So eventually I want to try making some real knives, but first I want to make some training blades. Basically knife shaped and weighted objects, but constructed with out points or blades. You use training blades like this to train in the martial arts. It allows realistic attacks, without the pesky side effects of “oops” – “I think I just cut open your jugular vein” or “I think I just stabbed you in the kidney for real!”.

While I have never done business with them, Empire training blades (http://www.empiretrainingblades.com/Training%20Knives.htm) has a nice looking catalog of training knives. In particular I liked their loveless training blade – so for my first knife I figured I would use that as inspiration / target. The Empire blades are only like $30, and so unless you are trying to learn from making the knife, like I am, or trying to go into business making them I suggest just buying one and finding some place else to spend your time. Like training with the blade.

Any way, my first attempt cutting out the knife was going well enough until I realized, all too late, that the g-code assumed a roughing pass had been done. So the mill buried the cutter into the stock, then snapped off the bit trying to do a heavy cut. Luckily it was a small cutter designed to snap under those conditions.