Questions which will lead to more questions which naturally with result in yet more q

Everyday is a "grind". There is so much to learn, so much knowledge to acquire, so many tools to buy, borrow, make or steal. I suppose when I stop learning, I will move on to a new hobby.

This is the best advice on this thread. Thanks John.

"Coming into a makers forum and saying, "Hey, I have no tools, no experience, no background but how can I use a few basic hand tools to make one of the more difficult knives out there and then sell it for money?" is the best way to guarantee that you'll just be another 'flash-in-the-pan', 'gone before anyone even knew who you were' attempt at a knifemaker. Don't be that guy."


DeMo
 
Well it looks like you nailed a sensitive topic. I can't give you any advice still being new to this myself. What I will tell you is don't be disappointed in failed attempts. I have more wrecked knives in different stages in a drawer than finished knives. Show us your progress, I'm looking forward to seeing it.
 
Ty...for what it's worth (from a new guy) I think the style and craftsmanship on your knives is excellent.:35: The new guys can definitely get encouragement from your growth.
 
You can absolutely make a slippy for your first knife if you want and given some determination get it done. I hope you get one done. I'd like to see you knock one out of the park.

Generally, most experienced makers consider a slippy a more advanced knife to make due to the unique tight tolerances you have to hold through out the build. This isn't normally achieved on a first build, even if you are above normal. That doesn't mean you can't, it just means there basic shop and fabrication skills gained from experience on less challenging builds that once learned, are applied to more demanding builds. These guys know this from years of cumulative experience. That hopefully explains some of the push back you got from your original post. The guys here are interested in helping and seeing new guys succeed. No one here wants to see you fail so their advice is going to be framed up that way.

Tools needed at minimum will be a drill press tuned so that it drills perpendicular holes. That means a drill press. The rest of your tools can be hand powered hand tools. Most makers, in fact all the makers that I know that build saleable slippys use a surface grinder which is a fairly expensive tool. You need very flat parts to make a decent slippy or the blade rubs. You can hand lap steel flat but it's challenging and tedious.

You will need a belt grinder. The knife making "standard" is 2"x72" but I've seen hundreds of decent knives made on a cheap 1"x30" also. Most consumer belt grinders are under powered for what we do and a 1"x30" is probably the worst choice for grinding knives but it can be done. Alternatively, hand files can be used. I've build exactly one knife using hand files just to say I did it. I'm in no hurry to do it again. It wasn't fun at all.

Some type of Rise/Fall indicator is usually needed to save hours of trial and error. This tool helps you get the open, closed, half open geometry "right".

The easiest way to get started would be to buy some cheap slippys, tear them apart and use them for patterns. The difference between a cheap slippy and a high end one is fit/finish with tight tolerances and better materials through out. Cheap slippys are stamped out and assembled via production lines. Custom slippys are hand cut (or waterjet) and assembled. The geometry and designs have been perfected for fifty or more years now so copying a cheap slippy pattern isn't going to hurt you. There are some "tricks" in fabrication like types of pivots, peening, spring shape and hardness, attaching bolsters or scales that vary from maker to maker. Getting two makers to agree on what hardness the spring should be is almost impossible as it depends on the spring design they are using. The bar for fit and finish on a slippy is set quite a bit higher than say a fixed blade or liner lock. I haven't even brought up "walk and talk". I've seen beautiful slippys not sell because it sounded dead when opened. Who buys a slippy for the sound it makes when opening or closing? A lot of guys apparently.

You don't need a full shop of expensive tools to make some amazing knives. Look at what some of the guys in South America are making with files, hack saws and sandpaper for proof of that.

The best advice I can offer is to google your brains out to search out and read all the tutorials and forum posts you can find on building one. It will save you a lot of heart ache for sure. The knife community is all about sharing knowledge but they are also a bit reluctant to help someone not doing a little homework also.
t
 
Ty...for what it's worth (from a new guy) I think the style and craftsmanship on your knives is excellent.:35: The new guys can definitely get encouragement from your growth.

Thanks Smallshop. I still have a long way to go. Any growth as a maker I can contribute to this forum. Almost anything but experience can be found using the search function. What a great place to come to and find answers that might take you years to figure out on your own.
 
Everyday is a "grind". There is so much to learn, so much knowledge to acquire, so many tools to buy, borrow, make or steal. I suppose when I stop learning, I will move on to a new hobby.

This is the best advice on this thread. Thanks John.

"Coming into a makers forum and saying, "Hey, I have no tools, no experience, no background but how can I use a few basic hand tools to make one of the more difficult knives out there and then sell it for money?" is the best way to guarantee that you'll just be another 'flash-in-the-pan', 'gone before anyone even knew who you were' attempt at a knifemaker. Don't be that guy."


DeMo

Being a flash in a pan would suck. That's why I'm here on the forums to suck everyone's brains dry and become a pro.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You can absolutely make a slippy for your first knife if you want and given some determination get it done. I hope you get one done. I'd like to see you knock one out of the park.

Generally, most experienced makers consider a slippy a more advanced knife to make due to the unique tight tolerances you have to hold through out the build. This isn't normally achieved on a first build, even if you are above normal. That doesn't mean you can't, it just means there basic shop and fabrication skills gained from experience on less challenging builds that once learned, are applied to more demanding builds. These guys know this from years of cumulative experience. That hopefully explains some of the push back you got from your original post. The guys here are interested in helping and seeing new guys succeed. No one here wants to see you fail so their advice is going to be framed up that way.

Tools needed at minimum will be a drill press tuned so that it drills perpendicular holes. That means a drill press. The rest of your tools can be hand powered hand tools. Most makers, in fact all the makers that I know that build saleable slippys use a surface grinder which is a fairly expensive tool. You need very flat parts to make a decent slippy or the blade rubs. You can hand lap steel flat but it's challenging and tedious.

You will need a belt grinder. The knife making "standard" is 2"x72" but I've seen hundreds of decent knives made on a cheap 1"x30" also. Most consumer belt grinders are under powered for what we do and a 1"x30" is probably the worst choice for grinding knives but it can be done. Alternatively, hand files can be used. I've build exactly one knife using hand files just to say I did it. I'm in no hurry to do it again. It wasn't fun at all.

Some type of Rise/Fall indicator is usually needed to save hours of trial and error. This tool helps you get the open, closed, half open geometry "right".

The easiest way to get started would be to buy some cheap slippys, tear them apart and use them for patterns. The difference between a cheap slippy and a high end one is fit/finish with tight tolerances and better materials through out. Cheap slippys are stamped out and assembled via production lines. Custom slippys are hand cut (or waterjet) and assembled. The geometry and designs have been perfected for fifty or more years now so copying a cheap slippy pattern isn't going to hurt you. There are some "tricks" in fabrication like types of pivots, peening, spring shape and hardness, attaching bolsters or scales that vary from maker to maker. Getting two makers to agree on what hardness the spring should be is almost impossible as it depends on the spring design they are using. The bar for fit and finish on a slippy is set quite a bit higher than say a fixed blade or liner lock. I haven't even brought up "walk and talk". I've seen beautiful slippys not sell because it sounded dead when opened. Who buys a slippy for the sound it makes when opening or closing? A lot of guys apparently.

You don't need a full shop of expensive tools to make some amazing knives. Look at what some of the guys in South America are making with files, hack saws and sandpaper for proof of that.

The best advice I can offer is to google your brains out to search out and read all the tutorials and forum posts you can find on building one. It will save you a lot of heart ache for sure. The knife community is all about sharing knowledge but they are also a bit reluctant to help someone not doing a little homework also.
t

Great post.
 
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