3D printing has become one of the most useful tools in my knife-making workshop. From jigs and sanding guides to clever storage solutions, these prints save time, improve accuracy, and make daily work more enjoyable. Modern 3D printers are much cheaper, faster, easier to use and have higher quality prints.
Knifemaking is a subtractive technology. We start with something bigger and remove material until we get the final shape. 3D printing is an additive technology, where objects are built up from scratch. This allows different models to be made with less waste and in shapes impossible to make with subractive methods.
Some advantages of 3D printing are
- Fast - finding and downloading a model then printing is often much faster than going to the shops to try and find something.
- Cheap - most 3D priniting filaments are between $20-$40 per kg. Running costs of many printers is the same as a strong lightbulb,
- Customisable - need it a little bigger, or smaller its easy to change the size and reprint.
- Efficient - once you set it up, it works without you, you ca work on other things.
Like any machine, 3D printers need to be looked after and regular maintenance.
Ten useful 3D Prints for the Knife Maker’s Workshop
If you’re wondering where to start, here are ten useful 3D prints I use regularly in my own workshop. Each one saves time, solves a small problem, or just makes life at the bench a little easier. Most of them cost a few dollars or less of filament and can be printed in a few hours. Click the titles to go to the model links.
Workshop Storage - Gridfinity
Organising drawers is a constant challenge in the workshop. Gridfinity is a free modular system for making storage containers that are arranged on a 42mm grid. This allows them to be moved around as needed in the drawer. There are 1000's of modules available as well as generators for making your own custom ones. I use it to store organise drill bits, collets, small tools and more in my tool trollies. It allows me to take the bin out to the bench and keep things sorted. I've designed custom containers to store and protect delicate tools.
Having a custom sanding block that can hold scraps of sandpaper on a particular shape makes knife cleanup much easier. They have a quick change mechinism that holds the paper tight in place to reduce scuffing. You can print one out for each grit to save time.
These knobs go on bolt heads or nuts to allow them to be finger tightened. Perfect for replacement for broken parts on machines, or on shop made jigs. You can have them with knurling, wings, arms for leverage, just how you like them. Quick to make, uses only a small amount of filament. Your fingers will thank you.
Displaying knives in your shop or at a knife show can be a little tricky. There are many 3D printed versions that you can use to make your knives stand out. You can choose the colour that suits the table and easily resize them for different sized knives. They are light and easy to transport to the show.
This useful print uses a pencil that can be adjusted to a particular height. Perfect for marking out handles to keep them inline with the blade.
Jigsaw blades make great broaching tools when making hedden tang knives. You can make a handle out of wood, but you can also 3D print one. This one is called a bonsai saw but feels great in the hand when widening the tang holes.
Being able to make custom fittings for dust extraction systems helps keep the workshop cleaner. Valves, branches, end nozzles, attachment points all can be easily printed and sized for your machines. You can make adaptors for your vacuum machines so the hoses fit well.
Having a mess of different bolt sizes in a container makes it hard to find the right one. This handy sorter separates them into M2, M3, M4 and M5. You just stack them up, put the bolts in the top, put the lin on and shake. In seconds the bolts are sifted into the correct sizes. There are also prints that sort into bolt lengths. When they are all sorted you can print out some gridfinity bins to keep then in the correct sizes.
This is one that I made myself, but there are many others available online. Its a small plastic wedge that sits on the sharpening stone with the correct sharpening angle (I use 22.5 degrees). Its light, waterproof and easy to place where you need it.
Where to find more 3D Models?
There are many searchable collections online. Many of the model are free that you can download and print at home. Three I recommend starting with are:
Happy to answer any questions you might have about 3D printing in the workplace.