-My Knifemaking Story-

My knife making story begins in my hometown of Virginia Beach. Some of my favorite memories of growing up are visiting Colonial Williamsburg. I could always be found at the blacksmith’s shop, enticed by the roar of the fire, the clanging of hammer and anvil, and the glow of hot steel. As the years went by, my love for the art of blacksmithing never waned. In high school I built my first coal forge, a mess of cinder block, brick, and piping, powered with a hair dryer- it was a mess, but it worked. I was twelve when I first attempted to forge, with my dad’s sledgehammer as an anvil, I attempted to forge an old piece of all-thread into a sword… I only managed to severely burn my hand, but I was hooked.

I was attending my college’s culinary arts program when I learned an appreciation and love for kitchen knives. One of my first lessons was a knife skills class. We were required to purchase a full knife set for the class, and it was my first time using a decent set of knives. With my first battonet, I instantly understood the importance of a proper knife in the culinary world. 

It was 2014 and I was living in Texas when I made my first knife. I was working as a lifeguard and a DJ at the time, but I was getting really involved in another passion of mine, bushcrafting. No tool is as important in bushcrafting, as one’s custom bushcraft knife. However, a custom knife was just not something I could afford at the time. Since I was already a handy guy with a knack for making things, I decided I would make my own knife. I researched every aspect I could of knife making, and over the course of a few weeks, I made my very first handmade knife. It was a decent little blade, but I knew I could do better, and so began work on my second knife, and then third, and so on.

The next major step in my knife making story took place when I was attempting to make a gift knife for my then girlfriend. I wanted to inlay turquoise into the handle, but I wasn’t able to locate the stone. On suggestion of an artist friend, I traveled to Santa Fe, and took classes on silversmithing, lapidary, and inlaying. Apart from learning the techniques I now implement in my knives, I became proficient in making southwestern style jewelry, another creative outlet I enjoy. This new ability to use colors and materials previously inaccessible to me is what led me to pursue a more artistic, rather than utilitarian outlook on knifemaking. I enjoy inlaying gemstones, incorporating precious metals, and pursuing interesting construction techniques in my work. I hope to not only create an exemplary kitchen tool, but express myself through the art of custom knifemaking.