material to steel
Tools for the Intermediate Knifemaker
Don’t think that you need fancy tools to make a fancy knife. Your patience and determination are what decide how nice your knife will be. Even if you have the money to spend, I highly recommend starting with simple tools because it’s good to learn how to properly use files and other hand tools. I’ve upgraded my setup since I first started, but I’ll never replace a trusty file. Hand tools get me out of a pinch all the time, and I’m happy that I spent the time learning with basic tools at the beginning.
To many, the belt grinder is the ultimate tool for the knifemaker.
I’m a firm believer that the best tool for the job is one that you can find in the garage. I’ve learned a lot by working with what I have and improvising to make up for what I don’t. I’ve built most of my own forges, both gas and solid fuel. I’ve built two full-size belt grinders from scratch, and restored and modified many flea market tools to save money. Used tools may not be the best tools, but fixing them up will teach you a thing or two, and that’s worth more than the money you saved.
In addition to the tools I recommend in the previous section, I suggest looking for the tools described below to increase your efficiency in knifemaking.
I wouldn’t even attempt to log and count all of the tools I’ve found to be helpful over the years. Tools such as straightedges, squares, and other measuring devices are absolutely good to have on hand. Other simple items such as tape, markers, sandpaper, oils, and epoxies will also prove their worth in the knife shop. What I’ve laid out here are just the common tools for both the beginner or intermediate knifemaker. You’ll soon learn that these lists are only a starting point to what is available on the market today, but these tools are more than enough to set you off on the right foot.
ANGLE GRINDER
Angle grinders are handheld grinders used to both cut and grind material to shape. The angle grinder can accept a multitude of abrasive discs used to accomplish different tasks. For more on angle grinders, turn to 82.
A lighter weight farrier-style anvil.
ANVIL
Anvils are heavy steel or iron blocks that are used as hammering surfaces for metalworking. I go into much more detail on anvils later in the book—see here.
BAND SAW
Band saws are excellent for cutting curves or ripping down material. These saws are great for initial wooden handle profiling and for processing handle material.
BELT GRINDERS
To many, the belt grinder is the ultimate tool for the knifemaker. Belt grinders are found in almost every modern knifemaking shop. These machines are most commonly used to shape blades, grind bevels, and contour handle material. These are designed to support many sizes of belts, including 1 × 30 in. (25 mm × 76 cm), 1 × 42 in. (25 mm × 107 cm), 2 × 42 in. (51 mm × 107 cm), and 2 × 72 in. (51 mm × 183 cm). I cover belt grinders in depth on here.
CENTER PUNCH
The center punch (nail punch or nail set) can be used along with a hammer to create a divot to mark the location of a hole to be drilled in a tang prior to drilling pinholes.
A 4–5 lb. (1.8–3.2 kg) sledge flattens steel quickly.
HAMMER
The hammer is an essential striking tool for those planning to forge a blade to shape. Used in combination with an anvil, hot steel can be manipulated at a fairly rapid rate. For a complete overview of hammers used in knifemaking, turn to 60.
DISC SANDER
The disc sander is an awesome tool when it comes to squaring and flattening handle material.
DRILL PRESS
The drill press is the most popular and ideal tool choice for drilling holes. When knife handle material and pins are assembled, it’s very important that the holes are perfectly aligned, and a drill press helps to guarantee that the drill bit is level.
TORCH
The torch is a handy tool to have in a knife shop. It can be used to soften particular areas of a blade, as well as to temper an edge. A torch can even be used as a heat source within a smaller forge (see here).
HACKSAW
Even if you have the nicest power tools on the market, the hacksaw is a great tool to have in the shop. It’s handy when it comes to small tasks such as cutting pin material, and can also be used to cut away waste material from a blade.
TONGS
Tongs allow you to hold hot steel during forging operations. Tongs are a great way to keep a greater distance from the quench tank while hardening a blade—sometimes a fiery task. For more on tongs, see
Parts of a Knife
