parts and materials list?

Stop in hear to look for parts, parts knives, tools, materials, and other items for knife making & repair. Post pictures and descriptions of your extra stuff, ask if anyone has something you're looking to find and more.
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Darksev
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parts and materials list?

Post by Darksev »

I've been thinking about this for a while, and wondered if anyone would be interested in starting up a list of materials suppliers for us customizers and makers. Just a listing maybe of reputable folks we've dealt with for getting supplies (wood, horn, bone, etc). I don't really think any of my sources, thus far would classify as "secret" and frankly some of them are just obvious, but I'd like to share anyways. maybe just a link/description/contact info and a bit of a blurb about what we've experienced thus far?

What do the powers that be think? would this end up to much like an advertising thread? I've got no personal stake in any of my sources, but I can see how a list like this could be mis-used if a vendor started advertising themselves.
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jonet143
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by jonet143 »

i think posting a supplier and rating them would be fine. service, products, etc. prices change too often, so just the knife related products. i have no secret suppliers! :wink: if something is amiss, we'll handle it then.
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Darksev
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by Darksev »

sounds good, so I'll start off with folk's I've used and had good luck with:


AKS or Alpha Knife Suppy -http://alphaknifesupply.com/- I've bought a lot of stabilized wood and some stab antler from them. Great site, nice that you can select the exact piece you want from their inventory. Wonderful people to talk to, I've spoken with probably the whole family at this point. They frequently update the inventory with possibly the best pictures of any supplier anywhere.

Ebay seller: Tomsheart - http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/tomsheart - Usually only lists 10-20 stabilized (or plasticized) wood blocks at a time, but you can tell they take alot of pride in picking them. I've never got a bad block, stabilization is top notch, and the wood is almost always premier stuff (like the sycamore lace I use frequently). Fantastic to deal with.

Ebay Seller: theresa28bass - I think this may be the ebay account for some of the folks at Amherst cutlery, as I've ordered stag from them (very nice stag too) and it showed up with an Amherst cutlery invoice. Wonderful people to deal with

Ebay Seller: fine_turnage_productions - http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/fine_turnage_productions - I think most people who've worked with ivory at some point are probably familiar with Charles Turnage. If your looking for small blocks of ivory or bone, he's a great resource. rarely have prices gotten high for me on the blocks I've won.

Elen Hunting - http://www.elenhunting.com/ - Stag. fantastic stag. They carry some of the african game antlers, and one of the only places I've seen red deer stag available online too, which is a nice change if your looking for it. The way the site is setup you can select from individual pieces.


*edit* added links
Hukk
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by Hukk »

There are so many good vendors out there! Maybe I should start a list at home and post it later. Not only that but also but what you buy from that vendor.

At Alpha Knife Supply I buy Cold Rolled Annealed 410 stainless steel rods for pinstock and flat sheet 410 SS .125 to .187 (only place I've seen selling 410 SS rods 1/16, 3/32, and 1/8 inch and they plan to carry up to 1/4 inch) and 6AL/4V Titanium is good to buy. I use their email sales messages and clearance page extensively. I buy stag occasionally.

However for 410 stainless steel liners I use Admiral Steel for .040 410 SS because the price is $28.83 for 12in x 12in x 36in. Hard to beat that price, the shipping is not always great though.

I also use Tracy Mickleys site for supplies. USA Knife Maker Supply http://www.usaknifemaker.com

I use Elen Hunting for the very large size pearl scales and I use Culpeppers also for pearl, small pieces of mosaic abalone and jigged bone. I will use Masecraft for recon - thickness cut to order and I will buy Green and Paua Abalone by the .125 inch sheet.

I used to use Tomsheart, but I now stabilize my own woods at WSSI that I buy. A 5 oz block costs around $4.00 - $5.00 to stabilize including shipping both ways if I'm shipping at least 10 LBS. So - it ends up being half price.

Ok, I need to make a list. I use different sites for different types of supplies.
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justacowboy
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by justacowboy »

100% agreement about fine_turnage_productions . great guy ,friendly and fast service.
here are a few othets that I've had good dealings with.
http://www.masecraftsupply.com/ scales.
http://originalpierce.com/ custom scrimshaw work
http://www.kovalknives.com/ aka jantz ... every thing.
http://www.trugrit.com/ every thing
http://www.alabamadamascussteel.com/servlet/StoreFront also on ebay . damascus billets
http://www.knifeandgun.com/ every thing.
http://stores.ebay.com/PremiumKnifeSupply scales , pin stock , mosaic pins and blanks for beginners.
http://gbrannon.bizhat.com/old.htm info , info and more info
http://stores.ebay.com/Poor-Boy-Blacksmith-Tools propane forges and tools
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orvet
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by orvet »

Great sources so far.

Here are my favorites:

USA Knife Maker Supply - All knife making supplies
http://usaknifemaker.com/store/
Tracy Mickley’s Site. Nice guy, very helpful! Operated by a knifemaker for knifemakers

Gilmer Wood -Exotic woods
http://www.gilmerwood.com/
My second favorite source of wood. $100 min if ordering on the web


Jantz Supply - All knife making supplies
http://www.jantzsupply.com/index.html
Nice folks to deal with. Seem to have everything.

Culpepper & Co -Jigged bone, stag, Mother of Pearl, abalone
http://www.knifehandles.com/
Great folks here.

Tru Grit Inc -All sort of knife making supplies
http://www.trugrit.com/
Great assortment of sanding belts.

Texas Knifemaker’s Supply - All knife making supplies
http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/index.php


Dale
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knifemaker3
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by knifemaker3 »

Most of mine have already been told. Jantz, K&G, Texas Knife supply, Admiral Steel.

Check out Sheffield's Knife Supply in Florida. They have a webpage and you can download their catalog, but you have to call to order. No online ordering with them. But they have some good prices and have been in the business for many years.

Sheffield's Knifemakers Supply
1-800-874-7007
www.sheffieldsupply.com

Don't know if the link works, but you can copy and paste if it don't. I ain't too smart with computers.
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justacowboy
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by justacowboy »

Culpepper & Co -Jigged bone, stag, Mother of Pearl, abalone
http://motherofpearl.net/
Great folks here.
I dealt with them twice about six years ago.
First purchase was flawless.
Second time was a nightmare. ordered six sets of corn cob jigged bone and specified
NO SUBSTITUTIONS. They were out of corn cob so they sent six sets of wormgrove in
the wrong colors and smaller sizes.
The would nor offer a refund until I sent back their mistakes at my expense .
Took 3 1/2 months to get a refund and they had the nerve to charge a restocking fee.
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orvet
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by orvet »

Bummer.
I have never had a problem with them, but I understand there was a merger of some sort a couple years ago. It may not be the same people you dealt with before.
I always call ahead to verify stock because they told me their web site is very inaccurate and never up to date.

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Hukk
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by Hukk »

orvet wrote:Bummer.
I have never had a problem with them, but I understand there was a merger of some sort a couple years ago. It may not be the same people you dealt with before.
I always call ahead to verify stock because they told me their web site is very inaccurate and never up to date.

Dale
My experiences have been the same as yours Dale! ::tu:: ::tu::

They are growing rapidly and moved to new quarters a couple years ago. My experiences have been PERFECT with Culpepper and that is about a dozen transactions or more over the last few years.

I never buy any steel from Jantz, Texas Knife Makers Supply, or K&G - ANYMORE :oops: . Here is a reason why from a recent email I sent regarding .040 410 Stainless Steel Sheet Stock.

For 410 SS liners (.040) I found Admiral Steel has a great price. (they sell .032, .040, .050, and .062) The .040 is $28.83 for .040 x 12 x 36. From Jantz you would pay $64.56 (6 sheets at $10.76 of .040 x 6 x 12) to get the same in square inches. From Texas Knifemakers Supply you would pay $77.70 to get the same in square inches (6 sheets at $12.95 of .040 x 6 x 12). From K&G it would cost $36.00 (3 sheets at $12.00 of .040 x 12 x 12).

So for the EXACT same thing - 432 square inches of .040 410 Stainless Steel Sheet Stock you pay:

Admiral....$28.83
K&G.........$36.00
Jantz.......$64.56
TKS.........$77.70


I have TWO 3 ft sheets of .040 coming from Admiral and the cost was ~ $65.00 (I have some O-1 coming also). The same .040 from Texas knife would cost me ~ $165.00, about $100 MORE! :shock:

I comparison shop for just about everything and factor in shipping - I have not looked at Sheffied - YET. You can bet that I will. ::nod:: ::nod::

We will not agree on everything but we should be able to locate enough places to save some SERIOUS CASH! ::ds:: That's my focus and I hope others feel the same. I recently had an order from Alpha Knife Supply take MUCH longer than it should have. I just got it yesterday, but I won't say how long it took - I think Chuck may be embarrassed - but occassionaly something will happen. They still have my business and recommendation - it's out of the ordinary for them and also true of most vendors that want our business.
Hukk
hispeedbuffer
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by hispeedbuffer »

justacowboy wrote:100% agreement about fine_turnage_productions . great guy ,friendly and fast service.
here are a few othets that I've had good dealings with.
http://www.masecraftsupply.com/ scales.
http://originalpierce.com/ custom scrimshaw work
http://www.kovalknives.com/ aka jantz ... every thing.
http://www.trugrit.com/ every thing
http://www.alabamadamascussteel.com/servlet/StoreFront also on ebay . damascus billets
http://www.knifeandgun.com/ every thing.
http://stores.ebay.com/PremiumKnifeSupply scales , pin stock , mosaic pins and blanks for beginners.
http://gbrannon.bizhat.com/old.htm info , info and more info
http://stores.ebay.com/Poor-Boy-Blacksmith-Tools propane forges and tools
Holy moly,I got dizzy trying to look at all this stuff.Especially this http://gbrannon.bizhat.com/old.htm Thanks for posting!
markbrower
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by markbrower »

I only have a couple and see they have already been listed. Adam... Excellent idea and great resource. Mark
judewhopper
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by judewhopper »

Does anyone know where to get the soft yellow plastic material like yellow Case, old Schrade Warner and other knives are made of? Seems like all anyone has is acrylic, bone and wood...

Thanks,
Danny
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Elvis
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by Elvis »

Good luck Danny. I tried chasing down some yellow Delrin only to find out that it is molded into place as the knives are being made. The only Delrin I could find was "natural" and it looks more of an ivory color.
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by mike97 »

I have access to antlers. If anybody wanted to buy some, I'm up for it, personally I'd rather do a trade for any knife because I like all knives. If interested pm me. Oh and sorry for hijacking thread... I like Sheffield they have pretty good customerservice
judewhopper
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by judewhopper »

I found yellow paper based micarta on ebay but I can't for the world find where he is getting it. Everyone has linen or canvas or some such thing. Paper looks to finish much smoother. May have to buy it on ebay.

I bought some G10 but I'm skeered to death of it. It will kill you from the way they warn you about it plus they keep mentioning glass. I hope they mean fiberglass. I'm just getting close to over with a nightmare with some glass hard material but I learned a lot. G10 may not be a problem.

Still love that good old plastic. You can just beat a pin in it with a great big hammer.

Danny
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orvet
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by orvet »

I won't work with G-10 because it is SO NASTY. You better wear a respirator and have a dust evacuation system!
Micarta is almost as bad, but instead of it being resin impregnated fiberglass like G-10, it is resin impregnated canvas, linen, or paper. All of it is bad for your lungs!

You should wear a respirator when sanding or cutting pretty much anything. Most of the things we sand, cut or grind in our shops, we shouldn’t breathe. Wood dust and carbon steel may break down somewhat in the lungs, but stainless steel and the synthetic particles like micarta, G-10, plastics, & even bone don’t decompose in your lungs. Unless you can cough it out, it is there permanently.

The stone & steel dust is what gave the old time knife grinders what was called “Grinders Lung,” an occupational hazard of knife grinders.



There is an interesting article online about Grinders Lung from the Provincial Medical Journal of London, dated 1843; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article ... 17/?page=1
Some grinding occupations were more hazardous than others.
Fork grinders seemed to die between the ages of 28 to 32.
Razor grinders tended to die between 40 to 45 years of age.
Table knife grinders, who worked on wet stones, usually died between 50 to 60 years of age.

In 1822 there were “inquires,” (apparently their word for “studies”), into the mortality of 2500 grinders.
The results speak of severe occupational hazards:

1. Less than 60 (of the 2500 grinders) reached the age of 45.
2. Fewer than 35 of them reached the age of 50.
3. Of the 80 fork grinders, not a single one reached the age of 36.

A later study showed that within the Kingdom at large 296 out of 1000 people (from all walks of life) would die between the ages of 20 to 40.
Within the Grinding Trades (fork, razor and knife grinders) 885 out of 1000 people would die between ages 20 to 40. That is 89% of the grinders, (rounding up the ½ percent). Obviously they didn’t have OSHA! :lol: :lol:

Why this rabbit trail?
1- Because I like rabbit trails. :mrgreen:
2- Because it shows how dangerous the airborne dust particles that result from knife making can be.

Consider this; in the 1800s they were using mostly natural materials to make knives. They didn’t have micarta, or G-10 or some of the more nasty (to the lungs) synthetic materials we make knives from today.

Moral: Get a dust evacuation system, even if it is just a Shop-Vac at your grinder or sander to suck up the majority of the dust. Get a respirator and WEAR THE DARN THING! :x

Really you should! ::nod::
Dale
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judewhopper
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by judewhopper »

I only thought I was scared. I guess I should be terrified. Does anyone used G10 or Micarta? Unless you want bone or the few colors of acrylic they’ve decided we can have, there isn’t much else out there and there is a TON of it out there. Everyone sells it, the assumption is that many people use it.


To get it all in perspective, the first thing I noticed was that people died of fork grinding at 20. That means they must have started at 10. They had no laws, no controls, no knowledge. They were in a basement with no ventelation and a particle mask was unheard of. It’s mind opening but not really a good comparison to modern people using G10 every now and then and not 15 hours per day in a sweat shop.


I’ve been cuting, grinding, welding painting, sanding something for 30 years with a lot of brake dust thrown in for good measure back before they outlawed asbestos and before we knew it was bad.


I’m not saying G10 and Micarta aren’t bad. From what I’ve read everywhere it is some nasty stuff. One place that sells it even recommends a wet tile saw to cut it with. What I’m saying is that insulating your attic is bad too. Doing the brakes on your car. Grinding metal, Grinding bone. Grinding plastic and acrylic. Breathing paint fumes. And we are smarter now. I’ve done a lot of stupid things with just occasonal use of a mask and made it to 50 already. That’s not to say that I won’t die of some horrible lung disease next year from all of it. I know painters who started in the 60s who had to stop when they were 50-55 because the doctor said they couldn’t breath that stuff anymore or they would die. Luckily I missed the 60s because we were still stupid then about all this stuff. The 70s and 80s were bad enough.


I guess I have a bad way of explaining things. I’m not saying I don’t appreciate your warnings Orvit. It takes years and people dying before something gets outlawed and as far as we know this stuff won’t be on the market in 2 years. Warnings are good and people can use them to think of ways to use the product safely.


If you do an internet search for “yellow plastic” you don’t have any choices except Micarta or G10 or G11. I’m not even sure if there is a difference between the three. I ordered a piece to see what it was. I was looking for something without a pattern in it so canvas or linin Micara are both out. I was thinking G10 was close to just acrylic which isn’t too easy to work with either. I hate breaking handles and I’ve already broken my share.


But really, thanks for the warning. Getting it from someone I know carries more weight. Now I know why another guy who sells on ebay says he wet sands it over the kitchen sink. He failed to mention that it was to keep from dying.

Danny
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muskrat man
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by muskrat man »

Shop vac, and respirator when I'm doing anything that involves dust. I also have an industrial exhaust fan in one wall of my shop that stays on whenever I am sawing, grinding or buffing. You can watch the dust zoom toward the fan as you are grinding, turns the whole shop into a wind tunnel during the warmer months when I can open the opposing window. I would like to have a better dust collection system, especially for the buffer since without a hood it does not catch much.
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by dkrank »

I'm not seeing them listed yet. I really like Red Label Abrasives (https://www.redlabelabrasives.com/) for grinding belts. The quality is definitely premium, but the prices aren't premium, which is why I like ordering from them. Their ceramic belts last a pretty long time and do a good job for stock removal.
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by muskrat man »

i got some sanding strips from red label a couple weeks ago and can honestly say they last 2x as long as other brands ive tried.
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Re: parts and materials list?

Post by Doc B »

muskrat man wrote: Fri Sep 04, 2020 3:43 pm i got some sanding strips from red label a couple weeks ago and can honestly say they last 2x as long as other brands ive tried.
The ceramic ones?
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