I started teaching knifemaking in 2006 and have taught hundreds of

people from all walks of life and ability levels. I really enjoy teaching

my craft to others and passing on my knowledge and expertise.

I want you to enjoy the experience of creating your heirloom piece.

Along this journey, I have made many lifelong friends, many of whom

have become great knifemakers in their own right.

 

I only teach two people per course. This gives participants my

undivided attention. As a full time knifemaker, I can cater for those

who want to do the course during the week. Everything for the two

day course (from 7:30 am to 5 pm) will be supplied such as

consumables, insurance, materials, morning teas and lunches.

 

I have a fully equipped workshop and you can make a chef’s knife or a hunting / utility knife. Three different courses are offered as stated below.

 

Stock Removal Method

 

Day 1: We take a piece of flat bar stock, draw the design of the knife onto it, cut out the shape and clean up the profile of the blade on a linisher (belt grinder.) Then we scribe a centre line as a guide to the edge of the knife, grind the bevels onto the knife, heat treat the blade in the forge and quench it in oil. Tempering the blade is the next step.

Day 2:  We clean the bevels again, further reducing the edge thickness. Some hand sanding is involved after this, then we can start to fit the handle, the guard (if there is one) and finish the project. I sharpen the blade for you.

 

Forging Method

 

This is a more complicated and time consuming method than stock removal.

Day 1: We start with the bar stock, heating the steel in the forge. We use a hammer to forge the blade shape and set the bevels. We must go through a normalizing and annealing procedure. We also scale the blade, grind it and heat treat it.

Day 2: This involves post heat treatment, grinding and polishing, fitting a guard and the handle. There is a final glueing procedure and it is sharpened.

 

Damascus (Pattern Welded Steel)

 

We start with a billet (stack) of 15 layers of 1084 and 15N20 steel, bring it to temperature and weld it under the power hammer or hydraulic press. We stretch the material out. We cut it into 5 pieces and reweld, stretch it out again and cut into 3 pieces. After another reweld, this gives us a billet of steel of approximately 225 layers. Depending on the size and construction, this is enough steel to make 2-3 blades.

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Please note: This is an involved procedure. The steel is made on this course. A knife is not made.

Damascus Knifemaking

This is a three day course. The first day we make the Damascus leaving the next two days to complete the knife

Course Cost

 

$850 per person for full tuition, consumables, materials, lunches and breaks. The Damascus knife making course cost is $1250 per person

($100 deposit is required to secure your booking. The balance is to be paid in full prior to commencement of the course.)

Please see the calendar for available dates.