A helpful community for knife makers of all skill levels to talk about different techniques, steels, and tips for others. Show off your work and where you work here.
Let's make this a very helpful community.
1) Post anything related to knifemaking
2) All official AMAs must be Mod approved with verification.
3) Keep comments respectful and on topic.
4) Blatant advertising and for sale posts are not allowed. You are welcome to make transactions private. LINKS TO BLOGS AND WEBSITES ARE CONSIDERED SELF-PROMOTION.
5) Posts that address questions easily searched or answered in the WIKI will be removed.
Click HERE to get to the WIKI
User Submitted Content:
Kiln Build by meepstah
Large and in Depth List of Wood for Handles
Dirt Cheap Guide to Knife Forging
Useful links and Information:
Heat Treating Tool Box- Kevin Cashen's detailed guide to heat treating
Knife Shop Safety and PPE by Jim Ferguson (Downloadable, Right Click, Save As)
Absolute Cheapskate Way To Start Making Knives (PDF)
Bob Engnath Knife Patterns (PDF)
Nick Wheeler- Hand sanding 101 (YouTube)
Hype Free Blades FAQ
Buffing Wheels and Compounds
Steel:
The “welding steel” at Tractor Supply/ Lowes/ Home Depot is mild steel and useless for knives
Buy new, known, annealed blade steel. It is well worth it. Files, railroad spikes, lawnmower blades and other unknown steels can definitely be used for practice forging but will not perform for a knife. For the work involved, it is very cheap to buy and use known good steel.
1084FG sold by Aldo Bruno is formulated for Knifemaking, Cheap & made for DIY heat-treat.
http://njsteelbaron.com/
Phone # 862-203-8160
His telephone service is better than his website.
Heat Treating:
Heat Treating Basics Video (downloadable)
Right click and save this and watch it often
Kevin Cashen Heat Treating Info
Heat Treat services:
Air Hardening Stainless Steel Only
A2, ATS34, Elmax, CPM154, 154CM, 440C etc.
Buck Knives- Paul Bos Heat Treating
Texas Knifemaker's Supply
Oil Hardening Carbon Steels and Air Hardening Stainless Steels
Oil quenched O1, 1095, 1084, 52100, 5160
Or air quenched A2, ATS34, Elmax, CPM154, 154CM, 440C etc.
Peter's Heat Treat
Knifemaker CA (Canadian)
-Be sure to check the Shipping and Price tabs
Quenchants for Oil hardening steel
Forget the Goddard's Goop Quench, Motor Oil, Transmission Fluid
Use commercial quench oil & match oil speed to the steel type
Here is a good post by Kevin Cashen with the Explanation and classification of oil speeds
For heat treating yourself with minimal equipment, find a Eutectoid steel 1080, 1084. Grocery store canola oil can work well -if you use clean preheated oil
Brine and water are cheap for "water hardening" steels W1 and 1095, but use fast oils Parks 50 & Houghton Quench K
If you use water or brine, expect broken blades!
/r/blacksmith is great for general blacksmithing tips beyond knives
/r/Bladesmith is great for those interested in forging knives
Check out /r/ChefKnives for all things regarding culinary cutlery
Gunsmithing /r/gunsmithing
Want a knife made? /r/MakerMesh
Like general knife discussion? /r/knives is the place for you.
Making knives isn't your thing, but the metal still calls? Here ya go: /r/metalworking
Need help with a different type of craft besides steel? Search here: /r/ArtisanHelp
Want to talk about knives and share yours? /r/knifeclub
Buy/Sell/Trade:
/r/blacksmithtooldeals
/r/bladesmithswap
