The Wonder of Knifemaking

I finally found what I think is about the best knife making book so far. This one really explains the art of knife making -- from which type of steel works best for any desired result, to the mystery of tempering and heat treating.Mr. Goddard put all of his knowledge and effort into this book and you can tell. I've met Wayne at a large knife show in Oregon where he was selling his book. He was very personable, and the other knifemakers at the show spoke of him with high regard. He's been making knives for a long time and has made all the mistakes a guy can make trying to forge one. From his life-long experience, it's great to read what the tried-and-true methods are before starting the process.

That says it all !... The "Bible of Knifemaking" ... I would get the earlier edition as it has a slightly larger print .... This new edition has a few extra goodies but I prefer the older larger easier to read book .. As a matter of fact I think I have three copies of the older book and one of the newer book ... It will pretty much tell you everything about how to make knives .... Heat treat , handles , alloy steels EVERYTHING !.. Don't tell Wayne , but this book is worth twice the asking price .... Yup , its that good .. A must have if you are considering making knives or just want to know all about knives ....

Ths book rambles a lot, probably because it is based on a selection of articles the author published in magazine form, hence 4 stars. Mainly it is a catalog of his experience as a blade maker and using various scrap steels, files, saw blades etcetera as blade steel. Good tips on dealing with the various steels and building your workshop on the cheap if that is your goal/need. probably useful as a reference when in electronic form as you can search for specific alloys he has experience with. Fit, finish, and design are generally asides not topics.

I just really like Mr Goddard's style of writing. It comes from someone that has spent hours and hours of working through problems and just getting it done. If you don't take anything else away from this book, take this: if you really want to make a knife, make it! Nothing is in the way that can't be overcame. Find a way, get it done! You won't be perfect, but after awhile you will be able to look back and see the progress.

Heavy reading, written for someone trying to make a living making knives.Not for the hobbyist or weekend knife maker. Lots of info on metals andheat treatment of metals. Great read if you're into the forging and metallurgyof blade-smithing.

Great book. Wish it would have hit on design and scale making more. It focused a lot on metal info and heat treating. Not complaining, still great info, just expected a touch more.

The book is well written and easy to follow. Wayne Goddard is a master knife maker that started with alomst nothing. I have been making knives as a hobby for 35 years and will never be as good as Wayne. If you are a knife maker or just thinking about starting I would highly recomend any of Wayne's books. The $50 knife shop is also a good starting place but this one is better.

Good book for someone looking for information getting started.The authors experience shows in the detail of the information given.

Brilliant read and learnt a lot that I can add to my knife making Wayne Goddard is a true living legend

Sehr informativ und voller Anregungen und Ideen für Messermacher und Sammler gleichermaßen. Der Autor gibt sein Wissen und seine Erfahrungen auf sehr unterhaltsame Art allen Interessierten weiter.

Très bien fait, impression de qualité, un véritable outil de référence.

Very creatively inspirational as well as technical and informative about details.

tres bien