Knifemaking Tip: How to Texture a Blade’s Surface

In his story, How To Make a Sushi Knife, in the August 2015 BLADE®, ABS master smith Wally Hayes explained how he achieved the texturing on the blade’s surface. The reason for the texturing is to create air pockets so food does not stick to the steel.

For blade material, he used 90-thousandths-inch-thick 15N20 carbon steel from New Jersey Steel Baron.

“First, I cut the blade to shape, around 7 inches long,” he wrote. “The tang is about 4 inches. I take one of my old hammers and cut a cross hatch into the face using a side grinder with a cut-off wheel. Then I heat up the blade in my forge and hammer a textured finish into the steel. This takes about five heats and is lots of fun! I put dents into both sides of the blade and then make sure it is straight.”

Keep Reading:

• Tsuba Time: Make a Guard for a Japanese Sword
• What’s the Best Kind of Knife Grind?
• The Hamon: What, Where, Why and How
• 8 Well-Made Knife Guards
• 4 Carbon Cutters: Steel With An Old School Feel