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.
Putting on display custom knifemaking at its finest, Knives is back in its 36th edition. The trusted guide for knife collectors, enthusiasts, knifemakers, and dealers around the world, this knife book covers the latest and greatest from front to back. Get it here
I was watching American Pickers on the History Channel last night, and the stars were looking at an anvil, and Mike said something to the effect of, “More and more people today are going back to the basics and learning to forge, and learning the art of glass blowing and things like that …”
And it got me thinking about how my wife, Tricia, and I do this art tour every year where they give you a map and you go to artisans’ houses for kind of an “open house” art tour. And there’s usually a glass blower every year.
And then there’s that other History Channel show, Forged In Fire, and it seems like new knifemakers keep coming out of the woodwork …
What do you think, are more people forging today than in recent past?
Shown in the image are Finnish brother knifemakers Jakob (forging) and Simon Nylund.
It’s not too early to pre-order the KNIVES 2016 book, which hits bookstores, newsstands and online in late August/early September. And staying true to form, KNIVES 2016 showcases nearly 800 of the newest, finest handmade, custom knives in the world in “Trends” and “State Of The Art” categories, as well as in-depth, truly fascinating feature articles on a variety of knife subjects, a “Factory Trends” section and, of course, the coveted Custom Knifemakers Directory.
The Custom Knifemakers Directory lists the names of 2,000-plus handmade knifemakers, their complete contact information, including addresses, phone numbers , emails and websites, their specialties, patterns, technical information, remarks, tang stamps and price ranges.
Within the “State Of The Art” section is a chapter titled “Sculpted Bods” that really speaks for itself, and here are a few of the incredible knives that parade their sculpted bods before an appreciative audience.
When established knifemaker Lee Williams met Donna, little did he know that he had a future knifemaker on his hands!
As husband and wife, Lee and Donna Williams collaborate on the usual things, like what’s for dinner or where to go on vacation. So why not team up on making knives?
When Lee, already an established knifemaker with a large collector base, met Donna, little did he know that he had a future knifemaker on his hands, or a beautiful and devoted wife!
In a feature article titled “Mr. and Mrs. Sharp” in the June 2015 issue of BLADE®, writer Pat Covert tells Lee and Donna’s story and shows some of the knives Lee has fashioned recently on his own, and collaborative pieces the couple has made together before and after marrying in July of 2014.
As Lee notes, “I started making knives in 2001. I had set up a small machine shop in my garage around 1996,” he recalls. “In November of 2001 I decided to make knives for my siblings as Christmas presents. Twenty-something knives later I had managed to finish knives for all of them, plus their spouses, before Christmas that year. I wasn’t completely satisfied with those first few knives and started doing a lot of research on the Internet.”
The Cherub (above right) is a result of the first collaboration between Donna and Lee Williams as a married couple. (Steel Addiction Custom Knives image)
Learn both basic and advanced knife making techniques with expert instruction from Allen Alishewitz in Tactical Fixed Blades. Allen demonstrates how to craft a double-edged tactical fixed blade knife from start to finish, and creates two knives in order to fully illustrate the knife building process. You’ll learn:
– Profiling and Drilling the Knife
– Tang Tapering on a Grinder
– Tang Tapering on a Mill
– And more!
One of 10 ABS Hammer-Ins and events across the country, the Heartland Bladesmithing Symposium included demonstrations by renowned steel makers and knifemakers like Jerry Rados and Steve Culver, who conducted demonstrations covering such subjects as damascus pattern makng, tomahawk forging, creating wood-lined sheaths, applying metallurgical theory, ABS journeyman smith judging standards, and even a knife photography segment taught by Caleb Royer.
We’ve all heard it said: “There’s nothing new in knives.” And maybe there’s not. It could be that’s a true statement, although the flipper folder, assisted-opening knives, Mokuti (mokumé and titanium combination), lightning strike carbon fiber and other materials and mechanisms may be considered new. Perhaps innovation could be considered a newness, or progression at least.
Chelsea Miller Rounded Cheese Knives. Click to enlarge.
Ask the maker what blade steel he recommends. Bob Dozier holds one of his giant trappers.
A question we often hear is What are the best blade steels? A better way to approach the question is to determine what jobs the knife will be asked to perform.
Do you need a hunting knife or an everyday carry knife? A kitchen knife or a camp knife/chopper? There are others. The type of knife and how it will be used often will dictate the type of steel.
Say you need a hunting knife. Rather than ask what kind of blade steel will be best for it, research the websites of companies or makers who specialize in hunting knives. Such companies and makers will offer hunting knives not only with the steels that they find best for hunting knife purposes, but also with the edge geometries that the companies and makers feel they are most accomplished at making/offering.
Edge geometry refers to the blade’s grind and edge. If the grind and/or edge is too thick or otherwise not formed properly, it doesn’t matter how good the steel is—the knife will not cut well. As for the grind itself, there are many—hollow, flat, convex, chisel, etc., and combinations thereof. Usually the companies or makers employ the grinds they are best at. In cases where you have the option of picking the grind from a custom knifemaker, ask him which grind he’s best at and go with it.
Another important factor is the heat treatment of the steel. In fact, a low-grade steel heat treated properly often will outperform a high-grade steel with a substandard heat treatment.
In addition to the type of steel, ask how it is heat treated. While many makers are adept at heat treating their blades, many simply ship their blades off to professional heat treaters who specialize in the process. Blades heat treated by the pros usually will be heat treated properly and according to industry standards.
High-grade steels such as CPM S35VN, ZDP-189 and others are cutting tigers but can be difficult to sharpen and are more expensive. Lower-grade steels such as 440A, 5160 and others, all things being equal (including proper heat treatment and edge geometry), may not perform as well or hold an edge as long, but are usually easier to sharpen and will do most everyday cutting jobs that most people require. And, knives with such steels should be less expensive. In the case of 5160, while it is not a stainless steel, if you clean it and dry it off after each use, you should not have a problem with corrosion. The same is true with most non-stainless steel knives. Meanwhile, it’s not a bad idea to clean and dry off stainless steel knives after use as well. They can corrode, too—it’s just that they corrode less, as their name indicates.
Bottom line: Tell the company and maker what you plan to do with the knife. They make knives for a living and usually will be able to fit you with the proper knife and suitable blade steel for your needs.
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