I started with Tracy's NWG, which I welded, and have played with it for the last year and a half or so. My name is Erik and I have practiced with 14 knives complete and about 8 on the bench. Here's a cut and paste from my Facebook info, so I can stop typing now:
My grandpa made knives out of old files because he couldn't afford to buy what he could make. When I was a kid, my brother and I spent a summer on his farm, helping him build a barn. Our help was mostly limited to recycling (straightening) old nails.
30 years later, the brother I straightened nails with, bought me plans to build a 2X72” belt grinder. Even then, I never expected I would make a knife. I did, however, want to build that grinder because it was such a cool machine. I built it, and along the way, was introduced to the concept of handmade knives. For those who don’t know, A 2X72” belt grinder is a staple among serious or aspiring knife makers. It’s also a great all-around fabricating machine.
The first knife I made was a copy of a Spyderco Mule. It came out pretty good. I gave it to my brother. I was encouraged to try again and do better. As someone who enjoys building things, knives have a particular appeal. They are functional, can last generations, and, they can be beautiful.
I have a perfectionist streak in me - which I don’t recommend if you can avoid it. It’s like chasing a rainbow. It’s like herding cats. It’s never arriving…
I guess I don’t need to arrive if I can make something I am proud of along the way. I’ve already made the most important knife I will ever make – the one my son designed at age 6. It is for him, but at age 7, it will be a while before he can have it.
I’ve rewritten my bio here a few days after I first posted. My first bio sounded like something out of a sales pitch. I’m not here to sell, only to share.
There are many misconceptions about people who make knives, how handmade knives are made, as well as knives in general. Interestingly, some people get nervous about the idea of a handmade knife - but they have no issue with the Henckels 15-piece block set on their counter. What?
It also may be of interest that the average handmade knife takes somewhere in the range of 10-50 hours to make. The variables that go into a knife are limitless. Materials, treatment, geometry, and design all have their role. Knife steel is available, but not common to the public. Most of it is bought online from specialty retailers. The primary choices are high-carbon and stainless steel, each having dozens of readily available options. I like the stainless steels, but some day soon, I will experiment with the high-carbons.
I hope something I have said or something you see here is of interest to you. My intention is to share something that interests me. I will post some of my knives - and sometimes, how they came to be.
Erik
My grandpa made knives out of old files because he couldn't afford to buy what he could make. When I was a kid, my brother and I spent a summer on his farm, helping him build a barn. Our help was mostly limited to recycling (straightening) old nails.
30 years later, the brother I straightened nails with, bought me plans to build a 2X72” belt grinder. Even then, I never expected I would make a knife. I did, however, want to build that grinder because it was such a cool machine. I built it, and along the way, was introduced to the concept of handmade knives. For those who don’t know, A 2X72” belt grinder is a staple among serious or aspiring knife makers. It’s also a great all-around fabricating machine.
The first knife I made was a copy of a Spyderco Mule. It came out pretty good. I gave it to my brother. I was encouraged to try again and do better. As someone who enjoys building things, knives have a particular appeal. They are functional, can last generations, and, they can be beautiful.
I have a perfectionist streak in me - which I don’t recommend if you can avoid it. It’s like chasing a rainbow. It’s like herding cats. It’s never arriving…
I guess I don’t need to arrive if I can make something I am proud of along the way. I’ve already made the most important knife I will ever make – the one my son designed at age 6. It is for him, but at age 7, it will be a while before he can have it.
I’ve rewritten my bio here a few days after I first posted. My first bio sounded like something out of a sales pitch. I’m not here to sell, only to share.
There are many misconceptions about people who make knives, how handmade knives are made, as well as knives in general. Interestingly, some people get nervous about the idea of a handmade knife - but they have no issue with the Henckels 15-piece block set on their counter. What?
It also may be of interest that the average handmade knife takes somewhere in the range of 10-50 hours to make. The variables that go into a knife are limitless. Materials, treatment, geometry, and design all have their role. Knife steel is available, but not common to the public. Most of it is bought online from specialty retailers. The primary choices are high-carbon and stainless steel, each having dozens of readily available options. I like the stainless steels, but some day soon, I will experiment with the high-carbons.
I hope something I have said or something you see here is of interest to you. My intention is to share something that interests me. I will post some of my knives - and sometimes, how they came to be.
Erik
