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About the
Process
Bio
Voting Member of the Knife Makers Guild. How I create a
knife
First a design is selected: My hunting, fishing, and
my military experiences play a definitive role in
what I have developed for my working patterns. For
my self defense or combat patterns I might rely on
the guidance or view point of a few trusted clients
as well as all available literature regarding the
specifics of these designs. I will however interpret
the requirements to create and deliver my rendition
of designs fit to the task required.
Next I pick the steel: I work with 440C, 154CM, ATS
34..and on occasion I will buy Damascus barstock.
After choosing the desired pattern and steel, the
blade becomes a mission. Profiling, drilling for
pins or bolts, scribing center lines and notching
for guards all take place. The last requirement is
the bevel. I grind the bevels of my knives free
hand. That means I stand at my belt grinder and
create the grind line or bevel for the blades edge
without any mechanical holding or pattern device.
Heat Treating::"If as a knife maker I make the body
of the knife, the heat treater creates the soul". I
rely on professionals for this task.. I currently
utilize the talents of Paul Bos, in California, and
Bob Willis in Alaska. Both men are extremely
knowledgeable and passionate about the quality of
their workmanship.
Once the blade returns: The blade bevels are cleaned
and brought to a finish or ready state. Guards are
attached and handles are prepared and epoxied in
place. The particular glue compound I use takes all
of 24 hours to cure. Once the glue is dry the
process of handle shaping is started.
The handle shape and hand sanding: The material is
shaped and brought to finish or a luster with
progressively finer sand paper grits until the grain
is closed. Then I lightly buff the handle and the
blade until the desired polish is achieved.
Lastly a covering or carrying device, ie Leather
Sheath or some other material compatible with the
design and the intended use is manufactured. |
