3 Common Mistakes: Beginner Knife Makers In Blacksmithing And Knifemaking
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ค. 2024
- If you're starting out in knifemaking you may have done one or all of these! I'm addressing three things to avoid when starting out making knives.
1.) Design. Are you designing the perfect knife?
2.) Blade thickness, edge geometry: Most beginners get this wrong!
3.) Handle design and ergonomics: Don't repeat this mistake!
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Thank Forged in Fire for many of the issues that new knifemakers have, particularly issue #1. Thinking all knives need to be able to do everything, and be 3/8' thick and 15" long. Forged in Fire got me into knifemaking, but also gave me a distorted view of what knifemaking is about. I make little EDC knives and peoplke ask me if I test them by batoning through logs. No, I do not.
Good point
Excellent points. I know I struggled with all these early on and had to just trust the process to overcome them. Still fight them at times but like you said, it’s a journey.
Yeah, I'm absolutely one of those guys that had a tough time making my edges thin. Ironically, the thing that cured me was the making of a mistake - I used a fuller to spread out material from a twist damascus bar ( wanted the knife about 3 inches tall at the heel and the bar was very slightly over 1 inch in diameter), and I had some super deep fuller marks near the edge, so I had to grind the knife into oblivion. It's probably the best kitchen knife I've ever made though.
Nice! Silver lining to a perceived mistake
Thank you! I felt like you were talking just to me. I am about to start on my fourth knife, a boning knife. It is out of necessity; my store-bought boning knife will not hold an edge. So, I am getting into knife making, so why not make my own? I've researched and designed the blade based on several knives I like (not reinventing the wheel). I appreciate your comment about going thinner than you think you need to, then testing it on what your intended use is. Thanks for that. Lastly, my handles suck! Too big and blocky. I like the advice about creating an oval.
All three bits of advice will be used in my next build. Thanks!
Good deal, glad it was helpful!!
As a newer knife maker coming from culinary, the instructors you have matter more than anything. I have always had a tendency to overestimate what I need. So my first knives were far too thick but have improved. Most knife handle forming instructions are to put a 45 degree angle on the handle all around and then hand sand to oval. The part that's left out of instructions is how aggressive that 45 is.
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45° is 45° lol.
There isn't levels of aggressiveness... it's always 45° right?
I can't find the words to describe how much you shared knowledge has helped me with my knife making journey I truly appreciate everything that you share with everyone who watches your channel
That means a lot, thank you sir!
Your very welcome
Thanks for sharing your knowledge again.
Best advice I think when it comes to formulating your learning early on is to simply make a lot of knives. You're going to wreck a few, make some banana shaped blades and that's completely fine because you're learning. So find a design you like and can actually make, then pick a material you can work with that will respond to your tooling, design and function. Then comes the next step- the production stage where your design becomes reality and through the process you'll come across how the materials work, how the technique will suit the design and you go back and forth until you hit the sweet spot between your design reality and the product.
Maybe that means losing a curve in the handle, using 4 pins instead of 2, dropping or adding an inch in length and of course actually using the thing for what you intended it for. But most importantly, don't jump in and go huge, start small, use your material economically and then sit down and analyse what worked, what didn't and what caused you problems. There will be problems, the main difference between the Starter and an Experienced knife maker is often down to how they can overcome problems or fix mistakes; Then in turn, they will see where you will have problems and mistakes later on before you even touch a production stage.
Not only a knife making lesson, but what you said could resonate with most creative trades.
@@digiubus Making a complete object from scratch with just raw materials, an idea and then running it through to completion isn't a thing people shouldn't underestimate. It's a hard old gig and if anyone could do it, they probably would; But they cannot, so they don't, then buy something for 20-200 bucks at a big box store and call it a day.
Knife making is even worse than both art and engineering-
I did both by having a BA in visual arts majoring in painting and drawing, then I also worked for 20 years in electrical engineering, networking and telecommunications.
Now if I design you a picture, sketch it out, get a colour palette that suits the idea I'm working towards it will need a composition that comes together in terms of how it leads the eye, makes the viewer feel when they see it and makes for an engaging visual experience. I will have succeeded, the art doesn't have to have a purpose and indeed it actually having some kind of function would mean its not actually art. Art exists for arts sake.
Now, making you a 4G phone, microwave or optical network, sure, i can do that and we set budgets, labour, time and materials, find places to put it all and at the end of the day, if you get it on time, working and serviceable for its expected lifespan you figure, yeah that was a good experience from your service and I don't give a shit how it looks! If the LED's flash in uniform colours or you used plastic or stainless cable trays no one cares.
Knife making for me is that awkward area between design, art and engineering we call 'Artisanal'
It has to look and feel good, it has to last a long time, work under awful conditions and function very well while doing all that. Not everyone takes that approach and I'll personally vouch for it being a cathartic, humbling experience for people to go out there, make something with their own two hands and instead of sitting in an office for 40hr a week making paperwork. You made a tool that works and has a tangible quality to it.
However or whatever you do though, make sure you enjoy it.
@@krissteel4074 I have the fortune to be a commercial plumber , so I I understand what you are getting at. I love bringing functionality out of my art (piping) and it's probably my best talent.
On point, as always. Clearly there are lots of other mistakes new makers are prey to, but your choice of topics was appropriate.
I really appreciated your talk. It was senseable and balanced and informing good knife sense Thank you!
Haha I noticed I used to make the handles pretty square but I’ve been working em rounder recently. Also can you do a video on the edge geometry, thickness, hardness/temper etc.? That’s the one thing I’m having trouble with is what to do there cause I don’t know much about the science behind how all that stuff correlates.
Thanks, yes good topics to cover
That's all good advice.
I agree on all points, especially handles; I’m not a real knife maker myself, only made a couple for fun, but I’ve noticed the most obvious sign of a newbie knife maker is handles that are either super bulky, or way to slender for the knife they are on. Like you said about blade thickness, I think there is a hesitance to remove ‘to much’ and ‘ruin’ it, or an overzealous ‘gotta round it off’ and end up with to little.
But you gotta pass through those stages to get to experienced knife designer and maker I guess.
The cutting board is where you stop cutting, control your cut. Also I recommend bamboo type cutting boards. It allows your edge to stay longer. However, the bamboo boards will need to be replaced in certain times based on how you cut (meat, poultry, fish, veggies, etc). Keep your edge sharp. Have a good strop and a ceramic rod.
Another great video full of great information! Thanks Elijah!
All good points and I personally loath fantasy knives of any kind. Some look so goofy that a human being could barely grasp them.
Thanks man!
Good advice especially on handles, there is nothing worse than having to use say a machete for a long period when the handle is either too big or too square (too round is also bad but for different reasons) ...too big makes you grip harder and messes up your stamina for working and too square will give you horrendous blisters and hand pains .
My biggest mistake was making handles too big... or too round so I couldnt index the cutting edge very well so I would be working and hit off centre or almost lose the tool altogether
Don't put lanyards on swinging tools ...not even lanyard holes... some one will lose tendons when they slip and let go of the tool and it swings back around and either hits them in the elbow or or the back of the chest or leg
Lanyards bad idea
Good video & info, thank you. 👍🏼
#1
Thank you
Thank you for watching
What is a "proper cutting board surface"? because I've seen cutting boards made of everything from resin to marble...
Wood, or plastic, bamboo but end grain wood is best.
Great advice most of my knife design
BOB LOVELESS style
Wisdom in a beard 👍
Maybe #4, beginning knife makers don't realize they're beginning knife makers. I'll probably never do a tanto blade because I'm horrible at sharpening them. I'm fine with that. I know my limitations and work within them.
Guilty
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Form follows function--this is what makes knives beautiful to me. Like sailboats or aircraft, inefficient design is less attractive at best, ugly at worst.
Geometry!! YES! LOUDER FOR THE GUYS IN THE BACK 🤣🤣🤣
And yes... JUST GO TEST THE DAMN THING BEFORE YOU PUT IT INTO PRODUCTION!.
Grind it thin, test it. Grind it thinner.. test it again.
Keep going thinner until failure.. now you know.