Master bladesmiths

[Toad]

Fascinating article about a dying breed. Master bladesmiths who produce the highest end of handmade knives. (Not fantasy knives, but real work knives.)

http://fxcuisine.com/default.asp?language=2&Display=241&resolution=low

With a wonderful quote in there. Said to Japanese society, but it applies at a very human level.

"His work is his life. There is no alienation here. The promise our society makes to young people that they can define who they are by choosing their work is vapid babble for most. How many of us become who they are through their work? Precious few. Most just sell their time to their employer and start living come 5 PM"

[Malsua]

I've always wanted to have a small smithy where I could fabricate swords. I could imagine really getting into it. I bet there's a market for quality hand made swords as well.

[Toad]

Same here. A home forge, just a simple one. Put together high quality hunting and work knives. Sell them at gunshows.

I bought 2x handmade kitchen knives at an Oregon fair a couple years ago. The guy makes them out of logging mill bandsaw blades he recycles. Turns out the bandsaw blades have the perfect steel composition for knives too. Just enough flex in them to not be brittle, and just enough hardness in them to really take and hold an edge.

The downside is the steel composition is very rust susceptable. They are blades you need to treat with care and clean and oil. I love them though. Great weight and balance in the hand.

[MTStringer]

My uncle worked for Naval Ordinance after his navy stint in WWII. He used to make all sorts of items, such as replacement bicycle parts for me, and knives for my dad and me, out of the metal-cutting bandsaw blades they used. I still got one of his utility knives, ugly but still quite sharp. I have a cousin who is an actual blacksmith,(used to be track steward at Churchill, for the big one, as well as a couple of the smaller tracks hereabouts) but far as I know he hasn't tried his hand at blades. Having worked in a tire retreading plant, offbearing presses with REALLY hot tires coming out, I personally would rather try my hand at small batch countertop distillation w/o worrying about the "revanewers". I figure if I show any skill at that, the guys with the swords will probably see it in their hearts to afford me protection.