Knife Open Shop

Knife Open Shop provides shared workspace and equipment for Tool Library Members who have taken our Knife Making class. It's a great way to continue making knives and meet other members. The shop is specifically designed for the type of knife making we teach and does not necessarily support other types of knife making or metal working.

As a community shop we support all skill levels and interests, we encourage questions and clear communication, and we expect our members to always prioritize people before their projects and deadlines.

Please join us in building a positive workshop community! Open Shop is made possible by our dedicated team of volunteer Shop Monitors. For more information please visit our FAQ page or email chris@toollibrary.org.

  • Sundays, 10am - 1pm (Appointments required!)

    • Active membership

    • Completion of Knife Making class.

    • PPE (Personal Protective Equipment):

      • Closed-toed shoes and safety glasses MUST be worn at all times.

      • Hearing protection, dust masks, and respirators are strongly encouraged.

      • SNTL provides basic PPE including safety glasses, hearing protection, and disposable masks.

      • Members are encouraged to bring their own and/or supplemental PPE.

      • Gloves may NOT be worn when using stationary drill, cutting, or grinding equipment due their potential for getting caught in moving parts.

    Please contact chris@toollibrary.org with any questions.

    • A Volunteer Shop Monitor is onsite at all times for general supervision and technical guidance.

    • If you are interested in heat treating during your appointment, please email chris@toollibrary.org several days in advance to confirm your request.

    • Knife making grinders (2”x72” and 2”x48”), a forge, drill press, spindle sander, woodworking bandsaw (for handle material), angle grinders, and various hand tools. 

    • Materials (including 1095 steel, handle material, pin stock, and consumables) can be purchased from the Monitor during Knife Open Shop. The material cost to make one knife is $20. 

    • Project storage is not available with the exception of in-progress knife handles that need to remain clamped while the epoxy sets.

    • Reservations are limited to 3 hours per week.

    • Registration opens 3 weeks in advance and closes at 1PM the day before. Walk-in appointments are not available.

    • Choose either a 1-hour, 2-hour, or 3-hour appointment in the Knife Shop.

    • Click on the Sunday you’d like to make an appointment and then click “SEARCH”. A list of available appointment times will appear below. If you do not see any times on a given day, that means there are no available appointments for that day.

    • If you can no longer make your appointment, please cancel your appointment in advance. This opens a spot for another community member to make an appointment.

    • Check that you have an active membership and have completed Knife Making. You can do this by logging into your account.

    • “No appointments available” means that the shop is fully booked.

    • Make sure that you’re not browsing in an “Incognito” or “Private” tab, and that cookies for this site are enabled.