It doesn’t matter whether you’re making your first knife or been in the business for years- you can always benefit from sharing tips and advice with other knife makers. If there are no clubs or enthusiasts’ groups in your area, the next best option is to join a knife forum.
Benefits of Joining a Knife Forum
Online discussion forums provide value to both participants and the knife brands that feature them on their websites. Benefits include:
- Find Community: Knife forums make it possible for makers and enthusiasts to look beyond their own towns or cities and meet with like-minded individuals from all over the world. The best forums provide their members with a sense of belonging as well as opportunities for education and growing collections.
- Connect With Other Knife Makers: A forum brings people with common interests together, sometimes enabling connections they might not have otherwise been able to make. A Damascus blade collector in a small town without specialty knife supplies can feel less alone and even build their collections by joining an online forum where sellers and other collectors are active.
- Learn: A forum can often be a useful place for members to learn from each other. In online forums aimed at knife makers, members can share resources relevant to their work. The internet is full of information, but sometimes you learn better from other individuals. Furthermore, knowing that the information comes from someone with similar experience or interests makes it more trustworthy than what a member might find on Google.
- Ask Questions: Online forums provide a place for people to ask questions about a variety of knife-related topics, from how to build a home forge to the best ways for making a hamon on a knife. Those who want to sell their product can get advice on the best places to sell knives. Questions and answers like these keep forums active and useful for members.
The Best Knife Forums To Join
It’s important to note that the forums below are independent sites that are separate from Red Label Abrasives. We do not necessarily endorse any opinions or views discussed on the forums. We are simply providing a list of forums for makers to find their community.
1) Reddit » Knives
Reddit is a social network organized around people's interests. On the knives subreddit, you will find all things knife-related. Recent posts include how to store knives using an old sunglasses display case, pictures of favorite blades, and an ancient sword found in Northern Italy. It has over 285,000 members, with up to 500 active at any given time.
2) Kitchen Knife Forums
Kitchen Knife Forums is a community for kitchen knife lovers where they can exchange information on buying/selling, classifieds, meet-ups, contests, and more. It was created to discuss kitchen tools and activities and has developed into one of the most popular knife forums, although its primary focus is kitchen activities. There are separate forums for sushi knives, kitchen knives, buy & sell, handiwork galleries, off-topic, and so on.
3) Reddit » Knife Club
This Reddit subforum is dedicated to all things pocket knives. There are over 161,000 members of knife club who come together to discuss things like handmade koshinoittos, teflon washers, vintage knives, and other topics related to smaller blades. Members show off their collections and new purchases and even run polls for member input on what they should buy next.
4) KnifeDogs.com Forums
Knife Dogs is one of the most popular and well-organized forums dedicated to knife makers, collectors, and enthusiasts. Forum topics include caring for your kitchen knives; knife sales, trades, and services; knife-making tips and tricks, and a knife picture gallery with an introduction to photography. If you’re interested in kitchen knives and maintenance, you’ll especially enjoy the Kitchen Corner forum.
5) The Knife Network Forums
Knife Network is a leading source of custom knife information. With over 44,000 members, it’s an excellent resource for learning more about folding knives, tactical knives, switchblades, automatic knives, and more. It offers everything from classifieds to knife makers forums and is welcoming to novices and experts alike. If you’re new, you’ll appreciate how knife makers who have decades of experience answer questions and hold events about the process of making and maintaining knives.
6) Blade Forum » Knife Discussion
The knife discussion thread on the blade forum is your place to discuss knives in general. Popular subjects include but are not limited to fixed and folding blades, swords, axes, hatchets, and even tomahawks. Other knife threads on Blade Forum include discussions on knife safety and applicable laws as well as evaluations of knives by users who have tested them.
7) The Kitchen Knife Fora
The Kitchen Knife Fora is geared toward kitchen knife enthusiasts. Users can discuss everything related to kitchen knives, and topics range from unique hand-forged Damascus blades to kitchen knives that deliver the best value. The forum covers common topics like sharpening and maintaining kitchen knives, and vendors and traders can exchange and buy knives from qualified knifemakers.
8) EDCForums » Knives
The EDC Forum is dedicated to folding and EDC-capable fixed blade knives. Included in this category are pocket knives and Swiss Army knives. Although the forum covers a wide range of topics like first aid kits and handguns, knives and knife safety are one of the topics of the most discussion on the site. It includes a group of curious and informative knife lovers who offer advice about which tools cut fish best or are safest to take camping.
9) JerzeeDevil
The JerzeeDevil community is made up of knife and gun enthusiasts, EDC/preppers, and doomsday conspiracy theorists. The Knife Discussions subforum is especially active with discussions about custom blades, factory and production knives, automatic knives, kitchen knives, and product testing and reviews. The tone is generally upbeat, positive, and welcoming to newcomers.
10) iKnife Collector
iKnife Collector is an online community of knife collectors that covers practically everything related to knife making, collecting, and selling. There are subforums dedicated to specific blade types as well as reviews, Q&As, and even current events and laws that affect the cutlery industry. Featured discussions are found at the top, so you can easily locate and participate in more popular threads.
11) Knifetalk Forums
Knifetalk Forums is a place for all to chat about knives, especially Randall and Behring-made blades. There are also forums dedicated to folding knives and fixed-blade knives. If you have anything to sell, there is a marketplace, although you have to pay a $10 donation for every knife sold. Although not as active as some other forums, there are dedicated members who add real insights and value to discussions.
12) All About Pocket Knives Forum
If you’re a pocket knife enthusiast, All About Pocket Knives Forum is the place for you. You can participate in a general knife discussion, talk about specific designs like switchblades, tactical knives, and straight razors, and even take part in a vigilance discussion that watches for counterfeits. There is also a subforum dedicated to swords, hatchets, throwing knives, Native American tools, tomahawk heads, and other related items.
13) TalkBlade Forum
Described as ‘the web's most friendly community on knives and blades,’ TalkBlade Forum covers all knife types, from kitchen knives and fixed blades to butterfly knives, swords, and daggers. One of the most unique subforums shows collectors how to customize their automatic knives by doing fileworks or changing blades, bolsters, or scales.
14) Australian Blade Forums
As the name suggests, Australian Blade Forums is aimed at Australian enthusiasts, although anyone can join and participate. One of the most popular subforums, ‘In the Workshop,’ talks about building forges, workshop supplies, and knife making classes. You can learn more about popular brands like Warrick Edmonds knives and Sinclair Knives and even post pictures from knife shows you attend.
15) Scrap Yard Forums
Scrap Yard Knives has its own discussion forum to talk about its products or knives in general. Although not as general in scope as other forums, this one will keep you up to date on the company’s newest products as well as the best ways to use them in and out of doors.
16) Bladesmith's Forum Board
Bladesmith’s active forum is full of discussions, photos, multimedia, and private knifemaker sales. There’s a subforum that pays homage to masters of the craft, which is great, as well as sections dedicated to forge work, finishing techniques, and sheaths and leather work. There’s even a subforum dedicated to newbies, so you don’t have to be shy about being a beginner.
17) Spyderco Forum
Do you like Spyderco knives? Seeking a fandom for Spyderco knives? Spyderco created a knife forum for their admirers, and you’re welcome to join. Talk about your favorite knife style, enter the photo of the week contest, and tell everyone what type of Spyderco is in your pocket today. There’s even a place to list and reference all Spyderco counterfeits, clones, and replicas that you find.
18) Chinese Knives forum
Chinese Knives Forum is a forum for users who enjoy knives from China. The forum may be smaller than others, but its members are passionate about knives, and some posts get over 10,000 views. Some of the site's users have been collecting Chinese knives for years, so if you have a question about where to source your latest acquisition, someone is certain to have the answer.
Stock Up On TheKnife MakingAbrasives You Need
If you use some of the forums on this list, you'll find like-minded people, grow your collection, and even be able to learn from some of the best in the industry. They’re all free to join, and the information they provide is priceless.
Whether you’re new to knife making or have a nationally-recognized brand, the secret to success is a quality product. Red Label Abrasives offers knife making kits that can create blades that any enthusiast would be happy to own. We also sell some of the longest-lasting and highest-performance sanding belts and sanding discs for knife making, so come find out how we can add that extra level of quality to your blades. For more information, please call 844-824-1956 or fill out our contact form.
