Introduction
Set up your knife making studio by following the steps in the article. Knife making can be a fun and rewarding hobby. You can make beautiful and useful tools. Working with a space only dedicated to your knife making you will be able to work and live out your passion in a bespoke space. Taking a knife making course can help you get started.
What Is A Studio Space For Knife Makers?
A studio is a single space where you work. Artists and creators use studios to focus on their craft. Your knife making studio is where you will spend time making knives. This will be your space to not only make the knives but also store your tools so that they are at hand for easy usage.
What Tools Will I Need?
So many students ask how to get into knife making at home. People often feel overwhelmed by the options available. Some people start by buying equipment without knowing how to use it. This can be a very costly mistake. The most important thing when starting is setting up your studio with the right attitude. Understand your budget and see equipment purchases as investments.
Here is what you need for a basic setup:
- Workbench
- Angle grinder (for cutting and shaping blanks)
- 1mm Angle Grinder Discs (great for cutting shapes)
- Good Set of Files (for shaping bevels)
- Sandpaper (180, 320, and 600 grit)
- Small Drill Press (for making straight holes)
- Bench Vice (buy one or make your own)
- Pre-cut blade Blanks (ideal for your first few knives)
- 3mm 1075 steel (easy to work with and heat treat)
Once you are comfortable with the starter kit, you can move to an intermediate setup. This setup speeds up the process and lets you learn advanced techniques.
The Intermediate Kit includes:
- Variable Speed Belt Grinder
- Disc Sander
Check this out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOLUr-Gt62Y
https://blademag.com/knifemaking/knifemaking-101-read-this-before-you-make-a-knife
https://zeesknifesupplies.co.za/
What Is Stock Removal?
Stock removal involves using saws, belt sanders, and abrasives to remove material from a steel piece. Unlike forging, the blade’s shape is created by taking material away, not by heating and reshaping it. It is efficient and allows you to create standard blade shapes quickly.
How Is Stock Removal Done?
This guide is for beginners. Draw your blade’s silhouette on paper, cut it out, and trace the outline on your metal sheet. Here are the steps:
Create The Shape
- Use an angle grinder with a cut-off wheel to cut out the blade shape. Smooth the edges with the grinding wheel.
Shape Further
- Use a belt sander with a coarse-grit abrasive to grind down the edges until the outline disappears.
Bevel
- Shape the same angle on both sides of the blade with smooth, even strokes using the belt sander.
Heat Treatment
- Drill holes, cut pins for the handle, heat the blade until bright orange, then quench in warm motor oil.
Reheat And Temper
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Heat the blade for two hours, let it cool, and repeat. Sand the blade to remove heat treatment imperfections.
Bevel Again
- Attach the handle, apply a finer abrasive to the belt sander, and carefully apply a second bevel.
Sharpen
- Use a fine grit to sharpen and polish the blade.
What Is Forging?
Forging is the process of heating metal until it is hot enough to be hammered into shape. This method was used for centuries and is still popular among artisans today.
How Is Forging Done Today?
Here is an overview of how modern bladesmiths forge knives:
Heat The Metal
- Use tongs to hold the metal and heat it in a forge until it turns yellow (around 1150 degrees Celsius).
Shape The Metal
- Remove the hot steel, place it on an anvil, and use a hammer to shape it into a knife point. Taper both sides.
Flatten The Blade
- Shape the bevels by hammering the flat edge. Repeat on both sides until even.
Heat And Cool The Metal:
- Heat to around 770 degrees Celsius to normalise it. Let it air-cool. Repeat three times and sand the blade smoothly.
Quench The Blade:
- Reheat the steel and dip it in oil to room temperature. Move the blade into the oil for proper hardening.
Reheat The Blade:
- Reheat slowly to lower the temperature to temper any stress and brittleness.
Sharpen
- Add a handle and use a whetstone and fine file to sharpen the blade.
Allocating a space and turning it into a knife making studio will add to the enjoyment of furthering your hobby. Many hobbyists and passionate knife makers need to set up a workspace to keep their tools in. Add to this the luxury of a studio only dedicated to your passion, and you can not go wrong.
Knife making is a rewarding craft that can pay for itself over time. Start with a basic setup and progress as you gain skills. Remember to approach your purchases as investments.
Whether you choose stock removal or forging, each method has its charm and benefits. Taking a knife making course can also enhance your skills and knowledge.
Frequently Asked Questions
How thick should the knife stock be?
The ideal thickness of a knife can range from 0.3 cm to 0.64 cm. Survival knives tend to be thicker, while kitchen knives are slimmer.
What is a gambler knife?
A gambler’s knife is a small fixed-blade knife designed to be carried in or on a boot, belt, or under a pant leg.
What is stronger, forged, or machined?
Forged pieces are generally stronger than equivalent cast or machined parts due to the internal grain structure formed during forging.
What is the best metal to use to make a knife?
High-carbon steel is well-suited for bladesmithing due to its toughness, strength, edge-holding, and corrosion resistance.
What does billet mean in steel?
Billets are solid lengths of metal with square or circle cross-sections, made by continuous casting or hot rolling methods.
Author: Janice van der Westhuizen