Wayne Goddard's $50 Knife Shop, Revised

This is an interesting book that takes a bit of a different tact when it comes to blacksmithing blades and knives. The title says it all. This is the fifty dollar knife shop. So, a whole lot of the material covered in this book is about simple forges, simple tools, and putting together a shop for knife making. So predominantly this is about the tools of blacksmithing. And about 20% of the book is about the actual process of making knives. You get two methods including the forging method and the stock removal method that doesn't require a forge. This 20% is very informative though -lots of pictures, diagrams and explanations of blades, blade shapes blades in the process of being forged and how to do it. If you want to make knives on a tight budget this is a great resource. - well, even if your budget is bigger you should still get this book. It's a great resource.

This is not a good book, it is a great book. I have been making knives for several years and have purchased different books over that time as points of reference. I've learned different valuable things from each of the different books. The $50 Knife Shop is head and shoulders above the rest of the knife making books in my collection (with the exception of Forging and Finishing the Brut De Forge Knife by Joe Keeslar.) Get the $50 Knife Shop first, then Keeslar's book, and you'll likely need no others. The $50 Knife Shop takes you from start to finish on making a knife. It is comprehensive in that it has directions on everything from how to make a Single Brick Forge, to heat treating, grinding, making heads on pins, making a belt grinder and disc grinder, even a section on how to get a tight handle fit with a hidden tang knife using rubber bands. I always used gravity to keep my handles straight, until seeing the color photos in the book. I could go on but you probably won't read any farther, and I'm ready to get out to my shop. There are really good books available on the craft of knife making, but I recommend these two without reservation. With the $50 Knife Shop you will be able to make a very good and serviceable cutting tool. (I wrote cutting tool simply because the "K" word is more than likely offensive to some people, and may soon become politically incorrect to use.)

I have been wanting to try my hand at making knives for a long time and did not know where to really start. I have read all sorts of forums and websites but they all say pretty much the same thing, and involves buying a lot of expensive equipment to start with. That's not something I was looking to do. I saw this book on many sites as recommended reading and decided to buy it and read over it. I like the fact that the author made a good list of things you should have in order to start making knives. But to call it a $50 knife shop is a bit of a stretch. The author explains how he pretty much lucked up and got a lot of stuff for free, got things cheap at yard sales, and already had some of the items. It cost him $50 to put his shop together 40 years ago also. Listing items you paid $50 that long ago is a little misleading. I would say this is more of a $150 knife shop if you are lucky. Fortunately, I already some of the stuff he listed. As others have stated, there is a lot of the author mentioning all of the contraptions he has built cheaply using washing machine motors and stuff like that. There are a lot of pictures, although they aren't the best quality. Overall, I would say that this book does what it is supposed to do, and that is give you a basic idea of how to put together an entry level knife making shop on a budget, It also explains the difference between different types of forges, stock removal, and gives a lot of good tips. This is not a "Exact steps to make a knife" book. It is an overview. A guide. If you go into it knowing that, I believe you will get more out of it and will not be disappointed.

Great book, proves you don't have to be rich to have a good working shop to make knives and other useful objects from metal. This book is high on common sense, something that is increasingly lacking in our high tech world. The book can be used by a beginner who doesn't even have a hammer and by intermediate and advanced craftsmen, who want to try their hand at forging or shaping a knife. I recommend it to anyone of any skill level. Personally, I think he spends a bit too much time in the junk yard, but then that IS the title of the book. He shows you how to collect tools, what you NEED to have to make knives and how to do it on a budget. Useful for both young and old, male and female.

First of all to answer a question I see popping up. Will this knife book tell you everything to do? No. Will it get you started down the path to START making knives? Yes. There is no single book that will ingrain the knowledge of how to make a knife, only experience will do that. This book gets you off your behind, gives you some directions to start so that you can figure out if knife making is for you, and start working on your own methods beyond the basics given in the book without breaking the bank with expensive machinery, etc. Altogether one of the top starter books in my collection. I would also suggest picking up a copy of The Art of Blacksmithing to learn more of the basics of blacksmithing.

Welcome to bladesmithing - collect up your million dollar workshop and start your 20 year apprenticeship.... not what you expected? How about collect up around $200 worth of basic hand and power tools (less if you have good secondhand gear, or own a basic set of tools already) and have a go following easy to understand instructions which give you inspiration, guidance and hints of common mistakes, and how to recover from them (including keep your very first knife to remind yourself of how far you've come over the journey of your experience) This book embodies the second philosophy - the "let's have a go" and "learn in a friendly, easy environment" approach. I have a few books on the baldesmithing arts, and whilst some of the designs are not my style, the techniques and approach is well suited to someone looking for a practical introduction to the art, who is above the hollywood myths of samurai swords cutting tanks in half.

I took a knifesmithing class and was suggested to buy this book as a way to continue my studies and to get started with blacksmithing. I ordered it and began reading through it. While there's useful information, my biggest complaint is how SEVERELY dated this book is. For example, ignore the idea of setting up a knife shop like his for $50. If you, like me, lack even the most basic of tools, you'll be paying a WHOLE lot more to get started. You'll also notice that some of the items suggested aren't made any longer, aren't available at that low price, and you'll need a number of tools to make some of these tools. I spent nearly $200 on just making my first functional forge after everything was said and done. Even with the problems, Wayne Goddard knows his stuff. There's a number of really good tips on finding alternatives to the "essentials", tips for heat treating, and even discussions as to how to strike the metal. It does feel a bit lacking in the "how to forge a knife" department, though. For a beginner blacksmith or bladesmith on a budget, it's a useful book to go reading through. Otherwise, you may just want to pass.

A good book full of useful information. Many knifesmiths will refer you to this book when you're just starting out. Can you set up a knife shop for $50? Probably not unless you happen upon the perfect storm of junkyards, garage sales and gimme items from your buddies. In spite of that, the book does provide a wealth of information about every aspect of knife-making. While you might not be able to pull off a knife shop for $50, the book does give plenty of ideas on how to build your own equipment at a fraction of the cost of new, factory-built equipment. Combine the technical knowledge and the ideas on building your own equipment contained in this book, and it earns a solid five-star rating.