New to knifemaking
- Thread starter Budkitc
- Start date
John Wilson
Well-Known Member
Yes, a bench grinder will work. Yes you can do it. The wider the wheels the better. Is is the best way? Not with the advent of belt grinders. But use what you have, whatever you have. Civilizations have made works of art long before they had electricity, propane, or even metal anvils. It can be done. Just remember that if the apocalypse ever occurs and we unfortunately find ourselves still here, the man with a bench vise and a box of files will be king.
What if you don't already have a bench grinder or an angle grinder? If you have to spend money then spend it wisely moving in one direction towards building the process you want to have or else you'll soon discover that you've thrown your money into the trash. Many people will disagree with me, but I think the single most useful tool for a guy who has no tools yet is a 1x30 belt grinder from Harbor Freight. For the princely sum of about $50 it is a tremendously useful machine. Is it great for grinding bevels and making blades from scratch? Absolutely not. If you aren't yet making blades, then it's a wonderful machine to clean up old blades, make handles, shape guards and do 1,000 things. It's probably the best knife sharpener you'll ever see for $50.
The second tool you need is a vise. Any old bench vise that someone is willing to give you.
The third tool you want to get is a drill press. A used 10 inch drill press will do all you need for a very long time.
So between a 1x30 belt grinder and belts, a vise, some sandpaper, and a used drill press you can be up and running reconditioning and re-handling knives for about $150. That's exactly how I started out.
There are a couple of book that I think you would really benefit from:
1. Step By Step Knifemaking - David Boye
2. Knifemaking Hacks - Jason Fry
What if you don't already have a bench grinder or an angle grinder? If you have to spend money then spend it wisely moving in one direction towards building the process you want to have or else you'll soon discover that you've thrown your money into the trash. Many people will disagree with me, but I think the single most useful tool for a guy who has no tools yet is a 1x30 belt grinder from Harbor Freight. For the princely sum of about $50 it is a tremendously useful machine. Is it great for grinding bevels and making blades from scratch? Absolutely not. If you aren't yet making blades, then it's a wonderful machine to clean up old blades, make handles, shape guards and do 1,000 things. It's probably the best knife sharpener you'll ever see for $50.
The second tool you need is a vise. Any old bench vise that someone is willing to give you.
The third tool you want to get is a drill press. A used 10 inch drill press will do all you need for a very long time.
So between a 1x30 belt grinder and belts, a vise, some sandpaper, and a used drill press you can be up and running reconditioning and re-handling knives for about $150. That's exactly how I started out.
There are a couple of book that I think you would really benefit from:
1. Step By Step Knifemaking - David Boye
Step by Step Knifemaking: You Can Do It: Boye, David: 9780615116594: Amazon.com: Books
Step by Step Knifemaking: You Can Do It [Boye, David] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Step by Step Knifemaking: You Can Do It
www.amazon.com
2. Knifemaking Hacks - Jason Fry
Knifemaking Hacks: 384 Tips to Make Knives Like the Pros
A Treasury of Knifemaking Wisdom As soon as Jason Fry decided he wanted to be a knifemaker, he quickly realized there were two facets to learning the craft: Let experience be his teacher but, just as importantly, heed the advice of the countless makers who contribute to the excellence of the...
www.frycustomknives.com
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Bruce McLeish
Well-Known Member
man o man am I ready or what? Also, my PTO is workin' like a champ. What , you don't have a PTO. Not even a tractor? You really are a city slicker, huh?