A Woodworker By Trade, Matt Williams Crafts Knives Meant For Rugged Use, Including His BBQ Chef’s Knife.

A woodworker by profession that includes making cutting boards, Matt Williams got into knifemaking too and is glad he did because of the feedback he gets from customers. His BBQ Chef’s Knife is a case in point.

His clients told him his chef’s knives were too thin, especially the local Texas barbecue chefs who need thick, tough blades for separating ribs and joints in competitive barbecue events. As a result, he built the BBQ Chef’s Knife on a santoku cutting base with a thicker blade and a “really aggressive feel” built to take abuse.

Matt lives on an old pecan orchard by the Colorado River and stabilizes and spalts the pecan for his turned-wood handles. The handle for his BBQ model is done in a wa style split down the middle with round dowels of white oak left proud to contrast with the darker pecan. He also forged the steel and made pretty much everything but the coffee for the blade etch. 

The combination of his new-style chef’s knives and cutting boards is just the ticket for the highly competitive local Texas barbecue chefs. Along with his custom knife work, Williams also makes one-of-a-kind cutting boards as well that he sells through his website.

BBQ Chef’s Knife Specs
Blade Length: 9 inches
Blade Material: 400-layer damascus of 15N20 nickel alloy and 1084 carbon steels
Hande Material: Spalted pecan, cedar elm and white oak
Handle Style: Wa
Overall Length: 15 inches
Knife To Know: The blade tapers from .169 of an inch at the thickest point to .05 of an inch at the thinnest point
Maker’s Price For A Similar Piece: $750

Read More

• The Beauty Of Handmade Kitchen Knives
• Types Of Kitchen Knives
• 3 Sporty Kitchen Knives To Use In The Field