Artisans of Steel

I had already been aware of Justin's work by the time I'd actually met him in person at the "Forge to Table" chef's knife event in Sacramento, CA, back in 2022. Justin was already doing great work and absolutely killed at that show. A couple of short years later, I had the pleasure of working with him, and a small group of makers, to deepen their understanding of forged integ...

I first met Rich Patterson at a hammer n in 2018 at Dragon's Breath Forge in CT, and I could tell that Rich was going to be a very promising maker. Just this last year at Blade Show, Rich's chef's knife won the Best Chef Knife award at the show. Rich has become a good friend over the years and has developed some really cool techniques for making knives. I am looking forward to talking...

Welcome to the April 2025 Artisans of Steel interview with Ben Tendick! Hailing from Eugene, OR, Ben Tendick specializes in EDC and tactical style knives, but over the past several years, he’s become well known for his titanium spatulas, which have been featured in Oprah Daily and used by Chef Andrew Zimmern. Ben has come a long way from his day job as a metal fabricator and making his own knifema...

Thanks for listening to Episode 39 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Jayden Simisky. I only became aware of Jayden's work in the last couple of years, but in that short period of time, Jayden has really found a way to exemplify his own creative take on the form, function, and design of knives. From Bowies and choppers to culinary knives, Jayden is exploring it all. I am very inter...

Thanks for listening to Episode 38 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Tre' Hill. I have been following Tre's work for a few years now and had the great fortune of meeting him at Blade Show in Atlanta last June. It was awesome to see his work in person, and I was struck by the hamons on his blades, and the quality of the finish he was getting on both his Damasteel and hamon blad...

Thanks for listening to Episode 37 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Josh Weston. I am very excited to have my friend, Josh Weston, joining the Artisans of Steel podcast this month. I first discovered Josh's work in 2012, when I came across a forging progression for a tomahawk made out of a railroad spike. I didn't know it was Josh's until I saw him compete on Forged in Fire. Josh is...

Thanks for listening to Episode 36 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Kaila Cumings. I first met Kaila at Blade Show in 2018 in Atlanta. She's probably one of the toughest people I've ever met. She's a talented outdoorsperson, survivalist, and knifemaker. She's got an awesome sense of humor, and I'm super excited to get to know her better in this conversation, and f...

Thanks for listening to Episode 35 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Lucas O'Hara. Lucas O'Hara is probably best known for his outdoor and everyday carry (EDC) knives. He served in the military, has a background in private security, and uses these experiences to bring a particular sense of discipline and business acumen to his knifemaking. Lucas is a great guy who has a lot of useful...

Thanks for listening to Episode 34 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Gabe Fletcher. I have been fortunate enough to get to know and work alongside Gabe Fletcher over the past few years. In that time, Gabe has exploded into a wildly talented knifemaker, whose journey I feel lucky to have been a part of. Gabe has a widely varied background, which I'm excited to learn more about and shar...

Thanks for listening to Episode 33 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Grace Horne. I have admired Grace's work for over half a decade. She's a multifaceted maker who produces work from varying disciplines. As a cutler, she has spent the majority of her time in the craft specializing in the history and making of scissors and shears. I am very excited to dive into her background, and fin...

Thanks for listening to Episode 32 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Joyce Kutty. I only met Joyce a year ago, but she has quickly become one of my favorite makers. With a background in woodworking and non-ferris metal work, she brings an understated elegance to her work that I really admire. She is also a very talented angler and chef, which informs her design and gives her a unique...

Thanks for listening to Episode 31 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Abie Lyons. I discovered Abie's work about 4 years ago, when I was drawn to the functionality and practicality of her designs, and have been a fan ever since. She is known for her folding knives and her EDC fixed blades. I was fortunate to meet her at Blade Show 2023, and I'm excited to get to know her more i...

Thanks for listening to Episode 30 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Dan Bidinger. I first met Dan in 2019 at the Blade West Show in Portland, Oregon. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of his work. He had only been a maker for a couple of years at that point, and his handle shapes and blade geometry were very good for a new maker, and he's only gotten better as one of the...

Thanks for listening to Episode 29 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Vince Evans. Vince is one of the top sword makers in the world, and I'm so excited to be having this conversation with him. From Viking swords, to Scottish Dirks, to the Italian Cinquedea, his attention to detail and historical accuracy is incomparable. Thanks for joining us! You can see more of Vince's work...

Thanks for listening to Episode 28 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Will Manning. Will Manning is a maker I have followed for a long time. He truly excels in making San Mai as well as Mosaic Damascus Chef Knives. He's also done a lot of really commendable work to collaborate with craftspeople of varying disciplines to support the greater culinary industry. I'm really looking...

Thanks for listening to Episode 27 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Owen Wood. Originally hailing from South Africa, Owen Wood has an exquisite body of work by which other knives may be judged. He is a fountain of insight and wisdom having made knives since the 70s, and is a pioneer of precision-welded damascus. I'm really excited to hear more of his story and background in knife...

Thanks for listening to Episode 26 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Andy Billipp. Andy is one of the makers I've followed the longest. He created a style, long ago, that has proved tried and true, mixing brute de forge with refined grinds and handle sculpting. He's one of a handful of makers whose work I wish I owned, particularly from a user's aspect, but also as an appr...

Thanks for listening to Episode 25 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Mareko Maumasi, himself! Due to unforeseen circumstances, this month's AoS scheduled guest was unable to make it, so Mareko decided to do a deep dive into his own past to tell some of his story that has not been shared before, and give you a deeper look into what makes him the great maker that he is! To be a part...

Thanks for listening to Episode 24 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Ben Kamon. Ben Kamon is a maker from Austria, whose work I have been following for several years. He has a fantastic aesthetic that mixes primal brute de forge texture with refined machining work. I am excited to get to know him better, and dive more into his processes and techniques. You can see more of Ben's wo...

Thanks for listening to Episode 23 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Mert Tansu. I am very excited to have Mert on today, as he is one of the only custom knifemakers that comes from a professional background in cooking. He's one of the founding members of the Wootz Society, and is also making his own crucible steel. He is a wealth of insight and information, and I look forward to...

Thanks for listening to Episode 22 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Lin Rhea, MS. I'm excited to have ABS Master Smith Lin Rhea on the podcast this month. His innovative designs and masterful forging techniques have been an inspiring resource for me over the years. I'm looking forward to sharing our conversation with you as we discuss some of the specialty techniques that he...

Thanks for listening to Episode 21 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Steve Culver, MS. I first met Steve when I took the Introduction to Bladesmithing Course over at the New England School of Metalwork. I took that class so that I could meet Steve, because I really admired his talent and skill, and I loved that he approached knifemaking from a very different perspective and approach t...

Thanks for listening to Episode 20 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Don Andrade. Coming from a background in bronze casting and sculpture, Don is the quintessential artist and maker. His aesthetics, style and quality of execution in performance of his knives are why I selected him to be a part of the Artisans of Steel calendar featuring culinary knife makers. He's a great guy, wi...

Thanks for listening to Episode 19 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Shane Taylor, MS. I first met Shane Taylor in 2014 at the Seattle International Knife Show. The quality of his work instantly blew me away. His creativity seems to be boundless and he's often an inspiration for my work. I am very excited to have this amazing Master Smith on the podcast and get to dive more into h...

Thanks for listening to Episode 18 of the Artisans of Steel interview series with Jordan LaMothe, MS. Jordan is a young, and insanely talented maker from upstate New York. He's a Master Smith in the ABS, and just finished a year-long trip to India where he studied the art and craft of koftgari, a technique for embellishing weapons. I am so excited to welcome him to the podcast, and dive into e...