Looking for a knife making class

[Big Browns]

I'm interested in learning how to make a custom knife. Does anyone know of any Knife making classes in the general Phoenix area I could take. Does anyone on CW know how to make custom knives that would be willing to teach me?

 

Thanks,

Adam

[Edge]

I'd take a class like that too. I was a farrier 30 years ago and sure miss the forge and anvil. Injunjohn is a smith in Tucson, willing to teach. He got worked over in the classifieds a while back and I haven't seen him back since. Go to the classifieds, he was selling knives and meat hangers; he's a good guy.

[Big Browns]

Edge I will let you know what I find out. I'm not really interested in the blade forging. I'm going to concentrate on the more modern blades. Mainly looking to make some custom knives for friends who help on hunts.

 

Adam

[Edge]

Also, have a friend willing to teach napping. He's made some nice weapons from stick and stone.

[MathewQuigly]

I'd be interested also

[125coues]

Tons of videos on knife making on YouTube.

[Big Browns]

I think I'm going to buy a kit and see how it goes. If anyone want to build a knife with me let me know. Maybe we can learn togeather.

 

Adam

[PRDATR]

Adam,

 

Go poke around on BladeForums.com

[Edge]

Willing to take a 'stab' at it.......

[POB]

I took a couple of classes back in the 80's / 90's thru pima cc. I'd check with the community colleges in the area. Art for personal development, non credit classes. Good luck.

[elecshoc]

I'm just gonna get a kit from a online dealer. They have full kits and instructions downloadable online. I'm thinking if it goes well they're gonna be a couple of Christmas presents

[BigMoqui]

I have made about twenty over the past four or five years. I buy the knife blanks because they are so economical. I have a friend that will let me smith one on his equipment but the time it takes and the quality I could make isn't worth it to me. I can buy blanks in town or on the web for anywhere from ten to fifty dollars and they will be a lot better than what I could make. I do enjoy putting the scales on them though. I even make my own mosaic pins out of different metals from the hobby area of Ace hardware. They have the correct size brass rod or you can make a bullseye pattern out of different metals with varying sizes of brass aluminum and copper tube and rod. You can also buy really intricate mosaic pins on the web. The three I have here are my latest. I also make the leather sheaths for them. The first one is a skinner blank I got from Woodcraft in Chandler and put some maple burl I got off a knot on a Rocky Mountain maple in unit 23. The second is a Gerber knife I got at a yard sale for a dollar. It had a plastic handle on it so I replaced it with a ten cent piece of fiddle back(Lacey) maple from the ten cent bin at timber machinery in Mesa. With the leather supplies I probably have less than two dollars into this knife and I love it. The last one is another blank from Woodcraft and the wood is Padauk that I had laying around. Finally I included some grips I made for my buckmark pistol out of Bolivian Rosewood recently. I think they turned out pretty good although I might make another set with some wood that has a little more figure in it.

Over all I find it really rewarding to do this and they make great gifts as you can see I have given most away. If you have any questions shoot me a pm and I'll see if I can help.

PS: the process is a lot faster with a band saw ,drum and disc sander, and a drill press.

[Big Browns]

Thanks for the info Bigmoqui. Those are some very nice pieces. I watched about 20 videos last night about knife making. I'm pretty confident I can complete a kit. I dont have all the equipment I need, but I can get that pretty easily. Looking forward to giving it a try.