How I Got Into Knife Making
Have you ever relied on a tool, only to find it just didn’t perform the way you needed?
That’s exactly what happened to me — and it sent me down the path of making my own knives.
When I looked at my life, one of the things I always wanted to get into was hunting. The outdoors was something I loved. I camped, bushwalked, fished — it was definitely a lifestyle I enjoyed and embraced. Along with hunting gear and camping equipment, I also got my hands on a knife. But as I soon found out, the edge didn’t hold, the handle wasn’t stable, and overall it just wasn’t a very good knife.
That experience started me down the rabbit hole of looking at different knives. I came across the idea of handmade knives and thought, wow, that’s amazing. I even contacted a maker, but when I saw the price, I backed away from buying one. What did happen, though, was I stumbled onto a knife-making facebook page. People were actually making their own knives. I had no idea that was even possible. It fascinated me and sparked something I hadn’t expected.
A few months later, I bought myself a knife-making kit. It came with a piece of steel, some pins, timber for the handles, and very basic instructions. That simple kit opened the door to an industry I’ve grown to love and appreciate. From there, I started watching videos from makers like Aaron Gough and Nick Wheeler. I discovered a whole community of custom knife makers, people passionate about their craft, and it pulled me in.
My first knife was made with just a jig and a set of files. I shaped and ground a skinning knife by hand, no power tools involved. It took a long time, but it was satisfying. I even added some file work to the spine. For heat treating, I used a small Bunsen burner, refractory bricks, and quenched the blade in canola oil. It wasn’t fancy, but it worked.
Eventually, I was able to test that knife in the field. I had access to some hunting areas a few hours away, and I was fortunate to be successful in harvesting wild game. But as I started breaking down the animal, I quickly realised that the design I had chosen didn’t quite fit the purpose. It made the work more difficult than it should have been.
That realisation led me to look at other knife designs. If I could make one knife, why not try to make another — but better, more suited to the job? What started as a simple test to see if I could make a knife grew into something much bigger. I began creating knives that were not only fit for purpose but also beautiful. Something functional, something dependable, and something an owner could truly be proud to use.
