Knife Making
In the
Workshop
Examlpes of students' work
booking and course enquiry
When people book onto a one-to-one or one-to-two bladesmithing course, we use my Main Workshop rather than the Iron Age forges. By coming on a one-to-one course you are of course guaranteed my undivided attention and by running the course in the workshop, we have access to powertools. Granted you don’t actually need powertools to make a great knife, but it’s a great deal easier! Also the kit that I have in the workshop means that we can make a much wider variety of blade shapes and sizes or handle configuration (for example big blades are tricky to get right at the best of times, I certainly wouldn’t let anybody try it with the Iron Age set up).

My present workshop has only been up since the 'summer' of 2008 and is still being finished off. So as time goes by, the more toys I have to play with. As it stands though I have the basics and a few bits besides. I don't have flashy belt grinders or electric kilns like some modern knife makers, but then I don't need them most of the time.
Click on the images below for a better idea of what you could do. I've arranged them to show the whole process from forging through to making a sheath for a finished knife.  The second gallery is the rogues gallery, showing you a selection of former students and their finely crafted knives!
Get it HOT! Then hit it.A couple's weekend away, getting hot and sweaty together in the woods.Now HIT IT!I said HIT IT!Ok, have a tea break if you must! (actually there is liquid refreshment and biscuits flowing throughout the day)now that the bar of tool steel is flat, it's time to pre-bend it ready for the bevels to be forged in.The flat bar is now forged into something resembling a knife with a V-shaped cross section.Gradually coaxing a lump of steel into a bladeOnce forged out it needs to straightenedcheck straightness from every angleA bit of pre-heat treating grinding to remove any unsightly bulges. Pins holes are drilled at the same timeUsing my temporary gas forge (soon to be replaced), we raise the knife to the correct temperature for hardening. After heat treating the handle pieces are fitted and shaped using a mixture of hand and power tools.The sheath is an important part of any handmade knife. Here the pattern is cut from a thick piece of cowhidethe leather is dyed and glued together...Sewiing the sheath needn't be hard work, but sometimes it feels like it!Sewing a sheath takes time, so it's wise to sit down and enjoy the sunshine. Don't forget a cup of tea!Finally the students put an edge onto their new knives.
Sean came found me at UK knife show and a few months later was working hard at my forge. He was an able student who worked so fast he even had time for an afternoon nap! (though he blamed his age, he's a spritely 73)the small utility knives that we made both had oak handles and copper guards.Dave and Michal made a couple of fine knives in a long weekend. Saxen didn't seem so impressed!Dave and Michael's knives. Mine at bottom.Chris with his day's work: two bladesChris' blades. Both EN45 steel, one a mighty chopper the other a small whittler. My blades are the two at the top of the picture.Marie Clare came for a couple of days to my new workshop and turned out this fine knife...As I had a lady in the workshop, i thought I would try something a little ladylike with my handle. So I used my own Floral Micarta :-)Doug was a very able student indeed. One of only two in 4 years to manage a knife and sheath completely in only two days!And here are our knives. Mine is the one on the left. Our handles are Oak and YewJeff and dan, father and son, came for a single day to forge a blade to take home and finish.OUr blades. Son went for a small general purpose blade and dad went for a rather large (11" !) butchers knife.This young man came along for a course and went away with two small knives.our knives from top to bottom: antler tyne, London Plane and lebanon cedar (later replaced with red/black micarta)John-Jack came for couple of days and produced a very nice little knifeJohn's knife with a stylish blue sheath and blackmpalm handleNick wanted a small bushcraft knife and that's exactly what we made. The knife I made alongside was the inspiration for my Woodsprite knifeDave was my first ever student and lulled me into a false sence of how easy knifemaking can be. He was the other student who managed to finish a knife and sheath in only two days!Dave's knife. Very well made with an exotic Muhuhu handleNigel came ofr a day and managed to get this lovely made. My former Austrailian housemate, Joe, made his knife over bit by bit during his last weeks in the countryJoe's knife. the handle is Bubinga wood. Martin came to learn how to make a blade by stock removal rather than forging. It took me back as I've not made a knife this way for years!Martin's blade at bottom and mine top, both 5mm O1 steelAs for most of those who come to make a knife, Geoff came to make a good general purpose knife.Our knives (Geoff's at top) have oak handles, brass and red epoxy pins and a little bit of decorative filework alng the spines.
Here are some of the knives produced in the workshop. I've included some students from each of the three workshops that I've had since starting up.
a tour of my main workshop