High Carbon

Carly from Damasteel previews the Damasteel Chef Invitational, which starts this Saturday, November 14 at 8 p.m. CET. She explains how the online show works, with 18 makers each running a digital booth, live demos, maker awards and a public vote for best in show. We also look back at Knife Show Austria and the culinary knife camp that followed, and somehow end up talking about the munt jack, parac...

Pauly is on vacation (celebrating three years of Baltic Blades), so Keith and Albert are joined by two special guests to look back on Knife Show Austria 2026: Franki, the Kitchen Knife Guy from Edmonton, Canada, and Bruno from Doc Smith Knives. We cover the travel mishaps, the awards, Bruno’s candy and sales tactics, the Edge of Hope charity results, and the culinary knife camp at Tobias Hängler&#...

Paulie’s out sick, so Fingal Ferguson joins Keith and Albert to talk Knife Show Austria prep, balancing a working farm with forging, and his Edge of Hope blade inspired by Tobias Hangler’s work. The conversation dives into high carbon versus stainless Damascus, integral bolsters, and a deep dive into power hammers and hydraulic presses, including Albert and Andy’s restoration of a rare 1890s Austr...

This week on The High Carbon Podcast we talk with Swedish knifemaker Fredrik Spare, who made a serrated Damasteel bread sword for The Edge of Hope charity project . Fredrik walks us through grinding bread knife serrations one tooth at a time, by eye, and how his background as a chef shaped the one day classes he teaches. He explains why customers so often order knives that are too long and how he...

Keith, Pauly and Albert are running on fumes as Knife Show Austria approaches, but they still find plenty to talk about. Albert on his TV documentary finally airing and the flood of orders that followed. Pauly’s new skeletonized Ultem handle and 2.5mm stock update. The Edge of Hope raffle , with ticket sales starting on the 19th. Class mishaps at the forge and homemade kiln horror stories. Rate an...

Tobias Hangler joins us to talk about his new modular takedown system. Every handle fits every blade, so you can order a new handle years later without the blade ever coming back to the shop. We cover the balance pin pocket that lets you change handle weight at home, why a little grease makes the joint watertight, how he machines repeatable handles on a CNC, and the online configurator for buildin...

This week it's just Keith, Pauly, and Albert after some last minute guest technical problems. Albert kicks off with a scare: his kiln started smoking and shooting flames, Keith saves the day and drove a spare kiln over so Albert could finish heat treating his knives. The guys talk shop space upgrades, switching to VSM ceramic belts, Pauly's hunt for a surface grinding shop to escape sandbl...

This week Christoph Wild of wwwild world joins to preview the Olching knife show near Munich, happening October 10th and 11th. He talks about organizing the show's social media, the giveaway knife made by Derrick Wulf and Christian Bauer, rare Bavarian mammoth material some members are stabilizing themselves, and his brutal attempt at the lightest cleaver challenge with Apex Ultra, forged down...

This week Timo of Hardent Knives talks with us about his forged flower pattern Damascus, the engineering behind his frame handle knives, his new two hundred ton press project, and his signature Starry Night finish, a tungsten alloy patina effect he's still refining. Plus talk on Turkish twist versus organic Damascus patterns, and a preview of what he's bringing to Knife Show Austria. Help...

Keith and Albert are joined by Dimitri of Studio Blade, fresh off a trip to China, where he's partnered with an OEM manufacturer on a higher tier knife line with mirror polished, DLC coated blades. Dimitri talks about quality control in Chinese manufacturing, his shift toward small batch mid tech production, collaborations with engravers, a Swiss guilloche artisan, plus his CAD design and OEM...

Pauli and Albert dig into the never ending problem of knife packaging, from failed carton tube experiments to CNC milled foam inserts, then admit they've been stuck in an Instagram bubble and talk newsletters, localized Facebook groups, and why bigger isn't better. Shop talk covers the new 100mm Tobin waterfall grinder and flux free Damascus forge welding. Help support us on Patreon ! Memb...

Martin is back to discuss the second edition of Knife Show Austria, October 24 & 25 in Steyr. This year it's bigger with expanded exhibitor space, live forging demonstrations, and multiple classes including straight razors, beginning axe smithing with special guest Nils Ögren , and bladesmithing techniques. Learn about the new venue's single floor layout, the Edge of Hope charity booth...

The guys catch up after Keith's US trip, talking upcoming shows: German Daily Carry Convention in Munich and Knife Show Austria this October, and Pauli's new 8mm G10 colorways. Albert dives into forging brutal, slow moving Apex/Pro Cut Damascus with copper cladding alongside Kurt from Glatt Knives , while Pauli talks through offering handle scale manufacturing to other makers. Plus PPWR sh...

Keith is back from the US and the guys sits down with Malachi of Troopah Knives , a metallurgical engineering PhD student who breaks down exotic steels, belt grinding science, and why he thinks heat treatment isn't the black magic people make it out to be. He also drops a controversial take on why 1095 might be the most overrated beginner steel out there. Plus MagnaCut, hand sanding, corrosion...

Walker of Walker Knife Company joins us to talk about his start as a whitewater guide in Maine and how that led to his signature river rescue knife, built around serious sheath retention and corrosion resistance. The conversation covers CNC workflow and fixturing tricks, product photography tips (natural light, a clever black card trick for controlling reflections), and why building for a niche au...

This week the boys sit down with Ryan Coakley from the Coakley Knife Company and the Hustle and Grind Podcast. In this episode the boys talk about Brazilian butt lifts, alcohol and gambling. Help support us on Patreon ! Members get access to our "Low Carbon episodes" Raw, uncut, and full of behind the scene conversations about anything and everything under the sun. https://www.patreon.com/...

With Keith being gone, the boys have to step up their game. Pauli and Albert are joined by two of the best-known knifemakers on the planet: Ben Kamon and Geoff Feder. The boys talk podcasts, business strategies, and they get into a (quite civilised) discussion on compound grinds. Help support us on Patreon ! Members get access to our "Low Carbon episodes" Raw, uncut, and full of behind the...

The last show before Keith leaves for his summer vacation in the USA. The boys talk machining Ultem, homemade Micarta, doing the grinding for other knifemakers, and the like. Help support us on Patreon ! Members get access to our "Low Carbon episodes" Raw, uncut, and full of behind the scene conversations about anything and everything under the sun. https://www.patreon.com/c/HighCarbon Get...

This week Chris from Forge Works joins the show to talk honestly about stepping back from full time knifemaking into a normal day job, and why it was the right call. After years of grinding solo, chasing social media growth, and dealing with unexpected hits like a copyright claim over a seven second sound clip, Chris hit a breaking point. Taking on outside work gave him steady income, covered heal...

Marco Gadavics is a part time bladesmith from Upper Austria who recently won the Kukri with a Twist challenge at Knife Show Solingen and Best Knife of Show at Knife Show Austria in 2025. Marco talks about building up his knifemaking skills while working full time as a prison officer, his journey from blacksmithing school to winning awards, selling out at Blade Show West in Utah, and his new invest...

Pauli breaks down his new passivation process for sandblasted stainless steel blades, covering why blasting creates rust problems and how a citric acid bath fixes it. He also shares a cheap DIY version any maker can try at home. Albert talks through the painful story of a hook hollow ground chef knife with solid copper cladding that delaminated right before the finish line. The crew also gets into...

Is knife making really slowing down, or are the makers who adapt still thriving? In this episode, we discuss Blade Show sales, innovation in the knife industry, customer feedback, social media, new EU webshop regulations, and the latest products and projects in our shops. Help support us on Patreon ! Members get access to our "Low Carbon episodes" Raw, uncut, and full of behind the scene c...

Oliver from Fallen Scout Blades joins us for a relaxed conversation about knife making, bushcraft, workshop life, and the upcoming Survival Rally . From custom knives and shop equipment to outdoor adventures and behind the scenes stories, this episode is packed with practical insights, good humor, and plenty of knife talk. Help support us on Patreon ! Members get access to our "Low Carbon epis...

No guests this week just Keith, Albert, and Pauli on the bench. Albert wraps up the DNA knives and dives into a tall Chinese cleaver with a double hook grind, sharing his "cheater platen" trick for near hand sanded finishes. Keith actually built a folder (raindrop Damascus liner lock) and breaks down detent ball placement, lock face angles, and why friction folders are mostly pointless. Pa...

Keith is back from Knife Show Solingen and joined by Maxi from Knife Lounge Hamburg to recap a packed weekend in the European knife scene. We talk about the new Solingen venue, the energy of the show, the growth of the EDC community, and what it was like having makers, collectors, designers, and dealers all together in one place. Maxi shares her experience at the Knife Lounge booth, and the massiv...