High Carbon

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...

With Albert away, Benjamin Kamon steps in for another episode. We cover the final prep for the Solingen Knife Show , updates on Pauli’s second generation Varnas, and Ben’s plans for the Damasteel DCI . We also get into CNC fixture making, G10 handle scales, Knife Show Austria , The Edge of Hope project , knife numbering, and the usual mix of workshop talk, bad jokes, and technical problems.

Our guest in this week’s episode is one of the youngest bladesmiths in the game: Logan Provence, aka Kuro Senshi Knives. We talk about how he got into bladesmithing at such a young age, what it’s like forging knives in his backyard, fulfilling steak knife orders, and how far you can go with simple equipment and determination. Help support us on Patreon ! Members get access to our "Low Carbon e...

This week we’re joined by Coy Baker for a conversation about Damascus production, Baker Forge’s new stainless Damascus workflow, their "new" massive 750 lb Chambersburg power hammer, custom forge setup, argon purging, pattern testing with clay, and the systems behind running a serious steel production shop. We also get into branding, maker logos, ISO 9000 prep, inventory tracking, the Bake...

This week, we dive into the hidden complexity of Kydex sheaths, from retention and click to carry, balance, and durability. We also talk kitchen knife geometry, leather vs. Kydex, copper Damascus, social media for makers, and the pain of customers complaining about handmade knife prices. A fun, honest episode full of shop talk, hot takes, and plenty of laughs. Help support us on Patreon ! Members...

This week, Jonas of Isasmedjan joins us for a conversation on Kydex sheath development, shop moves, Solingen show prep, stainless etching, and the balance between custom work and small-scale production, before the episode closes with another round of hot takes on forged geometry, knife makers, and questionable handle materials. Help support us on Patreon ! Members get access to our "Low Carbon...

This week on the High Carbon Podcast, we welcome Roman of Kasé Knives from Switzerland for a detailed and insightful episode on performance driven knife making. Roman shares his approach to high hardness blades, exotic steels, and the heat treatment methods that define his work. We discuss edge retention, toughness, grinding practices, sharpening, rare steel sourcing, and the balance between handm...

This week’s episode has a bit of everything, shop updates, Kydex sheath making, crazy carbide price increases, folding knife talk, and plenty of chaos getting the guest connected. Sven Schellander from Messerschmiede Schellander joins the show to share the wild story of a serious work accident just before planned Achilles surgery, and the guys also dive into listener hot takes on Damascus, museum...

Keith and Pauli run a two man show this week, covering Pauli’s updated Varnas design, how customer feedback shapes better knives, new layered G10 options, knife show prep, business growth, outsourcing, and a few spicy listener hot takes. 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 eve...

This week, Hudson Torrens joins the High Carbon Room Podcast after returning from an epic four month trip through Europe, visiting makers, learning new techniques, and working in shops across France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Romania, and the UK. Help support us on Patreon ! Members get access to our "Low Carbon episodes" Raw, uncut, and full of behind the scene conversations about anything...

No guest this week, just pure shop talk and chaos. Keith puts the new white VSM belts through their paces sanding a mountain of stabilized blocks, the crew debates who’s actually going to Solingen, and the hot take inbox is on fire, from “stop buying retail” to clown vomit handles and why fancy Damascus won’t save bad craftsmanship. Then, somehow, it all ends with toilet paper technique, wet wipes...

Fingal Ferguson joins us for another High Carbon episode that bounces from Knife Solingen including a Patreon giveaway (two 2-day passes). A new Anchorage brewery collaboration, plus plans for a matching knife build with a bog iron twist. We also nerd out on power hammers, belts for oily woods, foil vs spray for heat treat, and end up, somehow, talking potatoes again. Help support us on Patreon !...

Back in the High Carbon chaos: we kick off by roasting a product listing with handle colors that change from photo to photo (so, which knife are you actually buying and does it really matter?). Then it’s shop talk, knife bags, and prep for the upcoming Solingen knife show , including a fresh batch of stabilized wood for The Edge of Hope project. We nerd out over an optical center punch for ultra p...

Knife Solingen is back! We’re joined by Sixt Wetzler (Director of the Deutsches Klingenmuseum ) and event manager Andrew Gläser to unpack what happened with the 2025 cancellation, what’s new for 2026 at the Eissporthalle, and how makers, brands, and suppliers get accepted. We also dig into the Knife Awards (jury prize and audience prize), the expanded program with talks, demos, sharpening zone, ma...

With Pauli out sick, we’re joined by Ryan Coakley for a shop talk heavy episode. We trade wild kitchen stories and how chef life translates into knifemaking, then nerd out on grind performance with Albert’s J hook experiments, food release, and sharpening tradeoffs. We also get into batch work, speed, and the handmade vs production spectrum, and then hit podcasting standards, guest booking, and ti...

Gabe Fletcher of Anchorage forge returns with a massive shop upgrade, a rare Beaudry 400 power hammer with a 400 lb (181 kg) ram. We talk about how he found it, the full rebuild and reconfiguration by Kevin Willey, and what it takes to install and tune a five ton mechanical beast. Plus, die setups, why Beaudrys have a “Cadillac” reputation, and a quick dive into protective finishes for etched Dama...

Jeroen from Knippenberg Knives returns for his third appearance to talk about the Netherlands knife makers symposium he organizes, why community focused events matter, and what makers can learn there. We also dig into his “what, how, and why” social media approach, plus the realities of going full time as a knife maker. High Carbon Podcast T-Shirt are back in stock here @ knifematerial.at Help sup...

Dom from DB Blades joins us to talk knife shows, shop workflow, and content. We learn about his new role as treasurer of Australia’s Knife Art Association, plus his simple system for consistent Instagram reels and why he walked away from YouTube with 50k subscribers. He also walks us through his workflow, from water jet blanks and milling to heat treat, surface grinding, CNC handles, and finishing...

With Albert away, Ben Kamon joins us as Pauli opens up about a trip that may have altered his brain for life, and might finally explain some of his controversial hot takes. He went straight into the heart of Chernobyl, the worst disaster in the history of nuclear power generation. Help support us on Patreon ! Members get access to our "Low Carbon episodes" Raw, uncut, and full of behind th...