My number one passion in life is making knives. I’ve always enjoyed any process that involves the creation of something but I’m drawn to knives because the concept is simple but the complexity of them is endless. A knife can be the perfect canvas for artistic expression while still being a functional tool, and I love the idea that something I made will be appreciated by someone and still have purpose. My inspiration for craftsmanship has mainly come from knife makers, by seeing how a knife can be a refined piece of art and still have a rustic, raw, and organic look that makes you want to use it.

I am 20 years old but have over 5 years of experience making knives. I started from nothing, making my first forge from a stack of fire bricks, a hair drier, and coal. After I made my first knife I immediately started investing in better equipment, and I now have the tools I need to make my knives to the highest quality they can be. One of the most important tools I use is a heat treating oven that can reach and hold exact temperatures to heat treat my knives perfectly. Heat treatment can tailor the steel to perform its best for the task it was designed for. With the tools and knowledge I have now, I know each knife is designed well for its function, heat treated perfectly, and is aesthetically pleasing.

All my knives are forged which means they are heated and formed on the anvil. This process is harder than stock removal (which is cutting out the shape of a knife from a bar of steel), but allows for more freedom in the design and connects the knife to the history of how knives have been made for thousands of years. I like my knives to feel unique which the forging process enhances because even when I’m making a design I’ve done before, it can sometimes change while I’m forging it, and the scale that builds up from the heat is always unique to that knife which is why I like to leave some part of it on most of my knives.

To make sure each knife comes out to be the best it can, I make sure I understand all the materials I use very well. I use high carbon steels which can get harder than most stainless steels, have finer grain, and are easier to sharpen. High carbon steels aren’t corrosion resistant but that allows them to form a patina which develops slowly from use and is both protective against rust and very unique to the knifes owner due to its formation being caused by skin oils, different foods, and how its cared for. I use handle materials that I know will hold up over time whether it’s hard exotic wood or synthetic materials, I make sure it’s meant to last. My handles are attached to the knife with epoxy and not all epoxy is the same, some epoxy is hard, brittle and only lasts a few years. The epoxy I use is the best for knife handles because it’s flexible, very strong, and very long lasting.

My hope is that I’ll be able to do this for a living and continue learning about this craft.