Kit Knife

[paps]

Ran across some knife kits I have left over from when I was learning how to make folders. Used to be heavy into knife making but have been away from it for a few years. Kind of gettin the urge to crank it back up now that I have more time. Decided I'd put one of these kits together to see if I could still do it. It's a button lock from knifekits.com with redwood burl scales and a little filework. Thanks for the look.

 

[bobjackson]

Great job. I like it.

 

[cnirenberg]

That's a great looking knife. Are they difficult to make? I really don't know anything about the kits.

 

[snyiper]

I love that lil knife it sure is sweet looking!!! I am about to try some fixed blades first before a folder!!!

 

[BKelley]

Nice job !! Did you do the work back or was it part of thekit?

 

[paps]

Thanks for the kind words. These kits are not too difficult to put together. A basic kit comes with all the metal parts needed. You have to add the handles or else purchase them as an add on. Also, the back spine is an add on item too if you want to try your hand at filework. Kits come standard with standoffs to hold the liners apart. There's lots you can do to modify or embellish the kit. For this one, I added my own scales, dovetailed the bolsters, and did the filework on the back spine. Filework was done with a triangular file and round file. You could also filework the liners if you desire. They are fun to put together. Button lock is a little more challenging than the liner locks but not too terribly difficult. Fixed blade kits are also available if you don't have the tools to cut grind and heat treat your own blades. Putting together kits is a great way to learn.

 

[cnirenberg]

Phil,
Any suggestions for a first time knife kit?

 

[OOPS]

Excellent workmanship. I took a class at Woodcraft and made my first knife just recently. (a fixed blade) It was a thoroughly enjoyable project and seemed almost easy in comparison to making pens, in that any small errors you make can be "ground off" so that they are not noticeable. Hard to do that with pens, where if you over-sand or under-sand you end up with a pen that doesn't fit properly. On second thought, maybe it is all the close attention to detail while making pens that just made the knife project seem easy?

Thanks for posting.

 

[paps]

Cris...I'd say any of the bolsterless frame locks would be a good kit to start on. They weren't available when I first started but look to be pretty easy. Here's a link

http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=1&osCsid=d2acb8cb4d881da0e217b06393f4a602

Look for the items that begin with FL.

OOPS...I agree, pens are hard compared to fixed blade kit knives. Knives get much harder when you are grinding your own blades.

 

[Woodlvr]

Thanks for the links Phil. I am interested in knife making also. I must be missing something as I cannot find any kits that start with FL. Thanks.

 

[CharlesH]

Hey paps,

Nice knife, I really wanna start making knives! Can you point out any website for a newbie to start out?

Thanks,

Charles

 

[joeatact]

You know of any good videos on assembling one of these lockbacks or any videos on knife making?

 

[snyiper]

Mike look on the left of the page on that link there are several FL numbers.

 

[LandfillLumber]

Very nice.Victor

 

[paps]

For anybody interested in learning to make knives, here are a couple sites where you can read up on it. Just about everything you'd want to know about making knives can be found with a little digging:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=669

http://knifenetwork.com/pages/index.shtml

I should warn you though, it is expensive to get started in knifemaking. Not too bad if you want to stick with kits, but to make them from scratch will cost you. And, like pens, you will likely become bored with kits after a while and want to make your own creations. Here's one done up from scratch...

 

[PaulDoug]

I'm a knife fan. That is a beauty, just ordered their catalog.