What makes a complete knife shop?

S

sicilian767

Well-Known Member
Had a question for all the more experienced knife makers out there about tools needed for knife making. I wanted to know....what makes a complete knife making shop? What would you say are all the tools and equipment I'd need to make a well equipped shop? I currently have a small wheel grinder, a drill press, a small belt sander, a file, and that's pretty much it. I wanna get an anvil, hammers, sandpaper for polishing, and I would love to build a forge. Anything else y'all would recommend?
 
What makes a complete shop? There's no such thing!
What tools do you need? Whatever tools it takes you to make a complete knife... ;)

Honestly, a list of tools could go on for pages when trying to "completely equip" a shop. A lot of it really just depends on what exactly you want to do. If you want to forge, start with a couple of hammers, an anvil, and a forge. You'll quickly realize what else you need as you start working on the projects that you want to work on: different tongs, drifts, hardie tools, etc...

If you want to focus on stock removal, it's the same idea. Make a couple of knives, and then ask yourself "what would make this easier, more efficient, more refined.... etc...."

Then of course there's the whole matter of deciding what type, brand, size, etc... of each tool you want to get. Some say to buy once, cry once... others buy what they can afford at the moment, use it to make money, and save up for the better tool.

Personally, I started out building my own grinder (NWGS), then I built a heat treating oven, and then I started making knives. If I needed another tool, I first asked myself if I could build it for cheaper, find it used, improvise something else, or live without it in lieu of something else I may have needed more.
 
My shop is a flat @@@@@@@ file, a 1/4" chainsaw file, a hard and a padded sanding block, a G-cramp, a drill press, an angle grinder, a hacksaw and a not-dremel. A mini forge would make it far more than a complete shop. I would recommend a centre punch. It's very overlooked and I have drilled many holes in the wrong place. People are always going on about grinders and although they speed it up they really aren't all that important. Keep your eye out for tools at car boot sales or whatever it might be that you call them, that's where you will find small overlooked tools and sometimes very interesting ones. I found a hardness tester and I hate myself for not getting it. A good set of sharpening stones is never a bad investment either.
 
Hey, Liam. I've learned when you want to enter the name of those course toothed files or the other name for hand-and-a-half swords to type the word in as b@stard. It also won't let you type in the other name for a rooster that could be mistaken to mean male genitalia. So don't try to express a tall tail as a @@@@-and-bull story.

As to what constitutes a complete shop it will depend on how you make knives, by forging and stock removal or by stock removal only. Then there is whether or not you do your own heat treating or if you are willing to have someone with a water jet cut out your blanks for you.

To a hobbiest maker it doesn't matter as much how long some operations take. To a professional knife maker who is trying to pay the mortgage and put food on the table with his craft, time is money so a milling machine is a necessity for him/her where for the hobbiest it's an extravagance.

Doug
 
It depends on what you want to get out of knifemaking. Want to make your living doing knifemaking then you have to have all the grinders, mills, drill presses, etc. If you are just a hobby maker that wants to make the best knives he can, he can get along with a lot fewer tools. And if you want to do a Zen thing and make yourself a knife, then a file and sandpaper will be your best friend. In other words, what ever gets the job done.

Unless, of course, you are a tool junkie like I am...then the more the better. ...Teddy
 
I didn't even think about it being considered rude. You know, when you learn something new you hear it a lot more. I learned about hand and a half swords yesterday and that's the second time I have heard them mentioned.

Back on topic though, a drill, saw, file and sandpaper is all you absolutely need, anything on top of that is a bonus. There are a lot of different descriptions for a complete shop and they are all right.

If I had a forge I would consider what I hade to be complete but it is about what stage you are at I guess. I'm sure there are makers who call every possible tool available a complete shop.

I just noticed you said experienced makers so I'll leave it at that.
 
As said, There are many ways to make a knife.
What I would suggest to you since you have stated that you plan on being a stock removal maker for a while and after you get a forge going you will need this piece of equipment just as much.

Get a 2 x 72" grinding machine. The one I started with and still have along with two others is a Coote Grinder. About the best deal for a real big boy grinder made here in the USA.

www.cootebeltgrinder.com Get the 2 x 72" in 8" or 10" wheel and you will be able to run real Ceramic belts and the best price possible. If you have any questions? Norman Coote is a great man to talk with.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
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A few files, some sandpaper, some wood for handles, a piece of knife steel, and a person with a whole lot of "Want To". Everything else just makes it faster.

Stan
 
Liam, the site that hosts this one has a program to filter out anything that could be used in a rude or obscene way. Even though the "B word" that means female dog is commonly used at dog shows don't try typing it here even in the proper context. Personally, that filter drives me bonkers. (Wait, can I say that here?)

Back to the subject at hand. Yes, I would say those things that you mentioned are needed but, if you need them, other things are necessary too. I just discovered some Japanese carving rasps for shaping handles. I think that they've just entered into the necessary tool category.

Doug
 
rhinoknives said:
As said, There are many ways to make a knife.
What I would suggest to you since you have stated that you plan on being a stock removal maker for a while and after you get a forge going you will need this piece of equipment just as much.

Get a 2 x 72" grinding machine. The one I started with and still have along with two others is a Coote Grinder. About the best deal for a real big boy grinder made here in the USA.

www.cootebeltgrinder.com Get the 2 x 72" in 8" or 10" wheel and you will be able to run real Ceramic belts and the best price possible. If you have any questions? Norman Coote is a great man to talk with.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
Click to expand...

Yep, that's my biggest goal right now is to get a good quality belt grinder. I was looking at saving for the ones offered on USA knifemaker, as I really liked their design. But they are a bit pricey for my budget as of right now. Once I get a job other than minimum wage, I'll probably have much more at my disposal to do more knife making.

And yeah, for now knife making is just a hobby for me. Although I think when I retire, I'll do it full time to help pay the bills, and to give a little extra income. Also it's great to keep busy, even at an older age. But that's a long ways away from me for now lol.

Liam, your input is always welcome as well!! I said experienced, but this is a forum, and your input is valuable to me as well. No idea go disregarded from y'all.
 
I know Fred. He who dies with the most tools wins. I'm always scouting for tools or something that I can convert to a tool. I'm toying with the idea of making a mandola and I have a book on the subject what is full of all sorts of neat tools that you can buy or build. It was absolutely exciting.

Doug
 
Laurence,

I used a TW-90 at the ABS Handles & Guards class earlier this month, sweet. It is now on my must have list.

If you do not have a 2x72 grinder, it is a must have. Get the best one you can afford and you will see the improvement in your work in no time. It is my 3rd most used tool in the shop. Forge and anvil before it.

George
 
A Maker with patience! If you don't have patience no matter what tools you have your knives will not be the quality they should be. I have seen makers with patience make beautiful knives with no more tools than a file and a hack saw that turn out better than some makers knives that have every tool know to man. It is the time you take to make sure you are producing a quality knife.
 
TacticallySharp said:
Laurence,

I used a TW-90 at the ABS Handles & Guards class earlier this month, sweet. It is now on my must have list.

If you do not have a 2x72 grinder, it is a must have. Get the best one you can afford and you will see the improvement in your work in no time. It is my 3rd most used tool in the shop. Forge and anvil before it.

George
Click to expand...

Geogre,
That's what everyone I know that has one or has even just tried a TW-90 has said.
I am saving up now, Maybe by September?

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com

Get the best you can possibly afford. Pass on the overseas made grinders
 
I think what makes a complete shop is whatever you have on hand to make a knife. You just have to adapt to what you have to work with. Where there's a will, there's a way.
 
The "COMPLETE" knife shop is an elusive dream. Just when you think you have everything you need, something new pops up.

I have been collecting knife making toys for 10 years, and I figure I am about 20% there.

Work hard, work smart, work safely, and above all........ work towards getting more equipment. :)

Robert
 
I think ar custom said it best. That is how I went about it and it seems to be working for me. I would also advise when it comes to figuring out what brands of tools exc to ask the dogs here for there thoughts. They have helped me a great deal on my path to having a functional shop.
 
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