Newbie first post. About to step into resto and repair.

[Surrytom]

Firstly, thanks for the add.
I'm from the UK and I have been a slipjoint collector for a number of years , mostly Case or GEC . I also pick up old Sheffield's from the many thrift and antique stores in my area. Most of these are tired looking things and cost no more than a few pounds.
It's now time I had a go at sorting a few of them out and after reading through the many posts and topics on here plus the fantastic tutorials section (which has further sparked my interest) I have a quick question .
My shop (basically a shed) is 8x6 and currently empty .
Consumables aside what's the basics such as powered tools and hand tools that would be a good start.
If this has already been covered then I would be grateful for a pointer to the post.
Many thanks.
Tom

[jerryd6818]

Welcome to AAPK, Tom. Glad to have you aboard. Good luck with the (from what I hear) addictive venture into the world of knife mechanics. As if an addiction to collecting/accumulating knives were not enough. Good luck with your new passion.

[cudgee]

Welcome, you have found the right place for your new venture. You will get plenty of skilled people helping with good advise.

[Steve Warden]

I don't do any repairs or restorations, but I will say welcome to AAPK!

[Beavertail]

Welcome to the site.

[Jeffinn]

I started out with a small bench top band saw (which I still have and use), a 4” x 36” belt/disc sander and a variety of hand tools.
You’ll need a few good files, a hacksaw, a jewelers saw, some punches, a drill (ideally a drill press), some side cutters or flush mount cutters, some assorted drill bits and maybe a few carbide cutters. I use a small ball shaped carbide cutter for removing the heads from pins etc.
A slow speed buffing wheel for polishing knife parts. (I believe that mine is a 1735 rpm model).
And don’t forget a couple of hammers that are appropriately sized for knife repairs. I have many but usually rely on one or two for most of my repairs and mods.
I’m self taught so much of what I currently use was acquired after I started to gain some experience and confidence.
There are two different schools of thought;
1. Start small and only buy a few basic less expensive tools in case you decide that knife repairs aren’t all that much fun
2. Buy a good core group of quality tools that will make your hobby easier and more enjoyable (and potentially get you better results)
I may have forgot a few things but I think I covered the basics you’ll need to get started. You’ll probably get a lot of responses here to help you get started.
If you haven’t read through this thread yet it’s got a lot of useful info in it: viewtopic.php?f=37&t=3859
If you have any questions feel free to send me an email-mail or instant message.
Have fun!
Jeff

[Reverand]

Welcome to AAPK!!!!
What he said!
There are a few must-have tools, such as a Drill, files, a belt sander, and various grits of sandpaper. You will need a small hammer (a tack hammer works great). I used a hacksaw for about a year until I could get a bandsaw. Oh, and some clamps!!!
If you stick with it you will find yourself making or accumulating several more tools along the way, but you can het started fairly inexpensively.
You will need to buy some brass and silver-nickel rods in various sizes.
But most importantly, you must have some FUN! This can be very challenging, and sometimes frustrating, but it can be very rewarding to turn an old broken pile of parts into a functional (and sometimes beautiful!) knife!

[Surrytom]

Welcome to AAPK, Tom. Glad to have you aboard. Good luck with the (from what I hear) addictive venture into the world of knife mechanics. As if an addiction to collecting/accumulating knives were not enough. Good luck with your new passion.

Many many thanks for the warm welcome

[Surrytom]

I started out with a small bench top band saw (which I still have and use), a 4” x 36” belt/disc sander and a variety of hand tools.
You’ll need a few good files, a hacksaw, a jewelers saw, some punches, a drill (ideally a drill press), some side cutters or flush mount cutters, some assorted drill bits and maybe a few carbide cutters. I use a small ball shaped carbide cutter for removing the heads from pins etc.
A slow speed buffing wheel for polishing knife parts. (I believe that mine is a 1735 rpm model).
And don’t forget a couple of hammers that are appropriately sized for knife repairs. I have many but usually rely on one or two for most of my repairs and mods.
I’m self taught so much of what I currently use was acquired after I started to gain some experience and confidence.
There are two different schools of thought;
1. Start small and only buy a few basic less expensive tools in case you decide that knife repairs aren’t all that much fun
2. Buy a good core group of quality tools that will make your hobby easier and more enjoyable (and potentially get you better results)
I may have forgot a few things but I think I covered the basics you’ll need to get started. You’ll probably get a lot of responses here to help you get started.
If you haven’t read through this thread yet it’s got a lot of useful info in it: viewtopic.php?f=37&t=3859
If you have any questions feel free to send me an email-mail or instant message.
Have fun!
Jeff

Many thanks for the welcome and for taking the time to write such a detailed answer. This really is appreciated.
Most of what you have said is as I expected apart from the bandsaw. Do you use this for metal work or for creating new covers? Or maybe both?

[Surrytom]

Welcome to AAPK!!!!
What he said!
There are a few must-have tools, such as a Drill, files, a belt sander, and various grits of sandpaper. You will need a small hammer (a tack hammer works great). I used a hacksaw for about a year until I could get a bandsaw. Oh, and some clamps!!!
If you stick with it you will find yourself making or accumulating several more tools along the way, but you can het started fairly inexpensively.
You will need to buy some brass and silver-nickel rods in various sizes.
But most importantly, you must have some FUN! This can be very challenging, and sometimes frustrating, but it can be very rewarding to turn an old broken pile of parts into a functional (and sometimes beautiful!) knife!

Thank you very much for taking time time to respond.
I really appreciate the advice.

[herbva]

I would like to add my Welcome to you Tom. There are plenty of great people here who have been very generous with their time and knowledge since I became addicted to this hobby a few years ago. Don't hesitate to ask questions and post pictures of your adventures. If it hasn't already been suggested to you, I recommend purchasing a few inexpensive knifes needing repair and start by learning the basics on those before tearing into anything valuable. (Ebay is a great source for such "learning material".) Good luck and happy knifing!

[Jeffinn]

I started out with a small bench top band saw (which I still have and use), a 4” x 36” belt/disc sander and a variety of hand tools.
You’ll need a few good files, a hacksaw, a jewelers saw, some punches, a drill (ideally a drill press), some side cutters or flush mount cutters, some assorted drill bits and maybe a few carbide cutters. I use a small ball shaped carbide cutter for removing the heads from pins etc.
A slow speed buffing wheel for polishing knife parts. (I believe that mine is a 1735 rpm model).
And don’t forget a couple of hammers that are appropriately sized for knife repairs. I have many but usually rely on one or two for most of my repairs and mods.
I’m self taught so much of what I currently use was acquired after I started to gain some experience and confidence.
There are two different schools of thought;
1. Start small and only buy a few basic less expensive tools in case you decide that knife repairs aren’t all that much fun
2. Buy a good core group of quality tools that will make your hobby easier and more enjoyable (and potentially get you better results)
I may have forgot a few things but I think I covered the basics you’ll need to get started. You’ll probably get a lot of responses here to help you get started.
If you haven’t read through this thread yet it’s got a lot of useful info in it: viewtopic.php?f=37&t=3859
If you have any questions feel free to send me an email-mail or instant message.
Have fun!
Jeff

Many thanks for the welcome and for taking the time to write such a detailed answer. This really is appreciated.
Most of what you have said is as I expected apart from the bandsaw. Do you use this for metal work or for creating new covers? Or maybe both?

I use my bandsaw for both of those. If a bandsaw isn’t in your future you can get by with a good hacksaw and a jewelers saw.
Jeff

[TPK]

Hi Tom,

Don't know anything about knife restoration but Welcome to the AAPK!

Take care,
Tom

[btrwtr]

Good advice above here. I have a decently supplied shop now but started out with very little.

Someone once said that almost anything you can do can be done with hand tools and that is the truth. Start slow and modest and you'll figure out what you need or want to buy as time goes on and you gain experience. Whatever hand tools you buy will continue to be used even if you buy a power to to replace them. I would put a small drill press with 3 or more speeds at the top of a power tool list. You can do many things other than make holes with it.

Welcome to AAPK and good luck with your adventure!

[orvet]

Surrytom,
Welcome to AAPK!

If you haven’t read through this thread yet it’s got a lot of useful info in it: viewtopic.php?f=37&t=3859

If you haven't read through the 20 some odd pages of this link that Jeff posted, I urge you to do so. Muskrat Man and I started working on knives about 2005, I think he started a month or two before I did. The thread in that link starts in 2007 and goes through 2019; it is kind of a diary that several of us knife mechanics have shared with one another on Tips, Tricks & Tools that we have found helpful in our shops and working on knives.
The thread is kind of an open shared journal of what several of us have learned over the years working on knives. The thread progresses chronologically as we learned something we add to the thread, and build on the knowledge we had shared. Some of the early techniques may not be the best technique for the task we were doing, and if you read on further you will sometimes find that we found a better way of performing a specific task.
You may even find some mistakes we have made in that thread' it is important to remember that mistakes are sometimes the fastest most thorough method of learning. If you have a question about a method or technique, make notes and you may have a question answered in some of the following posts.

Enjoy your new hobby of working on knives, but remember it is far more addictive for most of us than merely collecting knives!
Welcome aboard,
Dale

[Meridian_Mike]

Hello Tom!
Glad you found us! Repairing knives is fun and rewarding for sure!
Some of the best mechanics here have replied already so I bow to them. I have learned a LOT by seeing threads here that show the process and then asking questions. Everyone is happy to help you learn.

Mike