Knife Kits... Dun dun daaaahhh

[Hayden H]

As the abov title states, I'm planning on ordering a few blade blanks from Jantz. (Damascus blades not junk 440 Stainless)

I'll order 3 of these http://www.knifemaking.com/product-p/ad046.htm?CartID=1

and 1 of these http://www.knifemaking.com/product-p/ad053.htm?CartID=2
I'll use green Micarta, Mesquite, and a Stabilized wood for handles. I figure I could possibly sell them for $300 a peice to cover the cost of buying a KMG. (They'll come with a sheath Kydex or leather.)

I know its Sacrilege, but but twhats yalls opinions?

[Rich Hale]

I think that putting a kit knife or three together is a great way for some folks to start. It by passes the blademaking part so you can end up with a nice knife at the end for a reasonable investment.
ONe of the things we see on here a lot is folks forge a blade like object and then are stuck on how to make a knife from that. There are many components to completing a knife and a good plan will include a look at all of those steps before making a blade. Again a kit helps with the big picture.
Post some pics when you can. I hope you find buyers to help with your shop equipment.

[Steve Sells]

I have used very little 440 stainless, but to call 440C junk stainless is incorrect, and asking for help from some of the same people that like 440 is not a good way to start off. :blink:

[Rich Hale]

Hayden you brought up a good point about some of the stainless steel that is used for knife blades. Some of it is just not suited for that purpose. Why it is not is usually due to one of two things: it is not the corerct steel for the application or it is lacking in the finshed heat treated state. A friend brought a couple of comercial made "hunting" knves over for me to sharpen. A quick test with a file showed them to be really soft. They were marked by the maker as 440 SS. I did a rockwell c test and each of them were right at 40 on the C scale. I gave them back and told him they were not worth the effort to sharpen or use as knives. Keep in mind that this also applies to carbon steel blades. If not made from the right steel(s) or not heat treated properly they are merely knife shaped objects. As a knife maker I not only had to learn the skills needed, but also had to learn material selection and heat treating for the application. I use both carbon steels and stainless for my blades. I also make the damascus I use for knives. I do all of the carbon steel heat treating and send the stainless blades out for that process. I cannot tell you how many ss knives I have made over the years but I can tell you how many have come back due to problems. None. I have several customers that keep me abreast of what they have done with their knives and how they are holding up. Right now I am looking at a new steel that I may replace the 440c that I have used for along time. It will have to prove itself or I will not change. The specs on it seem like it will be even better but I will wait and see. I will put some knives in hunters hands and wait for reports before I make the final decision. One of its attractions is it is made in the USA and I like that a lot. Just a final thought. I would check to see what steels that damascus is made from and how it has been heat treated. Jantz has a great reputation and I expect they will be fine. But I like details.You can also see for yourself if you finish one of them and test it yourself. Cut cardboard, rope, wood rubber hose, anything you can think of and see how it holds up. When you sell the first one you start your reputation and you cannot undo anything after that. We expect that over time your work will improve and we will see progress but poor steel or bad heat treat will label you.

[pkrankow]

Take your time and do an excellent job on the furniture, or take it off! This will allow you to get the money you expect and hopefully repeat customers.

Use tape to protect the finish of the blade while you work. Replace the tape frequently as needed, and don't leave tape on overnight unless it is meant to be left overnight. Glue messes are...messy.

Nothing wrong with kits, just be honest that you bought a blade and made the furniture to put on it.

Phil

[Hayden H]

I've forged blades, but I need a grinder, and at the moment forging doesn't seem to be the way to go. My forged knive hold up well unless you use them as pry bars. I've ground file knives of all sorts. Burn some brush and put 5 or 6 files into the fire to de-temper the steel. Grind it to suit my tastes, bring to un-magnetic edge quench. Grind scale off to be sure it didn't crack, temper. Vwola

[Hayden H]

I could use a grinder to make more sophisticated knives. Both grinding and forging end up with a knife, but I personally see more variation in ground blades. Both end up with a beautiful final product, and both are knives. I've never heard of someone forging a folding knife. Which is what I will end up making eventually. Plus it'll never hurt to have a grinder, when I get into forging large blades I can use it to flatten the tang and grind scale etc.

The 440 I'm used to is mass produced junk. When one of my buddies wants me to sharpen his knife, I sharpen it on the spot with the cutting edge of my Case Trapper. I honestly just don't like stainless.

When I order these blades, they'll have my gauruntee in defect against handle material. and it'll be specifically labeled that the blade isn't of my creation. It was purchased pre-manufactured to high standards

[ThomasPowers]

Cheap, poorly heat treated steel makes bad knives no matter what the alloy!

Many imported blades were made from lower carbon 440 grades because custom knifemakers had made a name for 440C properly heat treated.

Saying that all 440 knives are bad is sort of like saying all european autos are junk because the Yugo's were junk. Yes cheap fleamarket "$5 for a bowie knife" ones are pretty bad; but there still are Mercedes, BMWs, Porsches, Maseratis... out there too.

As for making up kit knives: Do good work and don't misrepresent them and you can be proud to sell them!

[joshua.M]

i am looking for a place in canada to order some blades, dose anyone know of a place i can order them? i could order from Jantz but would rather buy from canada because i'm worried about our super efficeint boarder helping my order get here safley with minimal charges.......

that part about the boarder was laced with sarcasim