Knifemaking is the building of a knife, which includes the blade, handle and other accouterments. Blades are made by either removing metal from a steel blank via a grinder – known as stock removal – and the forging to shape of hot steel into a blade in the process known as bladesmithing. Other parts, including bolsters, guards, pommels, etc., are needed to complete the finished knife.
No doubt, these custom blades have icy good looks.
Many things are associated with the color blue. Depending on your preference or point of view, some of those things may be good, others bad. In the case of knives, blue comes in many hues and materials, and can serve different purposes. Here’s hoping these blue knives don’t give you the blues.
Michael West: Starry Night
A handle of blue sunstone set in a frame of argentium silver and at 2.83-inch blade of RWL-34 stainless steel headline Starry Night by Michael West. Blade grind: concave. Bolster: Argentium silver. Overall length: 7 inches. Sheath: all silver with blue sunstone inlay. Maker’s price for a similar knife: $3,500. (SharpByCoop image)
Shane Gagne: Chef’s Knife
The mammoth molar of the handle of Shane Gagne’s chef’s knife is dyed blue. The 8.75-inch blade is 180 layers of random damascus cladding go-mai with nickel shim and a core of 52100 ball bearing carbon steel. Total layers: 360. Bolster: carbon fiber. Overall length: 13.25 inches. (Jocelyn Frasier image edit)
Don Sylvest: Chef’s Knife
Curly maple dyed blue outfits the handle of Don Sylvest’s chef’s knife. The 6-inch blade is CTS-XHP stainless steel. Don offers the knife in tandem with a paring model in the same materials, only smaller with a 3.5-inch blade. (Jocelyn Frasier image edit)
Tyler Turner: Toothpick
The 4.25-inch blade of Tyler Turner’s toothpick is blued Turkish Lace damascus forged by Doug Ponzio. The frame is zirconium and the liners are titanium. Embellishments include 24k-gold inlay by Jody Muller, an argentium silver shield and diamonds pavé set by Tyler. The pivot adjusts with a custom takedown tool. (SharpByCoop image)
Jim Sornberger: Dress Bowie
Blue adds contrast to the gold quartz handle of BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Jim Sornberger’s mid-19th-century-style dress bowie. Bolster: 14k gold. The 2.25-inch blade is ATS-34 stainless steel. All engraving is by the maker. (SharpByCoop image)
Jose Santiago-Cummings: EDC Fixed Blade
The EDC fixed blade by Jose Santiago-Cummings has a bird’s-beak handle of black ebony, chestnut dyed green and contoured birch wood dyed blue. The 3.75-inch blade is Damasteel damascus in a Vinland pattern. The bolster is mokume. Overall length: 8 inches. (Jocelyn Frasier image edit)
Rob Logan: Fighter
Rob Logan’s fighter sports a blue mammoth molar handle with a mammoth ivory spacer, white vulcanized handle liners and brass liners. The 4.25-inch blade is mosaic damascus forged by Bill Poor, and the brass frame and guard are textured and patinaed. Overall length: 13 inches. (Jocelyn Frasier image edit)
An overinflated market for forged blades at home caused the author to look elsewhere. Oftentimes this has been to Eastern European Knife Makers.
This article originally appeared in the 2024 KNIVES Annual.
Since 2017, forged blades have taken the lead. Niche markets like chef’s knives, slip-joint folders, and tactical fixed blades retain enough interest to be powerful sub-markets. Price points and availability in primary and secondary markets lead to the demise of the front-runners. Popular market sectors inspire experienced and new makers to build that type of knife.
Two problems arise from this:
Makers will rapidly join a market sector, but collectors are slower to follow.
Pricing is primarily based on what other makers are getting for their work and not, for example, the quality of a maker’s knives, name recognition, status among the competition, etc.
Higher prices from less qualified knifemakers encourage the well-known makers to raise their prices, and the cycle continues until the knives become unaffordable. Currently, this is what is happening today in the forged blade market. I saw this trend emerging in 2020, and I started emphasizing makers who offer value for the money with their work.
Overpriced knives led me to increase my research for custom knives with good value in the United States and worldwide. Social media was a great help in this area. As I researched, I found myself saving photos of knives I was interested in. When I returned to re-look at the pictures I had saved, I found many of these makers were from Eastern Europe.
In the spike tomahawk realm is this Csizmar Szilard model with a forged 5160 high-carbon steel head, a hickory haft, and a custom leather sheath. Szilard is a well-known maker in Romania. (Csizmar Szilard photo)
Much like in the United States, prices ranged from reasonable to what seemed extreme. I contacted well over a hundred makers asking questions about materials, construction techniques, pricing, and sheaths, and requested several additional photos. While there are other makers I plan to contact soon, the following are the seven makers I have already started working with.
Meet The Eastern European Makers
Maksim Tjulpin
Maksim Tjulpin has been making knives for 11 years in his home country of Latvia. His interest comes from the diversity of knives that can be made as well as the array of materials. Maksim builds knives utilizing both the stock-removal and forging methods of blade making. He favors forged blades as each has its own unique character.
He primarily uses stabilized wood for his handles, often combined with mammoth ivory spacers. I have found his craftsmanship to be impeccable. The knives feature excellent fit and finish as well as ideal balance and handle ergonomics.
Petr And Peter Dohnal
Petr Dohnal and his son, Peter, have been making knives for 21 years in their native country of the Czech Republic. Working as a computer graphic designer, Petr realized he wanted to build something with his hands. So, he chose to make custom knives. As with many makers, his favorite part is forging the blades, usually damascus. In addition to making his own steel, he uses Elmax, Vanadis 8, and M390, as well as other alloys. He understands that the knife’s intended purpose will often determine the most suitable steel. His handle materials of choice are stabilized wood and antler. I find Petr’s knives a joy to hold in my hand, being sleek, well-made, and exhibiting superior balance and handle ergonomics.
The sleek, stealthy, and sexy fighter by Eastern European knife maker Michal Komorovsky exhibits a 7.75-inch, black DLC-coated Elmax blade, a black canvas Micarta handle, and a leather sheath. The balance of the knife makes it deceptively quick, and a fuller reduces the weight while increasing blade strength. (Michal Komorovsky photo)
Michal Komorovsky
Michal Komorovsky started making knives, in 2011, in his home country, Slovakia, or officially, the Slovak Republic—doing so primarily because he wanted to try something different, and he never looked back. He favors Sleipner steel, which is a new-generation alloy like D-2, as well as M390. When time allows, he forges damascus for his knives, including a wide variety of fixed blades. Michal builds an array of knives, from hunting and tactical models to bowies and even an occasional art dagger.
Many of his tactical knives feature black DLC-coated blades, but he also offers sandblasted and bead-blasted steel, as well as satin- and mirror-polished finishes. Michal uses various handle materials, with desert ironwood being his favorite. I’ve taken a liking to his fighters that exhibit excellent fit and finish, have an outstanding balance, and feel great in the hand.
The Tactical Realm
Piotr Gosciniak
Piotr Gosciniak has been fashioning custom knives in his home country of Poland since 2017. Having a keen interest in the military, Piotr decided to focus his talent on making tactical knives. He occasionally uses high-carbon steel such as 80CrV, but most of his knives are built using quality stainless steels such as Elmax or Sleipner.
Piotr prefers synthetic handle materials like Micarta, G-10, and carbon fiber. He also offers Cerakote coating for his knives. As a former infantry officer, I appreciate the crisp, clean lines of Piotr’s knives. His designs are purpose-driven; these are tools meant to be used. The blade fullers, textured handle material, and thumb serrations add to each knife’s capability.
Petr Dohnal forged a damascus camp knife, including the guard, adding a stabilized Karelian birch handle and fossil walrus ivory spacer. It comes with a custom leather sheath. (Petr Dohnal photo)
Jacek Hnatow
Also from Poland, Jacek Hnatow has been building knives for eight years. He started as a collector, then decided he didn’t want to buy knives anymore; he wanted to make them. As an avid outdoorsman, it should come as no surprise that Jacek’s specialties are survival and bushcraft blades. He prefers working with Bohler N690 and Elmax, as well as high-carbon alloys and san mai steel. Jacek’s handle material offerings include synthetics such as G-10 and Micarta, as well as stabilized wood at the customer’s request. His knives, many of which can be huge, are well-balanced with great handle ergonomics. His bushcraft blades are a perfect size to carry in the field, and all of Jacek’s knives are well thought out for the tasks at hand.
Csizmar Szilard
Romanian Csizmar Szilard has been a full-time knifemaker since 2007. When he was younger, he enjoyed video games and one of them allowed players to forge their weapons virtually. So, Csizmar decided to make that a reality. Forging is his favorite part of fashioning knives, hatchets, and axes. He prefers 5160 high-carbon steel for its simplicity and ease of forging. Handle materials are all-natural, with wood and antler being his favorites. Csizmar’s work is clean and balanced, precisely what you would expect from a maker who builds tools that are meant to be used.
Szymek Szlagor
A native of Poland, Szymek Szlagor has been making knives since 2017. Building a knife for himself led to making them for friends and eventually becoming a full-time knifemaker. He enjoys forging and machining carbon steel and damascus. He gravitates toward 5160 high-carbon steel and combines K720 and 15N20 to make damascus. His handle material preferences are natural materials such as stabilized wood and antlers. For his everyday carry (EDC) knives, he prefers to use Micarta. Szymek feels making knives is a beautiful job that involves taking a piece of steel, giving it shape, and improving on it until the blade becomes a tool that will be used and passed down from generation to generation. Having handled his work, he has accomplished his goal.
Working With Eastern European Makers
Language: There are several languages throughout Europe. While it is true that many Europeans speak English, it is equally noteworthy that they do not read and write the universal language well. This is important to know as, more than likely, collectors will be contacting the makers via email or social media. When writing, I often rely on an online translator for help. Understand that such online translating programs could be better. I always let the maker know upfront I am using a translator.
Eastern European knife maker Maksim Tjulpin’s camp knife features a 7.1-inch san mai damascus blade, a stainless guard, a black G-10 spacer, and a mammoth tooth and desert ironwood handle. It comes with a custom leather sheath. (Maksim Tjulpin photo)
When emailing or writing to makers, try not to use slang or acronyms, as these usually translate into something that might not have the intended meaning. Remember to be patient with this process, as both collector and maker must understand exactly what each is expecting.
Payments: The preferred method for knife transactions is PayPal. As with most makers worldwide, many are not set up to take credit cards. Those who have traveled to Europe know there are additional fees for using U.S. bank credit cards. Although wire transfers can be made, it is best to check with your bank to find out what the fee for an international wire transfer will be.
Lastly, Western Union is an option that usually comes with an $8 fee. Some buyers might find the process of paying upfront and then having to wait up to a month difficult. However, I have been buying knives regularly from Eastern Europe for the last three years and have never had a package go missing.
Shipping: The maker will generally ship the knife through his or her country’s postal service. Most countries work with the U.S. Postal Service, and once a package is accepted, you can track it coming from Europe. The delivery time frame will average between two and four weeks. While FedEx can be an option, the cost associated will generally eliminate this service from the ideal options.
The 13-inch camp knife from Szymek Szlagor showcases a forged Bohler K720 blade with hamon (temper line), a stainless guard and sambar stag handle scales. (Robertson’s Custom Cutlery photo)
Measurements: Europe uses the metric system. As foreign as the metric system is to you, the same is true for the imperial system the United States uses to makers in Europe. Fortunately, there are conversion programs on the internet. In conversing with European makers, please pay attention and differentiate between when they use centimeters (cm) or millimeters (mm), as 1 centimeter equals 10 millimeters, and when it comes to a knife, that could be a huge difference.
Forged In Fire Influence
Most of the makers in this article offer forged blades as part of the repertoire. However, Piotr Gosciniak is the exception, as he specializes in stainless and some high-carbon steel tactical knives. The U.S. market will see a resurgence of this category of knives in 2023-’24. For now, forged blades are the most significant market sector in the United States, partly due to increased interest in forging knives due to the TV show “Forged in Fire.” The interest created by this show was partly responsible for 38 makers earning their American Bladesmith Society (ABS) journeyman smith ratings at the 2022 BLADE Show.
Talking with several ABS master smiths, I was told they saw an increase in the number of makers taking their journeyman smith performance test before the 2023 BLADE Show as well. As a result, I anticipate the final numbers to show a record number of candidates testing for their journeyman smith stamps in 2023. With an increase in knife shows across the United States, hammer-ins, and the accessibility of in-person training and videos on social media, the number of forged blade makers will continue to increase over the next several years.
As these new makers enter the custom knife market, their pricing will be based more on what their peers charge for knives as opposed to a position in the market that their work has earned. In the short term, collectors will be the ones subsidizing too many who are bound to have short careers as custom knifemakers. Long term, the aftermarket will sort out the winners and losers. Therefore, it is incumbent on buyers to understand value pricing and that they should not buy a custom knife that will lose value.
Eastern European knife maker Jacek Hnatow offers the “Wicher” tactical fixed blade in Bohler N690 stainless steel, a black G-10 handle and a custom Kydex sheath. Of full-tang construction, the contoured handle provides excellent grip even when hands are wet. (Robertson’s Custom Cutlery photo)
Over the last 37 years, I have bought and sold knives on every continent except Antarctica. Today, it is easy to find exceptional makers in Eastern Europe and worldwide. I understand that ordering from makers outside the United States can be a leap of faith.
My hints regarding purchasing knives from Eastern Europe should help you with your concerns. The styles, materials, and craftsmanship of makers worldwide have never been better. This is why I suggest you give the makers in this article and others around the world consideration to become part of your collection.
Josh Wisor makes a special knife for a special customer.
If you think Josh Wisor’s Alaska Ulu looks a bit different, that’s because it is—Josh built it for a customer who lost an arm and suffered nerve damage to the other as a result of a farming accident.
Josh made the ulu open-ended so the customer can more easily grip the handle and thus use it more easily as well with the hand of his nerve-damaged arm. The customer uses the knife for food prep and even on deer in hunting camp.
Josh’s customer demonstrates how the Alaska ulu’s open-ended design enables him to easily grip the handle.
A big fan of damascus, the customer wanted a pattern-welded blade, so Josh accommodated him with one of 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels heat treated to a Rockwell hardness of 60-61 HRC. In other words, it is equipped to do some serious cutting.
The result is a noteworthy using knife for a more-than-satisfied customer.
Ben Seward’s breacher SWAT Axe salutes officer’s 21 years of police service
When ABS journeyman smith Ben Seward went to make his first axe, he didn’t settle for something easy—he went the whole hog on a special breaching model as a retirement gift for a 21-year law enforcement veteran.
Sgt. Magnus Gervol retired from the Whatcom County, Washington Sheriffs Office after a career that included 15 years on the SWAT team and 14 years as a sniper.
Members of the Sheriffs Office contacted Ben, who forged the axe from the barrel of a Remington 700 SPS tactical sniper rifle. The idea was to make a tactical axe with a beard and a tomahawk spike. The handle is Ozark white oak. Ben’s dad, David, who specializes in sheaths, made the leather sheath.
Ben forge welded the rifle barrel into a bar and layered it up with other carbon steels. He forged the two flats of the head roughly into a triangle and pieced in the bit for the cutting edge. All of the head, including the edge and spike, is forged of the same damascus.
SWAT Axe Specs Maker: Ben Seward Head Size: 7.75” Bit Size: 3.5” Head/Bit Material: Damascus forged from the barrel of a sniper rifle and 1080 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels; includes a rough-forged finish Handle: Ozark white oak Handel Length : 14” Maker’s Price For A Similar Breaching Axe (excluding the steel from the sniper rifle): $1,500
Rough as a mountain ridge and ready as razor-sharp edge, nothing beats stag handles—especially on these custom stunners.
Stag is to knives what red is to rover, rock is to roll and John is to Wayne. It’s the total package in looks, feel and tradition. Sambar, axis, popcorn or whatever the type or style, when it comes to knife handles, stag has it all.
Jeremy Yelle: Takedown pocket bowie
You can almost see and smell the popcorn popping on the popcorn stag of Jeremy Yelle’s takedown pocket bowie. The guard and fittings are 416 stainless steel fire-etched and textured black. Blade and overall lengths: 4.5 and 9 1/8 inches. (Joyce Frasier image edit)
Liam Walle: Full-tang fighter
ABS apprentice smith Liam Walle opts for deer antler scales with copper pins for his full-tang fighter. The 5.7-inch harpoon blade is 2,340 layers of feather damascus in 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel alloy steels. Overall length: 10.4 inches. (Jocelyn Frasier image edit)
Cowboy Szymanski: Bowie
Axis stag and ebony spacers comprise the handle of a bowie by Cowboy Szymanski. Blade steel is an accordion twist damascus of 1095 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels. The bolster is raindrop pattern damascus. Overall length: 11.75 inches. (SharpByCoop image)
Lin Rhea: D-guard bowie
A stag handle and a blade of ladder-pattern damascus in 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel alloy steels help complete ABS master smith Lin Rhea’s D-guard bowie. The sheath (not pictured) is by Cody Rowe. (SharpByCoop image)
Erik McCright’: Camp knife
The dark Sambar stag—not to mention the fancy ferrule connection between handle and blade—of Erik McCright’s camp knife screams 19th-century Sheffield. The 8.75-inch blade is 52100 ball-bearing steel with a forced patina. (Jocelyn Frasier image edit)
David R. Davis: Slipjoint
David R. Davis chose Sambar stag and pattern-welded blade steel from Alabama Damascus for his stockman. Blade lengths: 3, 2.25 and 2.5 inches. Blade grinds: flat. Closed length: 4.25 inches. His price for a similar knife: $1,100. (SharpByCoop image)
Adam Millé: Classic hunter
Crown stag and vintage Micarta® complete the handle of Adam Millé’s classic hunter. The bolster is copper. The 6-inch harpoon blade is W2 tool steel. Overall length: 11.25 inches. The handmade leather sheath (not shown) has python snakeskin inlay. (SharpByCoop image)
A South Pacific tradition, Dr. Douglas Hepler instructs a knifemaking course at Kwajalein Junior-Senior High.
Kwajalein Junior-Senior High may be the only American high school that has knifemaking as an official part of the school curriculum—and it just celebrated its latest graduating class of knifemakers.
The school is on the U.S Army Kwajalein Atoll, Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Test Center, in the Republic of the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. Kwajalein Island is the site of a titanic three-day battle that cost almost 400 American and over 4,000 Japanese lives during World War II. Today, though, instead of artillery fire and other explosions on the idyllic coral atoll, the sound of belt grinders and buffers can be heard.
Taught by Dr. Douglas Hepler, a retired Navy chief petty officer, students in grades nine through 12 shape blades from 1080 carbon or 440C stainless steel. According to Doug, “The kids do everything: layout; cutting out and grinding the profiles; drilling the rivet holes; stamping desired logos; grinding the edges; heat treating and plate-quenching; doing the oven temper and freezer cryo-treatment at home; the final polish; adding and completing the handles; and sharpening. They do it all.
Douglas Halper
“We have Burr King and Grizzly belt grinders, Baldor buffers and a Paragon oven. We use local woods—coconut palm, kamani, hao, noni, etc.—for handles. We also use whalebone whenever we find a dead carcass washed up on the beach. We buy all our rivets, steel, 2×72 grinding belts and polishing items from Jantz Supply, and have for years. I buy all my personal knifemaking supplies from them as well. You can’t beat the price and top-notch service. They are a great company.”
Concluded Doug: “I am very proud of my students. They have taken what I can teach them and have become better cutlers than I will ever be—and I think that’s awesome.”
Handsomely pinned and with a handle to die for, Richard Dawes’ dog-bone bowie finds nearly the perfect chemistry.
Richard Dawes got a double pump of inspiration from the late, great ABS master smith John White for a long, lanky dog-bone bowie.
Dawes helps oversee an annual competition in White’s memory on Bladeforums for antique bowie repros. In so doing he came across one of White’s old work-in-progress frame-handle dog-bone projects on the web and found it most useful.
The resulting knife has a handsomely pinned dog-bone handle with a clip-point cable damascus blade, and it’s accompanied by a shark-skin-inlaid sheath by Paul Long. It’s Richard’s first frame-handle knife and first with pins, too.
Richard Dawes
“The key part of this knife looking good is to get a good fit on the guard,” he explained. “Once you’ve got that you want the rest of the parts to line up, and if you’ve got some 1/16-inch guide pins in there and got them all drilled for when you do the assembly, everything lines up, and that’s the key.”
A full-time chemistry professor at the Missouri University of Science and Technology who at press time was working for the National Science Foundation, Richard makes knives “on the side.” If this one is any indication, he has a career option waiting on him.
Dog-Bone Bowie Specs Maker: Richard Dawes Blade Length: 11” Blade Material: Cable damascus Handle Material: African blackwood Handle Frame: Mild steel and nickel silver Overall Length: 16” Sheath Material: Custom leather inlaid w/shark skin, all by Paul Long Maker’s Price For A Similar Knife And Sheath: $2,500
