What does IP Rating Mean? IP Rating stands for Ingress Protection Rating (also known as International Protection Marking), which is a code that that a manufacturer is required to specify so that customers know if a product is protected against solid-state or liquid particle incursions. It gives consumers the confidence to know they are buying a...
Article written by: David Grinter At one time in Australia, mild and recycled steels were all you could easily source. If you wanted a steel that was heat-treatable and forgeable, chainsaw bars, leaf and coil springs, axles and hydraulic rods, large bearing races, old files (known as OF) and railway spikes were the go-to. If you...
Article written by: David Grinter "It was something I had been meaning to do for some time, but put off until I needed it for a particular job." The smithin’ magician, guillotine tool, blacksmith’s helper (BSH) are some of the names you will see online for this tool. For those who don’t have a striker, a power...
Article written by: Skye Eilers of Skye Eilers Knives | Facebook: Skye Eilers Kives | Instagram: @skye.eilers Colours and material combinations are important for the function and look of a knife. What colours will make it eye-catching? What materials are suitable? Will these bolsters clash or compliment my scales? These are all questions that inform design. So, how do we make the “right” choices? First off, aesthetics are subjective. What you like may not appeal to everyone, and what others make may not appeal to you. The aesthetics must be informed...
Article written by: David Grinter Essential Tools For the Beginner Knife Maker Whenever you ask this question, you are liable to get an answer of anything from files right up to a power hammer – good stuff, but the word here is beginner. The best way to start out in knife making is known as the stock removal...
Article written by: Skye Eilers of Skye Eilers Knives | Facebook: Skye Eilers Kives | Instagram: @skye.eilers Failures and setbacks are the bane of any craftsperson’s existence. Couple that with the feeling that you’re not good enough, that your skills aren’t progressing as fast as you’d like, that niggling thought that you might never get there... It’s a wonder we ever...
Article written by: David Grinter If there is one thing you should know thoroughly before you heat or grind your first workpiece, it’s safety. Your equipment, shop layout and work practices should all be designed with safety at the forefront. Making a conscious effort to remain safe might just save your life. Safety Blacksmithing and knife making can...
Article written by: Skye Eilers of Skye Eilers Knives | Facebook: Skye Eilers Kives | Instagram: @skye.eilers This article demonstrates how I make “dovetailed” laminate handles. This is my Kingmaker design - G10 scales, brass bolsters, and brass and G10 spacers. The fitment is angled, providing the illusion of curved spacers when the handle is rounded....
We’d been planning this for months. We already knew the type of knife we wanted to make and had our handle materials ready, now we just needed a teacher. Since roughly July 2020 I’ve wanted to do a forging class with Keith Fludder, a recognised Journeyman Smith in the American Bladesmith Society. His reputation within...
At Gameco Artisan Supplies, unless noted otherwise all of our steel bars and blanks are either waterjet cut or saw cut. Compared to the other methods available to cut steel into bars or blanks like laser, shear, or plasma; bandsaw and waterjet cutting gives us the most desirable results. Waterjet cutting advantages: No heat affected zone –...
