben's class teaches basically stock removal method and the ABS teaches forging. Both are good methods. Forging also requires stock removal methods. In my case I felt that learning both skills was a better fit for me. The ABS also has a ratings program to earn a craftsman's rank like most craft trades.

I took the ABS path and I'm very happy that I did. Lots of helpful and nice people world wide to learn from and share with.

 

[TacticallySharp]

As to room and board. In the past 3 years I have attended 7 weeks of classes and 4 Hammer-Ins. The room is the expensive part as I basically spend the same for food anyways. I have rented cabins and cook 2 of my meals just like at home and eat lunch out. At Old Washington there are no cabins to rent near there. Hope has several hotels, the better one is Best Western with free breakfast. An ABS Intro class is a great experience. I drive to all of the events I go to so I can take my tools and learn with what I normally use at home as much as I can. All skills you learn with either method will help make you a better maker.

 

[EdCaffreyMS]

In my experience, a "forging" knife class will teach you both forging and most of the same techniques that a stock removal class would. Picking one or the other is going to be determined by the way YOU intend to make knives. Personally, I'm a Bladesmith....and choose to forge most of my blades, and do EVERYTHING in house.....I'm just anal that way. Again, in my experience, most bladesmiths are "organic"....meaning that their knives tend to be smoother shapes and better "flow", whereas most Stock Removal makers tend to be more "machinest" minded.....more angular designs. Its not that one or the other is "better", just different. Its up to you to decide what appeals to you....and how you desire to make your knives.

At one time I sat down and tried to estimate the money I have spend on various "classes" and other knife learning events......the best I could figure was about $45K over the years....but every penny of it has been money well spent. It always keeps knifemaking "fresh", and often times a tiny tip that I hear in a those environments, that might not mean much to others, will send me in a totally new direction, or spark a new idea for me. There is always something "new" to learn, and the more you interact with other makers, they more those ideas flow.