Process

With the exception of some power tools and propane, my knives and tools are forged and shaped with essentially the same processes that smiths have used for countless years. The steel is heated in either a propane or a charcoal forge, hand-hammered to shape on an anvil, hardened, tempered and then ground to finish. Hand forging gives the maker more creative control over the final product and makes much better use of the steel than simply grinding a knife to shape (much the steel ends up as dust!). I also feel that it is valuable to preserve some of the 'Old Ways' in which our forefathers crafted items of necessity. People of our generation are increasingly losing touch with how the basic requirements of human life are obtained and this extends from how to find and raise food to crafting the tools required for everyday existence. This way of thinking drives much of what goes on around our household: permaculture garden/orchard/chicken system, deer hunting with hand-crafted weapons, pounding on steel with hammers.... You get the picture.

I also feel there is a conservation ethic embedded in my forging process that goes back hundreds of years. Not only does forging require less electricity than other methods, it makes better use of raw material. The medieval Nordic and Japanese smiths, as well as the early American pioneers, were constantly plagued by the paucity of the high carbon steels necessary for the crafting of high quality edge tools. Therefore... these smiths often recycled discarded tools and/or combined poorer quality metals with high carbon steel to make effective knives, swords, hatchets, hammers, etc. This process, driven by a need for conservation, led to some of the most beautiful and functional tools known to Mankind: The San Mai swords of Japan, the laminated steel swords of medieval Scandinavia, and 'Damascus steel'. Not only were these implements beautiful, but they also combined the edge retention and hardness of the high carbon steel with the flexibility and strength of iron and mild steel. A hair-shaving sword is useless in battle if it breaks.

I like the idea the incorporating this concept into my process. I enjoy making things from old railroad spikes, discarded files and saw blades, anything that has potential to hold an edge. However, I don't like the idea of completely sacrificing the performance of modern, high carbon or alloy steels for a conservation ethic. Therefore, I'm currently developing a method for making triple laminated billets consisting of an outer layer of 'recycled' steel enclosing an inner layer of known high carbon steel.... a process much akin to Swedish laminated steels and San Mai of Japan.

The Heat Treat -

Heat treating in the forging process is one of the most important factors in determining the final, finished quality of an edged tool and starts as soon as you place the steel in the forge. Lack of attention to detail in this matter results in blades with edges that are too soft to remain sharp, too hard to hold up with use (chipping) or too brittle for general use. Heat treating consists of precisely controlling temperatures to minimize excessive grain deterioration in the steel (resulting in a weakened state) and maximizing the proper hardening of the edge for the intended use of the blade. I heat treat according to the specifications of the steel I'm using and this includes normalizing (reducing forging heats), hardening (quenching in oil or water from a cherry-hot heat), and tempering (drawing the hardess of the blade back to avoid excessive brittleness). My current method involves a differential process whereby the edge is hardened seperately resulting in a flexible, tough blade that stays 'scary' sharp.

Heat treating properly and consistently is partly art and partly science and requires exacting attention to detail. I'm still learning this process and am constantly striving for perfection. I stringently test my blades before finishing by chopping on hard woods and running the edge along brass rods to test for edge retention and geometry. When you receive a blade from me, you can be sure that it will do the job required of it.

The Longhunters -

A Longhunter was an 18th Century explorer and hunter who made expeditions into the American frontier for long periods of time, often up to 6 months or more. These tough men were known to carry exceptional all-purpose knives that could stand up to the many tasks required by their expeditions. These men and their knives were the inspiration for a line I'm gradually designing. I want to offer something light weight and tough with a combination of primitive character and cutting-edge performance. These 'stock-removal' knives are meant to be a lower cost alternative to my forged blades. Cutting a knife to shape, rather than hammering, can be a faster method of making a knife that in no way reduces the quality of the blade. I use 1/8" thick 15n20 tool steel that is an extremely tough steel often used for making saw blades. It has excellent edge holding ability and it's high nickel content lends a bit of stain resistance to the knife.

Over time I will be developing and trying out various designs. I plan to make some for specific use in the kitchen as well as an all-purpose outdoor knife that would be equally at home with hunters, campers, back-packers and bushcrafters.

Contact me if you are interested in these and I will give you a price quote. I will be updating this site with more examples as time goes along.