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Knife Making Class – October 3, 2020

We had a great knife making class today at Brown County Forge.

Bill and Terry spent 4 hours hammering out their knives on the shop’s two anvils.

Indiana Knife Making Class - October 3, 2020 - Brown County Forge

They both did a great job of picking up the fundamentals of knife making:

  • Hammer and tong control
  • Heat management
  • Grinding
  • Shaping
  • Polishing
  • Hardening and Tempering (Heat Treating)
  • Hand Sharpening

They each had the benefit of taking a Brown County Forge class in the past:

That said, there is no prior experience required for knife class.

What is Knife Class at Brown County Forge Like?

Indiana Knife Making Class - October 3, 2020 - Brown County Forge 2
Terry’s first forged knife.

Class starts with an overview of the entire process:

  1. What to expect when you’re forging.
  2. What techniques you will learn.
  3. When heat treating happens and what it looks like.
  4. Safety issues to pay attention to.
  5. And best practices for forging a solid first knife.

The blacksmithing instructor Terran Marks lays out everything before demonstrating each step of the process.

As he demonstrates he explains the “why” and the “how” of each step.

He then coaches each student through creating their own knife.

If you’ve ever wondered…

  • How Hardening and Tempering work.
  • What it’s like to use a hammer and anvil to forge something.
  • How to sharpen steel with a hand file.
  • Exactly how hot a forge should be for different types of blacksmithing.
  • How inexpensive it is to start blacksmithing.

It’s all covered in class!

Indiana Knife Making Class - October 3, 2020 - Brown County Forge 3
Bill’s forged knife.

When Are Knife Classes Held?

For 2021, Knife Classes will be held on Thursdays and Saturdays. All open class dates are available on the Brown County Forge Classes Page.

Knife class lasts 4 hours total and usually starts at 2 PM Eastern.

Students are welcome to arrive a few minutes early (ideally 1:55 PM) to go over the shop liability waiver.

Is There An Age Limit?

Yes, for safety reasons the age cut-off for all classes at Brown County Forge is 14 years old.

Since January of 2016 the shop has welcomed people ranging in age from 14 to 80+.

From couples in their mid-Twenties to Father-Son teams out for a fun weekend, everybody is welcome.

Want to Learn More?

Here are some helpful links to more resources and information:

Classes: https://browncountyforge.com/classes

Blog: https://browncountyforge.com/blog

Blacksmith Starter Kit: https://browncountyforge.com/blacksmith-starter-kit

Online Blacksmithing Course: https://diyblacksmithing.teachable.com

 

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Knife Making Kits Review

DIY Knife Making - Terran Marks
*Made using our DIY Knife Making guide available below.

Brown County Forge’s Knife Making Kits Review

In general, kits are a fun way to start on a new hobby.

They are generally inexpensive and have easy-to-follow instructions.

Whether it’s beer-making or open fire cooking, many kits meet or exceed expectations.

One type of kit that has become pretty popular in recent years is the “knife making” kit.

One kit in particular seems to stand out above the rest:

Man Crates Knife Making Kit

In today’s post, I’m going to break down what’s bad and what’s good about Man Crates’ Kit (and other kits like it).

“Not Knife Making” – Customer Review on Man Crates’ website

If you go through the reviews on Man Crates Knife Making Kit, you will see a cascade of five stars.

Many customers had a great time putting handles on their knives.

BUT that’s really all it is.

The steel portion of the knife is already shaped, sharpened, and heat treated.

All you need to do to “make your knife” is attach your wood pieces and pins with epoxy and shape the handle.

From that review above:

“This isn’t a knife making kit, it’s simply a knife handle making kit. The blade comes already shaped and sharpened. Just not as cool.”

You should be the final judge of the quality and value of the kit, but at $149.99 it just doesn’t seem worth it (in this professional’s opinion).

Note: Their Folding Knife Kit seems to fair better in terms of Reviews. This could be due to the added skill involved in attaching the handle and dealing with the locking mechanism. Folders are more complicated than fixed blades.

Other Knife “Making” Kits

Jantz Supply in Oklahoma also offers knife making kits through their website: knifemaking.com.

Most of their kits range from $5.95 to $19.95 with a few rare exceptions over $100.

These are usually large specialty blades. Example: Their 13-inch long Carina Chef blade in V10 Damascus.

With that knife kit, you’re paying for the quality of the material more than anything.

But again, if you want to actually make your knife from start to finish, this is a Knife Handling Kit.

Nothing against Jantz Supply and their well-crafted products. They have been a leader in knifemaking education and supplies since the mid-1960s.

How to Make Legitimate Knives from Start to Finish

Making a Stock Removal Knife - Brown County Forge

In DIY Knife Making – Bushcraft Knives, we start by selecting our steel by carbon content. All information about where to find the right steel is provided.

Scandinavian Grind Bushcraft Knives - DIY Knife Making

Together, with step-by-step instructions, we go through how to cut, grind, shape, and sharpen a knife blank.

Bush Knife Tempering - DIY Knife Making

We’ll go over how to properly heat treat knives – Hardening AND Tempering.

Using a Rasp to Make a Knife Handle - DIY Knife Making

You’ll learn the necessary steps to make handle scales and attach them with an easy method.

DIY Knife Making - Terran Marks

And, if you’ve followed the guide from front to back, you will end up with a knife you made from start to finish.

Over the course of 108 pages, 60 Full-Color photos, multiple examples, and a printable knife template, you will gain the ability to truly make a knife (Not limited to bushcraft knives. Use this guide with any knife template.)

It’s available for 94% less than Man Crates’ Knife Making Kit. And you’ll have the added opportunity to find your own steel, your own wood, and make your own knife still for less than a kit.

Pick up your digital copy here:

DIY Knife Making – Bushcraft Knives

DIY Knife Making - Bushcraft Knives - Terran Marks

Want to Learn to Forge Knives, too?

I built an complete online course dedicated to blacksmithing and forging knives. (The DIY Knife Making book is included in the course.)

You can preview the curriculum here for free:

DIY Blacksmithing Online Course

You’ll learn the fundamentals of blacksmithing and how to set up your own knife making shop in easy to follow video lessons.