Wayne Goddard's $50 Knife Shop

Author: Wayne Goddard
Publisher: Krause Publications, Iola, WI 2001
ISBN: 0-87341-993-6
156 pages, index and glossary

Wayne Goddard is an ABS Master Knifesmith and an editor for BLADE Magazine. Thus, he brings a great wealth of knowledge to this topic.

There is a myth that you need to spend a lot of money for really expensive equipment to make good knives. Wayne Goddard dispels that myth. He explains how to set up a knife making shop on a shoestring.

The chapters cover:

• The forged knife
• Stock removal and finishing
• Backyard heat treating
• Damascus steel
• Home made grinders
• Tribal knifemaking

The section on cable damascus is particulary complete and informative. The chapter on home made grinders goes into a lot of detail on how to use junk yard parts to make both bench grinders and belt sanders.

The last chapter takes the concept of knifemaking on the cheap to its ultimate extreme: Tribal Knifemaking, trying to see what can be made with less rather than with more. This chapter can give you a whole new perspective on knifemaking and blacksmithing.

I especially like the comment Wayne makes in his introduction to this book: "My experience shows that a sincere desire to make knives and a mindset of never giving up will go farther towards attaining success than any talent an individual may possess." The same goes for blacksmithing. The most important tool is what is between the ears. The attitude you bring to your work can overcome many obsacles.

-- AlbinDrzewianowski - 29 Jan 2009