need to be fancy: even a toaster oven works for tempering steel.
A pro-quality tempering oven can cost thousands of dollars. But if you have permission to use the household oven or even the toaster oven, you’re good to go. You can also use a torch to temper a blade, and if you buy one to make a little forge, you’ve got another way to temper a knife.
6. DRILL
A drill is a great tool for any shop, and anyone who is at all handy probably has one lying around. A drill press will always provide a more accurate hole, but a hand drill will do the trick if you need it to. A cheap little drill press may run you about $45. Hand drills can get pretty fancy, but a lower cost hand drill will run about $30 new. But that $30 can also probably get you a much nicer used drill.
7. VISE
A vise is an awesome tool to have. Anytime you’re working with a handheld grinder, or a hacksaw, it is important to securely mount your workpiece into a vise. A high quality vise can fetch a pretty high price, but I’ve seen many used vises at a much lower price point. An average quality vise often sells new for about $40. Whether you’re grinding a profile or filing a choil, it’s good to know that your blade will stay in place during the process.
8. CLAMPS
A few little clamps don’t seem like much, but they are very helpful in securing handle material to a tang. I’m sure you’ll find many other random uses for these in the shop—I know I do all the time. A few simple clamps may run you about $12 new. In knifemaking, clamps help hold handle material together while epoxy cures.
9. SHARPENING STONE
This should be a given, but you can’t call a knife complete without sharpening it. I recommend a two-sided whetstone that features both a low (400 or so) grit and a high (1000–3000) grit. Take good care of this stone and it will last you quite some time. High quality whetstones can get pretty expensive but you can find a simple whetstone for about $11. Be cautious about buying these used because they can develop pits or uneven sinks when they aren’t properly cared for.
10. COMMUNITY!
And finally, one of the best tools that you can have is the already existing community of knifemakers. Here and there you’ll run into a jerk, but for the most part the modern knifemaking community is one of the most welcoming and helpful groups of people I have ever been exposed to. Whether you’re on social media or at a knife show or convention, fellow knifemakers are often always happy to answer questions to help you get to the next level. There are many different clubs within the broader community that offer a great support system for both beginner and experienced knifemakers. Get out there and soak up all the knowledge you can!
Shopping List to Get Started on a Budget
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