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A collector summed it up one day. He was sitting in his office admiring the handmade knife he had just purchased, when he realized that the knife he was holding was perhaps the only thing he owned that was made by hand. It was made for him by a craftsman who took great pride in his work and who had created the knife he was holding out of raw materials, sculpting it, carefully heat treating and finishing it until it became a object of exceptional quality. It was a true heirloom that would out last him and that would be passed down to his son and his grandson after him. Everything else around him was made by a machine, impersonal, synthetic and by comparison without character.
A handmade knife by definition is a knife that is made without the benefit of jigs and fixtures. All operations and parts have been individually crafted and for the most part guided through the various shaping, grinding and polishing stages held firmly in the skilled hands of the craftsman making it. For me, the initial step in making a handmade knife is forging the steel to shape. In the fire, the properties of the steel are unlocked. For those interested in plans for building a bladesmithing propane forge click on forge.
The purpose for hand forging a blade to shape is to refine the grain of the steel and to establish the flow lines in the metal to conform to the shape of the blade. To make a fine knife, the maker must have a firm understanding of the metallurgy involved with the steels he is using. Each and every time the steel goes into the fire it is unlocked and its properties and characteristics are established. A good bladesmith must understand what is happening to the steel when it is at temperature or he will cause more harm than good with his work.Heat Treatment
I like to forge my blades as close to shape as I can. I do this because it is enjoyable, but also because it saves time on the grinders. I have a 50 lb. Star power hammer for working Damascus and a hydraulic forging press that I built for welding, cutting, shaping and texturing steel. The hydraulic forging press is a very useful tool, to access a photo of my press plus information on how to get a copy of "Build Your Own Hydraulic Forging Press", by Dr. Jim Batson click on the link.
Another aspect of forging is that it allows the maker to create his own steel. The process of forge welding different steels and then folding, welding, manipulating the new billet creates a new steel that when finished and etched or polished reveals layered patterns. This new laminated steel is popularly called Damascus though historically that term is more aptly applied to wootz steel.
For new collectors Damascus steel can be confusing. The legendary swords remain with us as a legacy, but legends are often symbolic. The reality today is that most modern Damascus steel is made by forge welding different combinations of steels and rarely, if ever do they produce a blade better than the steels that go into them. If you are looking for magic and fantasy, you will have to supply that yourself.
The reason for Damascus steel is that it is beautiful. It requires skill to produce and more than another material we work with, it is capable of reflecting the knowledge, craftsmanship and sensitivity of the bladesmith. I have been working with it for nearly twenty years and still find myself staying up late and studying a new blade. It is endlessly fascinating how light plays along its surface, even the most subtle actions are captured in the metal. It maintains a history with the fire and hammer, and because it is so responsive, it has an organic quality that transcends a plain polished surface. It is the next level. For more information on Damascus steel click on the link.
After the steel has been made and the blade is forged to shape, it has to be ground. When I began making knives, I did not have a grinder to work with and all my knives were made with files and finished with stones and paper. I still use files, scrapers, stones and paper to finish my knives, however I also use belt sanders to speed up the process of getting to the final shape. During this step the bevels are established and the final lines are set. The blade is ready for heat treatment.
One of the aspects of a handmade knife that distinguishes it from a factory knife, is the care and attention it receives during its most critical phase, heat treatment. Hardening and tempering a blade is what gives it is functionality and character. By carefully controlling the heat treatment of the blade it is possible to bring out the best qualities in the steel. Carbon steels are distinguished from other highly alloyed steels in that they may be selectively heat treated. The ideal knife will have the optimum hardness on the edge, yet be tough and resilient along its spine and have a soft unbreakable tang.
It is appropriate here to include a list of definitions drawn up for this page by my friend Howard Clark. Howard is one of the most knowledgeable bladesmiths in the business and has worked with Dr. Verhoven at the University of Iowa preparing samples for analysis. His experience forging is backed up by a solid understanding of ferrous metallurgy and is the first one I call when I get in trouble. Click on heat treating definitions to see page.
Once the blade has been properly heat treated, it must be finished to bring out its beauty. There are all types of finishes that can be done to a piece of steel including bead blasting, metal coating, and buffing, but the finest finishes are done by hand. There are no short cuts to a hand finish. The maker must stone and rub the blade with a succeeding finer grits of abrasive until he has achieve the look he wants. I have outlined one type of hand finish that I use on my sword blades. The bladesmith who knows and understands his steel will spend hours of hard work to bring out the inner quality of the metal. It is a difficult medium, but there are many subtle aspects that can be enhanced by careful work. In selectively hardened carbon steel blades, the temper line or hamon is one of the most fascinating and beautiful characteristics in the steel. The Japanese smiths developed great mastery over this technique.
With Damascus blades, there are a variety of treatments and finishes that enhance and display the qualities in the steel. I will include a description of the techniques involved in finishing Damascus on a future page. With the subtle pattern development and contrasting coloring in the different steels, Damascus steel adds another dimension to the blades.
The effects are subtle, but for those who take the time to study and learn about handmade blades, there is a world rich with line and form, color, texture and mystery to be explored.
Once the blade is completed, it is far from finished. Some of the finest engravers, carvers and artists in the world are involved in the handmade knife today. I have been fortunate to work with two of the best artisans in the business, Murad Sayen and Jim Kelso. Examples of our collaborative efforts can be found on the Collectibles page. Handles are sculptural and can be made from the most exotic of materials. Fossil ivories and bone, gold, silver and precious stones are brought together in very unique and exotic ways. The craftsmanship involved is world class and the results are truly museum quality artifacts.
If you are just discovering custom knives, I invite you to explore my site and take a look at the other sites I have linked to my page. What you will find is a hidden treasure and the latest evolution of one of man's oldest crafts.
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Don Fogg Custom Knives
Copyright © 1997 Don Fogg Custom Knives. All rights reserved.
Revised: February 08, 2004.