Getting Started in Knife Making -- Knife Maker's Friday Five #63

In this inspiring video, bladesmith Walter Sorrells takes a tour through the challenges faced by starting knife makers, and shows you ways through those obstacles.
Support Walter Sorrells's channel on Patreon! / waltersorrells
FREE PDF! Five Killer Tips for getting started as a knife maker: waltersorrellsblades.mykajabi...
Check out Walter's videos about making Japanese swords! www.waltersorrellsblades.com
Walter's Instagram: walterstactix
Tactix Armory Instagram: tactixarmory
Twitter: @WalterSorrells

[@rescd3336]

It never gets old hearing the fundamentals. Walter always keeps topics well grounded. Thanks.

[@checoleman8877]

One tip I would give is that although it is very helpful to make many small knives, don't restrict yourself to just that. Make different knives with different shapes and bevels and handle types. Make full tangs, hidden tangs, scandi grinds, full flat grinds. You will learn a ton about what works for different applications.

[@michaelmosley254]

Walter you have been the one knife maker to get me started into making knifes there is a bait store close to my house here in TN with some good guys running I make fillet knifes and they sell them for me and when hunting season comes I make skinning knifes .think you sir for all your videos

[@ichtheanforge6468]

SO many stories of my own journey come to mind with this video! I'll just share the one that started it all. I wanted a sword that wasn't a wall hanger. So I started pricing them. It didn't take me long to realize those things aren't cheap! Well, I worked with steel every day as a saw filer at a sawmill so I said to myself, "I'm gonna make me a sword!" I worked my way all the way up to a little 9" utility knife. About 18 years later, I'm still proud of that knife. It was nothing extravagant, but I made it. I lost it when my home was broken into and thieves stole it. Now, due to service connected disabilities, I'm out of the mill and able to dedicate more time to bladesmithing. I still haven't "made me a sword," but I have made several short swords for clients. This week marks my first attempt at a longer sword. Oh, and I did break down long ago and shell out the bucks for a guy to make a sword for me.

[@Innlandetknives]

Great Walter. These are wise perspectives

[@wadeking]

Good Morning Amigo Walter!!!::))

[@jwjenkins421]

I started making knives several years ago, and most of what I've been doing is material removal, I just made my fist Damascus with hammer and forge. Only 13 layers with no twist or anything extra. It's been fun to try something new, and see possibilities of other projects I can do.

[@mcguckin13]

Keep posting these fundamental videos, they prompt me to get off me arse and ACTUALLY make a knife. Thanks Walter for everything you do 👏👏👏

[@billclancy4913]

Partly due to your help, my knife skills have gotten so much better over the last 5 years. Your input is always spot on.

[@paulwiggins183]

Cool. Great advise.

[@chewyakarieckenicholas6049]

I have to say that you are a straight up no BS kind of inspiration for me I truly appreciate that about you thanks for sharing your knowledge and technical skills with everyone and myself I have personally learned a great deal of things from you and can't wait to learn more

[@johnjude2685]

I'm limited with knives built a few with 1095 that I'm proud of and great edge Next building set of carving knives and chisels from 01 steel that is often recommended. Thanks

[@philochristos]

This is all good sound advice.

[@mickeyfilmer5551]

Wise words for the young ones, some of who, expect to do the impossible at once without putting in the practice and learning curve. I'm 64, and am still honing my skills- PUN INTENDED! You need to keep on trying, and evrey failure is actually a learning curve- learn by your mistakes.

[@mickeyfilmer5551]

A broken hacksaw blade is good practice to make a scalpel- get it sharp and looking good and you are on your way!

[@michaelatwood7188]

Hail State!!

[@Arthurian.]

Good way to start the day after a leisure morning.

[@824WaterBoy]

It will be 3 years this summer since I started making knives. I really struggle with keeping my expectations in check but looking back I'm very happy with where I am now

[@DamsLifestyle]

Very nice

[@bobgore1962]

Great video, Walter! As a beginner bladesmith (and KZbinr), you gave me some things to think about! I appreciate it, and thanks for sharing! 😎👍🏻🔨🔥🔪

[@brianlawson3757]

Good advice, Walter! I've been a hobby tier bladesmith for quite a while now, and I find one of the biggest challenges for me personally is not letting myself get stuck at some point in a build and then running off to forge something different. I have a tendency to reach a decision making point or realize that maybe there's a flaw in my design and instead of working through it, I chuck another piece of steel in the fire and start wailing away at it. Right now, I've got something like eight blades on my work bench in various stages of being finished, and when I see the pile, I feel a bit dejected because my irrational need for my work to be perfect sometimes holds me back from finishing a piece. It's super frustrating because I know I'm being irrational, and it's sometimes hard to kick myself in the butt and power my way through a project. I'm sure I'm not the only one to have that feeling of being stuck halfway through something, but I thought I'd share anyway. 😅

[@Bargle5]

Looking forward to making a knife from a file series. I've been picking up old files here and there for a while and I think I'm ready to get started.

[@buxeyaaron]

Your amazing 😊

[@Arthurian.]

Good points on people putting stock in needing all of "the right tools" when craftsman made beautiful works, with bare minimum tools, no belt grinders or anything. People get excited and forget that power tools make power mistakes.

[@brysonalden5414]

I would only add that once I decided I really needed an expensive piece of equipment (like a hydraulic press) I got what I needed then, not what I would need if I kept going, and that was a mistake! I wish I'd saved up for a bigger press, a more versatile 2/72, and so on. I'm now building a ribbon burner forge to replace the two-burner I bought two years ago, because the old one won't handle the size of the damascus billets I'm now making.

[@josephlyons473]

I got my beginner knife making supplies and equipment for sale. 1/30 variable speed belt sander and belts, single burner Nc tool baby whisperer forge, DEWALT 4” angle grinder, spring steel stock, Bunch of g10 liners and kydex/belt loops for sheath making, tongs, and a few other tools if anyone is interested. Located in NC.

[@mikebirmingham1291]

I made my first knife with a file years ago after watching a video you made.

[@danhandke5012]

❤❤❤❤

[@billclancy4913]

Strive to make each knife a bit better than the last.

[@Dreweldeenknives]

Ever made slip joint -Walter ?

[@rkaag99]

Thank you for this. 59yo and just getting stasrted

[@MilwaukeeMaker]

I respect your experience. I can’t watch your whole videos because there’s not enough “action”. Watching someone talk isn’t appealing . No offense , it’s not your look, it’s that we watch KZbin to get educated and entertained. You make AMAZING goods , please know that , just to much face to face.

[@agentcovert]

I miss your trademark blue denim shirt..this red logo shirt is really throwing the vibe off..maybe try a POPS shirt or something..the video is unwatchable unfortunately..you shouldn't change a good thing..