I started off making all custom kitchen knives and it wasn’t long before I got swamped with orders. My backlog was up to over a year. My stress levels were off the charts. I was working very quickly, skipping family time and vacations, trying to get orders done on time. One mistake could set me back weeks on schedule. So now I do things a bit differently. I pre-make all of my blades now. This keeps delivery times reasonable and predictable, but still allows you to “customize” a knife to your liking. It also prevents having to do the lottery thing with a pre-made knives.
There are now two ways to get a knife.
Option #1 – Choose a pre-made blade or knife from the website. If you are choosing a pre-made blade, I will contact you after the purchase to go over handle and trim options. If you purchase a pre-made knife, it will be shipped promptly after purchase. Unfortunately I don’t have a lot of these pre-made blades at any given time as most are spoken for using option #2.
Option #2 – If you are interested in a knife, fill out the form which will let me know what people are looking for. I use the forms as a guide when I pre-make blades to determine sizes and steels to use. I also use the form when shopping for handle material. Filling out the form does not obligate you in any way to purchase a knife.
When the blades are done to my satisfaction, I will go down the list by date and contact you. If you decide that you wish to purchase the knife, we will finalize handles, trim, and any special requests. This process allows me to keep making “customized” knives for my clients, keep my quality up, and keep my clients and my family happy.
Most of the knives I make are stainless steel chefs knives that are designed for everyday use. Everyday use means that the blades are not mirror polished, I just don’t believe it is needed or preferred for a working blade. It adds a lot of time for production, costs more money for the client, and is usually scuffed up within a week when used in a professional kitchen. It also means that they are tough, sharp, and ready to work hard for you every day.
Why stainless steel? For kitchen knives, it is simply a better solution than carbon steel. The stainless steels available today outperform most carbon steels in toughness, corrosion resistance, and yes – sharpness. Stainless blades may not be as “Artsy” as some of the carbon steel blades, but for functionality – they can’t be beat.
I can and still do make knives in W2, 52100, and CPM-M4 for those that prefer a carbon chefs steel knife. For those that prefer hand forged, I can do that as well.
For my stainless steel culinary knives, I offer three different series.
The first is the “Basic Series”. They are made from AEB-L or 440C. Both excellent steels that outperform almost any factory knife. The steels are easy to work, make great blades, and allows me to offer them at competitive price point. Depending on size, handle, and options, these knives will run between $275 and $400.
The second is the “Pro Series”. These knives use the absolute best in stainless knife steels and are designed for hard use by professional chefs or those that want a top of the line chefs knife. I use CPM-35VN, CPM-45VN, and CMP154 powder technology steels that allow me to make super tough blades in the HRC 61+ range. You won’t find finer, high performance knife steels anywhere! Pro Series knives have more attention to detail and much of the finish work is done by hand. Depending on size, handle, and options, these knives will run between $475 and $700.
The third is the “Art Series Knives”. These knives are usually carbon steel; W2, 52100, Damascus, and CPM-M4. I am also working on offering Stainless Damascus. Art Series knives are available for both the kitchen and the field. These knives are usually sold as a finished knife and will be listed on the website when they are finished. Depending on size, handle, and options, these knives will run between $475 and $1500.
I make every knife myself, by hand so it is not a fast process, but the product is worth the wait.