Custom Knifemaker Interviews

As an unapologetic Spyderco fanboy, I argue that there are few things greater than a Spyderco knife. One thing that does come to mind is a custom Spyderco knife. That is why I asked Roman Pokorny to be featured on the site. A professional musician by trade, Roman is an avid collector of Spyderco knives and founded the Spyderco Custom Knife Project. Based out of the Czech Republic, the Custom Spyderco Project has turned out some awesome (and highly creative) custom pieces coveted by collectors all over the globe. I invite you to pull up a chair and follow along as I learn more about members of the project and their serious passion for one of a kind knives.

Hi Roman, welcome to BladeReviews.com. Can you tell us what started Project Custom Spyderco?

First I became a collector of Spyderco knives. Once I bought a blade from the Mule Project and I wanted to make a handle of the G-10. I did not know how to do it and I wrote to the cutlery www.knife.cz forum for advice. Some guys laughed at me, but knife maker Zdenek Stor invited me to his knife shop. He explained and taught me a lot of things about knife making. He also made the first models for CustomSpyderco. It was the Endura Cocobolo and D’allara of Pertinax. When I started in the Czech Republic Spyderco knives to sell, I began to go to knife shows and I could also show CustomSpyderco knives. When Czech knife makers saw custom Spyderco knives, they liked these very much, which encouraged me to further work.

How did you assemble your team of professional knifemakers and craftsmen?

Some of them are not professionals and have civilian job, but all of them do great job for CustomSpyderco. Karel Kočí is Catholic Priest for example. To get them together was fairly easily. They went to me, in essence themselves willing to cooperate. The first in team was Zdenek Stor. Later joined us Karel Koci, who made carbon models. Then came Roman Stoklasa, Tomas Vidomus and newly Richard Tesarik. I highly appreciate cooperation with craftsmen Libor Votava and Miroslav Makovicka, who is doing a superb job, although the ideas of engravings I do mostly by myself. I must say that most of the current contracts do by myself too. I have a small but well equipped workshop at the cottage, which is fully sufficient for my needs. When it’s nice weather, I’m working out there, which is great. 🙂

It’s great to hear how you guys all work together, sounds like a knifemaking fraternity. Needless to say I don’t see much of that in the States. Where exactly are you guys located and what went into making the custom shop?

I live in Prague, capital city of the Czech Republic. Other collaborators are living at different locations in the Czech Republic. Custom Shop was my idea, because I believed that people will enjoy our work and appreciated “humanized” factory knives. A handmade wooden handle can change a factory made knife beyond recognition. The truth is that from the beginning we sold mainly to the U.S., where natural materials and manual labor are more valued, but have recently gained an interest in the Czech Republic and Western Europe.

I think it’s really cool that your fellow Europeans are getting interested in your work as well. How did you guys decide to specialize in Spyderco knives?

As I wrote, Im Spyderco collector. I love most of Spyderco models and Spyderco firm philosophy. I like their cooperation with the world’s best cutlers. It inspired me to start cooperation with Czech knife makers. In the future I plan to highlight the work of several top Czech cutlers in the world. Among them are the true masters who deserve international recognition.

That sounds awesome! I have had a taste of the custom work to come out of your part of the world and it is exceptional stuff to say the least. I know I’m not the only one excited about the prospect of seeing some true masters show off their work.

Tell us a bit about those really cool “ancient” Spyderco knives on your website. They look almost like Native American artifacts.

Heh heh, this is the work of Tomas Vidomus. It was also my idea. He makes such great ancient stone and bone tools. He also looks like early man. All guys in the Czech cutlery community knows that I am a big fan of Spyderco. Sometimes I will enjoy a humorous “imitation” of Spyderco knife. It’s really nice of them. 😉

I think it’s something the everyone in the Spyderco community gets a kick out of, Sal and the rest of the team at Spyderco HQ included. What is your favorite part about running Project CustomSpyderco?

I can’t definitely say. The whole project is my baby. I’m quite proud with some of my suggestions of engravings. I think I succeeded with Lava Alien or Delica Billy the Kid. I also like the ultra light Carbon Endura or Delica. Now we do Endura with titanium back spacer and titanium liners. It reminds me, that I have to update our website soon! Anyway I have to say, the greatest success with customers have been the wooden handles.

I have to admit, the wood handles are probably my favorite. That is how I first learned about the project actually. I love the natural beauty of wood, and I’m not afraid to say it! What are your future plans for the Project?

I would like to develop more collaboration with the best Czech cutlers even if the cost of some art models will maybe be a little bit expensive for some customers. I definitely want to keep high quality manual production, and prefer natural materials, because that is exactly what customers expect from us. Touch of human hands and nature is what we can enrich a factory knife. It’s kind of a link between the factory knife and a knife from the cutler. I would also like to do some scrimshaw on handles, but all is about time and money on this world. If I could afford it, ideally I would have a well-equipped workshop in Prague and one or two permanent staff.

Also, I would welcome a formal partnership with Spyderco, that we could get some parts of the knives, we do not have to buy the whole knives. This could significantly reduce the cost of CustomSpyderco knives. It would then be things happening! These ideas are more than enough…

Lots of good ideas Roman! I hope you can make some of them happen because I really enjoy the direction you have taken the project so far.

Ok, last real question: what knife do you currently EDC?

To be honest, I have to say that now I use the Large Lum Chinese Folder with Wood Handle on one side and Chinese Lum CF, but the EDC of my heart is probably Sal’s Endura. I used Endura CF for a long time and believe it will return back to my pocket someday. I plan to make a carbon fiber Endura Emerson opener model with titanium back spacer and special skeletonized liners.

Great choices, the Endura is one of my favorite Spyderco models as well. Thanks so much for doing the interview Roman, is there anything else you would like to add?

Thanks for interview and stay with us!

My pleasure Roman, thanks so much for participating! I look forward to seeing more custom Spydercos in the future!

You can learn more about the Custom Spyderco Project by visiting them at either www.customspyderco.com or at www.spyderco-noze.cz

Today I am speaking with young knifemaker Jason Brous. Jason is one of those guys that you are going to want to watch. Although relatively new to the world of custom knifemaking, Jason as already created quite a stir among the knife community with his wild and inventive designs. Additionally, his work has received international recognition, and has been published in Blade Magazine. I never doubted that he was talented, but in our exchange of emails I also found Jason to be polite, humble and highly professional. It is with great pleasure that I welcome Jason Brous to BladeReviews.com.

Hey Jason, welcome to the site. How did you get into making knives?

My initial take on knife making is not typical of most makers. I believe that is why my work looks so unusual, or from another planet. My inspiration came from a particular art style that I was introduced to through an amazing artist from Brazil named Lango. This art form is known as bio-mechanical, and it is basically a combination of abstract robotics intertwined with the human body in a mechanical formation.

This type of art got me interested in fantasy style knives. I began doing some research and I found a lot of cool unique designs, my favorite by Paul Eller. Being a Machinist by trade meant that I had all of the resources to potentially make one myself. Having not the slightest clue on what I was doing I was able to pop out a half way decent knife.

Very cool. It’s a very unique style. Can you tell us a bit about your background as a Machinist?

I have been working as a CNC Machinist at my father’s company for about 10 years now. A common misconception is that I use CNC machines to make my knives. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. I use the stock removal method, grinding bevels with my 2×72 KMG grinder, and mill complex serrations with a Bidgeport Manual Mill. Many, many hours and exact calculations go into my designs.

That is cool man. For those interested, there are some nice photos of Jason’s shop on his website.

Ok, so tell us a bit about your most popular design, the “Silent Soldier.”

The “Silent Soldier” design was actually made early in my knifemaking career. I posted it on a few forums and it was even featured in the January 2011 issue of Blade Magazine. The response I got was phenomenal. I received so many orders for them that I could not keep up making them by hand. I was basically working my full time job by day, and making Silent Soldiers by night. This went on for many sleepless months and minimal time with my family. I finally considered the idea of outsourcing. I was able to find a reputable company to help in the production of this design. We made 500 total and about half are already sold through pre-orders. You can see more info and purchase at BrousBlades.com. My confidence for these Silent Soldiers is through the roof. I will put these up against any neck knife in the entire industry.

At 24 years old you have already started making a big name for yourself in the world of custom knives, what kind of response have you received?

It is very tough being a 24 year old knife maker. Although the majority of people appreciate the craftmanship in my work, there are always a few people that are going to loathe it. I have had people tell me that my work is silly and pointless. I do realize that I have a lot to learn about knife making, but everyone must start somewhere. I wasn’t lucky enough to have some great accomplished knifemaker teach me what to do and what not to do. Because of that, I’ve made my fair share of mistakes, and I have leaned from them. I will continue to strive to be the best knife maker I can be while staying true to myself.

Your style may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I respect the fact that you are doing your thing, putting your knives out there, and asking for advice and opinions. It’s easy to be hyper-critical of someone’s work, especially behind a computer screen.

I think you have the right idea with simply continuing forward to make the best knives you can and ignoring the “haters.” What are your future plans for Brous Blades, do you plan to make knives full time?

My plans for Brous Blades is to continue making top quality and creative custom knives and I hope to release a few more production knives. I am also working on a collaboration with SOG Specialty Knives and Tools. The collaboration will feature a full Brous Blades line of about 5 to 6 designs.

I would eventually love to make knives full time. I definitely have enough work to keep me busy, but I do not want to add the pressure of knifemaking being my sole source of income. It is very difficult to stay creative under that kind of pressure. The fact that I dont make a lot of knives makes the ones I do a little more exclusive.

Congrats on the SOG collaboration, that is really cool. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for that. Ok, one last question; What is your current EDC (Every Day Carry) Knife?

I actually carry the Silent Soldier around my neck every day. I literally use it for everything; from splitting wood pallets, to cutting boxes, to even opening mail. The versatility of this knife makes it perfect for everyday use.

Very cool, it’s a neat little design. Thanks again for the interview Jason, best of luck in your knifemaking endeavors!

You can learn more about Jason by visiting his website BrousBlades.com, following him on Facebook or watching his videos on YouTube.

Between making his own custom knives, functioning as the executive director for BladeSports International, and making time for his large network of family and friends, Jose Diaz is a busy guy. I managed to snag an interview with him and I was blown away by his passion for knives and commitment to BladeSports. In the space of a few emails I was invited to his home to learn the art of competition cutting from him personally.

I still feel like a fool for asking for a raincheck, but I hope to take him up on his offer some day soon. Either way, it is with great pleasure that I present an interview with the one and only Jose Diaz.

Welcome to BladeReviews, Jose – it is an honor to have you. Can you tell us a bit about what got you started making knives?

I have always been interested in metal smithing and knife and tool making. I didn’t get my start, though, until I met Ed Schempp. I guess I was just waiting for the right mentor, and he was it! Prior to becoming a knife maker, I was a wood carver, and my initial interest was to learn to create more carving tools. Ed Schempp told me that tool making was a type of freedom, and empowerment. I would agree with this.

That is cool. If you are going to learn how to make knives from someone Ed Schempp is one heck of a mentor. Can you tell us about your philosophy behind your knives?

I believe that knives are tools. I was taught to look at solving the problem of how to create a knife was to look at the work the knife is intended for. So I design my knives by starting at the edge, or working surface of the knife. The handle is the second thing that is designed. That is where the tool user interacts with the tool. The handle need not only to be comfortable, but be at the proper position to present the working surface to the task at hand. So I guess my knives are more about function than form.

I once had a critique by a prominent knifemaker, and he told me that his first impression of my knives was that they were ugly. Honestly, I didn’t take offense… I did, after all, ask him for his opinion. But I was disappointed that he did not pick any of them up.

When I designed the Frog Leg, I was proud. I felt that this knife accomplished the goal of functionality and ergonomics. But I couldn’t get anyone interested in it. One day, I asked a passer by at a knife show to pick up the knife. It was funny, because this fellow literally was walking by my table without any intention of stopping. I got the knife in his hand, and the first thing he said was “Oh!” Like he finally got the punchline of a difficult to understand joke! He bought the knife.

Another thing I try to focus on in my knife making is affordability. I believe that it is important to make custom knifes that regular working people can afford. I stay away from expensive handle materials, and multi-piece knives. I try to keep things simple and functional. Custom knives are a luxury item. I do understand that. But I think that once someone tries a custom knife that is well designed, they will be hard pressed to find a better replacement.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Your entire approach resonates with me, but the functionality and affordability factors really hit home.

I noticed by reading on your site and watching some of your you tube videos, that you are an avid outdoorsman. The video where you guys are camping in the Washington winter by sleeping in hammocks was especially interesting to a Southern boy like myself.

I have always been an avid outdoorsman. I love camping, fishing, hiking and hunting. I enjoy challenging myself physically and mentally in the outdoors. Winter camping is just part of that challenge. Staying comfortable in cold temperatures is a challenge, but can be done easily with preparation. My father is not an outdoorsman. He often asks how miserable I was during an outing. I tell him that it’s not about being miserable, but being comfortable and cozy in the outdoors that makes it so appealing. Many of my knife designs are inspired from my outdoor adventures. Designing the perfect tool for the outdoors is almost every knife maker’s dream.

I think that is a great perspective. Not only are you a fan of the outdoors, but I know you are also a big fan of frogs. You use a frog in your logo and a lot of your knives have frog-related names. What is that all about?

I love frogs. They are one of the most adaptable animals in the world. They literally live in every climate in the world. There is even an arctic variety that lives in Northern Alaska. They also taste good. I am from Puerto Rico. Ask any Puerto Rican about the Coqui. It is the Puerto Rican tree frog, indigenous only to that island. We as a culture are very proud of this little guy! That is where the frog in my logo came from. I just decided at some point to stay with that theme, and it’s worked for me so far.

It’s definitely a unique – I dig it.

Lets talk about cutting competitions. Now I know you make some competition cutting knives, and that you participate in the competitions yourself, but what I didn’t realize is that you are the executive director of BladeSports International, the premier competition cutting organization. What got you into competition cutting and how did you find yourself at the helm of this growing sport?

I have Ed Schempp, again, to blame for this. Ed is a renowned rope cutter, and has himself won many rope cutting competitions. One day I asked him about it, and asked him to teach me how to do it. The first time I cut the rope, I was addicted. He calls it the “Excaliber” effect. You accomplish something like rope cutting, then you look at the blade in awe, look at the cut rope and want to hold the blade aloft and yell!

I found that cutting competitions were a great test bed for knife design. I have learned so much about design, heat treatment and edge geometry participating in this sport.

Like every hobby I get into, it’s difficult for me not to become fully involved. The Board of BladeSports quickly recognized my zealousness (read obsession) and picked me to lead. One of the main missions of BladeSports, is to promote “knife as tool.” This is a mission I believe in, and try to promote in my own business.

Also, the hedonistic side of me loves participating in cutting events. It’s way more fun than it should be. We’re out there chopping up new 2x4s, unused water bottles, perfectly good golf and tennis balls. I should be feeling kind of bad ruining all these things by cutting them up.

This is the only sport for knife enthusiasts. I honestly believe that this sport has a bright future. I am proud to be a part of it.

Well that is totally awesome. It has inspired me to get more involved and I will be trying to feature more stuff on BladeSports in the future.

I’ve noticed that your competition cutters have a distinctive handle design. I am also really impressed by the youtube video of your Damascus competition cutter. Not only is it a beautiful knife but it looks to be very good at what it does.

Thanks for the compliments. I am proud of that piece. Fortunately the person who bought that knife lets me visit it from time to time. I designed that knife as worker, but I am glad you think it’s pretty. I do too.

The drop in the handle of that knife represents an ergonomic theory I have about the movements in cutting. It allows the wrist to stay in a relaxed position during heavy movements, and allows for further reach with hyperextension of the wrist, giving more range of movement. The forefinger area is narrow, again allowing for more range of movement at the fulcrum.

Knifemakers agree that these cutting competitions are the ultimate test of a blade and it’s interesting to see the kinds of innovations that come out of them. What advice do you have for anyone looking to get more involved in BladeSports and competition cutting?

Get ahold of us. We’ll get you trained in the safety aspects of competition cutting, which for us is the most important. We’ll travel to you if you cannot come to us. We just require a minimum of 5 students, cutting benches, materials to cut, and a place to hold the training and competition. We can get the training and competition done in a weekend. We’ll supply the instructors and even bring the knives.

Too cool, you guys are BladeSports are incredibly dedicated. I look forward to watching the sport grow and hope to get involved myself someday soon.

One last question; what knives do you like to carry every day?

I carry a variety of knives – it depends on the occasion. For more formal affairs: Ed Schempp/Spyderco Khukri. Shop time: carbon steel Opinel folder. Hiking/Backpacking: Frog Leg neck knife.

A knife for every occasion, I would expect nothing less. 😉 Thanks so much for your time Jose, is there anything else you would like to say?

I’d like to thank my collectors, and customers. The folks who have been willing to spend their hard earned money on my knives. I’m glad you’ve seen value in my product!

And to Ed Schempp: “I still blame you!” Thanks for your patience and time! I’m glad to know that I am still worthy of both. I am fortunate to have and honest and insightful mentor.

Thanks again for the great interview. You can learn more about Jose and his knives by visiting the Diaz Tools website. I also recommend checking out his YouTube channel. He has a nice mix of knife related videos and it’s being regularly updated.

Today I am interviewing Ban Tang of Ban Tang Knives. Ban is a custom knifemaker from San Jose, California and is truly a student of the art of knifemaking. He is completely dedicated to making the best possible knives he can, and it shows in every way.

I remember the first time I saw his knives, and the precision and attention to detail blew me away. If you are unfamiliar with his work you are in for a treat, and if you are already a Ban Tang Knives fan, well I hope you enjoy learning a little more about this great up and coming knifemaker.

Ban, welcome to the site. You make some amazing pieces. Not only are your knives “stupid sharp” but they are “stupid sexy” as well.  What started this madness?

I was always intrigued by sharp things since I was a kid.  I’ve had a passion for knives since I can remember attempting to make knives using creative materials. My first real knife came around 1998.  I was inspired by RJ Martin’s Kozuka. I purchased a Grizzly belt grinder and made my own Japanese cord – wrapped knife out of D2.  While my passion for knives has never waned, it wasn’t until 2007 that I began to pick up knife making again, this time more seriously.  I started doing modifications, regrinds for Busse knives and within a short period of time, I purchased my KMG.  I also started to create my own designs with the BT4 being my first standard production knife.  It’s a design that I am most proud of and continues to be a sought out knife even today. Everything I know about knives has been self taught. I owe thanks to Ron Hembrook as he took me under his wing and through emails he graciously gave me tips and pointers about knife making and the proper equipment needed. I sadly found out that Ron Hembrook recently passed away on May 6th, 2010.  He was a true giver and I will miss him.

I am real sorry to hear about your mentor. I’m sure you continue to make him proud and one day you may be able to pay it forward and mentor another aspiring knifemaker.

I know you are something of an outdoorsman, so perhaps you can speak a little about that.

I wouldn’t exactly call myself a outdoorsman but I do love the great outdoors.  I love hiking, camping, and enjoying the beauty of mother nature.  I am an avid fisherman and very much enjoy hunting even though I don’t get to do those things very often these days.  As a matter of fact Fishing and Shooting are passions of mine besides knives.

That is awesome. I think these kinds of passions can really help design useful tools. I would be interested to hear about your philosophy towards knifemaking. What inspires your designs and craftsmanship?

For me, I believe that a knife has a function.  It has to cut and it has to cut well.  If it doesn’t cut well then it’s not much of a knife.  I go to great lengths to ensure that every one of my knives is as sharp as they can be for their given design. 

My designs are typically driven by the function it needs to serve.  The devil is in the details.  A good knifemaker is someone who masters the details of the basics. I get great satisfaction delivering a beautiful, functional, sharp knife to each one of my customers.  I appreciate the feedback and the inquiries as they inspire me to continue to refine my skills and styles to develop better quality knives.

You are known for your incredibly sharp blades. Without giving away any trade secrets, can you provide some insight into your sharpening process?

Here are some of my thoughts on sharp.

When most people think of sharp they are thinking or referring only to the actual edge bevel and how fine the edge has been polished. I am known for my high polished convex edges but that is only part of the story.

There are two main factors that come into play when we are talking about sharp. First is the primary bevel (PB) and second is the secondary bevel (SB) or more commonly known as the edge bevel. Primary bevels are typically flat, hollow, convex, chisel, or a combination. Edge bevels are typically V or convex.

The combination of the primary bevel and secondary bevel makes up edge geometry which is our primary concern. In order to get a truly sharp and efficient cutting edge geometry the PB and SB must be properly balanced. This will usually be dictated by the function and cutting tasks at hand. A properly sharpened edge bevel can only cut efficiently as the primary bevel will allow and vice versa.

Balancing the edge geometry takes a bit of experience, skill, and sometimes trial and error. There is not really a best cutting geometry for all tasks. The geometry required to chop through seasoned hardwood without damage on a chopper is very much different than a geometry that is required to slice thin slivers of tomatoes for a kitchen knife.

Bottom line. Edge geometry is KEY.

My sharpening process can be found on this thread.

Very cool, Ban. As an end user, I don’t always think about these kinds of things when handling a knife. To get your insight on this kind of stuff is very valuable. (Also, I highly recommend checking out the sharpening link – very interesting reading for those curious about exactly what it takes to get that hair popping edge.)

Your love of reverse edge (Pikal) knives and Hawkbills is obvious. What attracts you to these somewhat uncommon blade shapes?

Growing up in a rough environment I’ve always had an affinity towards self defense.  My opinion is that the little Reverse Edge knives are easy to carry, deploy, and are super potent in CQB (close quarter combat – Ed.) situations. The Hawkbills are also super efficient cutters for those that prefer a more standard grip orientation.  And of course the Reverse Edge and Hawkbills look cool as hell. 😉

No doubt. I think they are striking designs (…pun intended?) and from what I have seen, they have earned you a lot of fans.

It’s no secret that you build some serious cutters, but I think it’s especially interesting that you are getting into building cutting competition knives. What are your plans as far as making these competition cutting knives?

I consider myself a fairly new knife maker and still very much honing my skills.  I am interested to see how well my knives do in comparison to some of the more respected makers in the industry.  Again this just shows my curiosity in every kind of knives out there.  My passion for knives is not specific to just one type.  I will continue to experiment and refine my competition cutters as I gain more knowledge in that area.

I’ve seen a lot of household names in the knife industry making competition knives and some even compete themselves. I think it is a great way to test your skills and learn first hand how to build high performance knives. I hope to see some videos of you blasting through 2x4s soon.

I notice that you like to experiment with different steels, in fact your whole approach to knifemaking seems very adventurous. Are you looking for the “holy grail” of steels or are you just trying new things?

Knifemaking is a passion and a study for me.  My goal is make the best knife that I possibly can.  I am constantly experimenting and trying to make things better.  I like to experiment with different steels because it is one of the elements to help create better knives for their intended purposes.  I have personal favorites but I don’t think there is a best steel. 

The fact that you are continually trying to push the envelope is exciting and I look forward to following the evolution of your knives.

I also noticed that you have done some work with titanium where you apply carbide to the edge. What is that all about? Do you think we will see more of these titanium knives from you in the future?

Titanium has a pretty bad rap as a knife blade material.  The main reason being that it is relatively soft and does not hold an edge very well compared to a good quality steel.  It does have the advantage of being much lighter than steel and is non-reactive in most reasonable environments.  Titanium knives become a very viable option when you pair up good edge geometry with a carbide edge. Tungsten carbide is very wear resistant and improves the edge holding a great deal.  A carbidized Ti edge is quite toothy and very different than a fine steel edge.  It can get hair scraping sharp but not hair splitting sharp.  However, it can hold that working edge for a good while.  Sharpening is very simple since carbide is applied only to one side of the edge.  As a matter of fact it is almost self sharpening because the softer Ti slowly wears away exposing the carbides on the edge.  A quick strop or two on the non carbide side is usually all that is required to
renew the edge.

Carbidized titanium is very suitable and possibly even ideal for small ultra lightweight neck knives that are impervious to rust.  I also find it pretty ideal in the kitchen environment where edge degradation from corrosion is a concern for most steel knives.  I am still testing and experimenting with carbidized titanium and so far it has held up very well to daily cutting chores.  You will definitely be seeing more carbidized titanium knives in the future.

That is awesome. I honestly have not heard much about carbidized titanium before so I am definitely looking forward to seeing some more of these knives.

Ok, one last question – what are you currently carrying?

My current EDC is a small Titanium Cord Wrapped Pikal. I will probably switch it up to a Titanium Wharnie or Hawkbill in a week or so. 😉

See I KNEW you were into those weird little blades! Thanks again for the awesome interview Ban, I wish you the best of luck in your knifemaking endeavors!

You can learn more about Ban’s work by checking out his website, BanTangKnives.com, checking out his subforum on bladeforums.com or by contacting him directly via email.

I saw Sergey’s custom work and I HAD to feature his stuff on my site. Naturally, I feel that way about everyone who I manage to feature here (which is why I enjoy doing this stuff so much), but Sergey’s customizations really spoke to me.

We all know it’s real easy to go to the knife shop (or your favorite online knife retailer) and simply buy a cool production knife. I have tons, they are awesome, but at the end of the day, what is so special about it? Customizing your knife is a fun way to set your blade apart, and I know lot of people enjoy customizing their own knives. That said, I have seen few do it with style and attention to detail Sergey has, which is why I approached him to learn more.

Getting him to the site wasn’t an easy task because as you will learn, Sergey is a really busy guy. Luckily, he took the time to sit down and answer some questions for me and I am really proud to feature his work on my site. Speaking of websites, he has one of his own which you should check out, www.sr-artdesign.com. Also, his photo gallery is really impressive. So without further ado, I present Sergey R and his customized knives.

Thanks for joining us today Sergey, you do some gorgeous work on these production knives. Can you tell us what got you started with all of this?

I always was interested in knives. I started making my first knives from old files when I was 14. Then I got bored with all black collection of my own knives, found few things that could be improved on stock knives and started to customize my own knives.

That is how it got started.

Tell us a little more about your background.

I was born in Moscow, Russia. My father was well known jeweler. He moved to New York and then he got a good job offer. A few years later I turned 17 and I followed him and started working with him. So my profession is jeweler. Knifes are my passion and hobby.

Because of my main work I have very limited time for knifes, I have lots of interesting ideas and not enough time to make it all.

Well that sucks for us knife enthusiasts because you bring some very interesting and unique ideas to standard knives. Anyone can go out and buy a Spyderco Military, or a ZT 0300 – but when you add your customizations, that takes it to another level.

Something that immediately caught my eye is the awesome two-tone G10 you use for your custom scales. Where do you even find this stuff?

I am looking for new ideas and new colors all the time. I think plain black g10 is getting boring. There are a few knife makers supply stores who sell two tone g10. I was even thinking about making my own g10, but then again not enough time for experiments.

Do you do any knife making or is it all customization?

Yes I do, but those knifes are not for sale. I still have a lot to learn and improve before I can bring a finished product to the customer. It is not as easy as it looks.

Believe me, doing these interviews is about as close as I can get to making a knife. I’ll leave that stuff to the pros. 😉

Now I have to ask, (because I am sure I would get an e-beat down from anyone reading this interview if I didn’t) do you make any of these scales for sale / will you do any kind of custom work for people?

I make some for sale and some for my personal collection. I also accept orders on limited basis mainly due to other work I do. You can always email me for specifics.

Very cool. Thanks again for the words Sergey, is there anything else you would like to add?

I learned a lot working as jeweler and I am planing to use it in knife the making industry. You definitely will see few folders made by me in next 12 mouths. As a jeweler I mostly work on big things like the nephrite box (you can see it on my site) it will be sold at Bonhams auction in New york this April .

Well I will certainly have to follow up with you in the coming months! Best of luck with your knives and auction, I have a feeling that it will turn out great.

You can see more of Sergey’s work at his website.

UPDATE – 05/09/2011 – Our friend Sergey is now making knives!! As I would have expected the knives are nothing short of stunning. Check out his website for his latest work!

This article is part of a series of interviews I am conducting with with custom knifemakers and craftsmen. I will be exploring the world of custom knives and the people who make them. If you or someone you know would be interested in being interviewed by BladeReviews please contact me.

Dylan Fletcher of Fletcher Knives is a custom knifemaker out of Alpharetta, Georgia. His hard use tools are rugged, reliable and are built to simply get the job done. I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Dylan and found him to be a very laid back and funny guy who is also incredibly passionate about what he does. I think you will find his story to be both interesting and inspirational so it is with great pride that I welcome Dylan to BladeReviews.com

Hi Dylan, great to have you with us. I’ve been following your work for a while and your knives are obviously built to be used. Can you tell us what got you into making them?

I’ve been an avid knife collector and user since I was a little slugger. It was always very important in my family that the kids learned proper knife and gun safety and usage as soon as we could understand English. I remember my father saying over and over, “always cut away from your body, never towards you.” I was very lucky to have a family that cared a lot more about making sure I knew how to handle weapons/tools than keeping me away from them. However, it wasn’t until I hit 5 years old that I really began to appreciate knives for their aesthetic appeal. Up to that point, I just used kitchen knives and whatever “plain-Jane” fixed blade or folder my father or grandfather happened to hand to me.

I remember very clearly how it all started. (mist and wavy vision into a flashback…) I was walking home from my friend, Nicky’s house. I lived in a cul-de-sac on a street named Squirrel Tree Place in Tampa, Florida. (I remember the strangest things. Ask me what my crossing guards name was from elementary school and I’ll give you every detail about the man’s life, including his social and phone number in 1987, but ask me where I left the remote and I’ll scratch my head for about ten minutes with a goofy look.) Anyways, I was walking home and something caught my eye in the grass. I picked it up and it was a folding small stiletto style lock-back. It had black hard plastic scales, a bayonet style blade and a swing guard. It had a total length of about 5″ and a blade maybe 2.25″ long. As far as I was concerned, it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. My mind instantly told me, “finders keepers good buddy!” I took it in the house, showed it to my parents and asked if I could keep it. My mom, still not wanting her little dude playing with sharp stuff unsupervised quite yet said, “No. We’ll put it in the drawer and maybe you can have it later.”

For a couple of years after that, I was still limited to the supervised usage of whatever unsatisfying knife I was handed for chores and meals. I was convinced that they’d forgotten about that knife, but I never did. Every once in a while I would search through those “junk drawers” in the kitchen just so I could keep up with where it was. Every time I’d pull it out and announce, “LOOK WHAT I FOUND! How bout that, it’s still here! Can I have it yet?” Finally one day, they gave in. The rest is history as they say.

After that, I began collecting knives where ever I could get them. It didn’t take long for me to put together a pretty decent collection of relatively respectable sharp stuff. It also didn’t take long for me to start setting my standards higher and higher as far as knives and gear in general. I was a country boy, always outside exploring and camping with my trusty bb gun and favorite knives. With that lifestyle, pretty quickly I realized that quality was important. Those gas station cheapies and gun show specials wouldn’t hold up past the first cut so I had to throw down serious loot to get the good stuff. …or talk somebody into buying some birthday or Christmas presents.

Skip to a few years ago (as if this story wasn’t long enough) I’m cruising around Bladeforums, learning how to make kydex sheaths. I had several knives with no sheaths and needed a solution. I bought or put together all the necessary equipment and started making kydex sheaths. Before I knew it, other people wanted them too. Quickly, my sheaths caught on with the purpose built crowd. They were simple and rugged. Eventually, some of the custom knifemakers started to check them out too. That’s how I met Andy Roy of Fiddleback Forge.

Andy sends me an email one day asking about kydex sheaths. We get to talking and he tells me that his shop is really close to me and I should come by for dinner one night and check it out. Now bear in mind, I’ve got no idea what kind of dude this is. I imagined this old man with a big bushy beard, dirty overalls, and a cigar stink fog all around him. Now, I’m not one to judge. Besides, those kind of dudes usually have some fine home-grown corn whiskey residing in mason jars around the house. Not that I’m one to endorse that kind of thing. … Anyways, Andy later told me, he was just as off with his idea of me too. At the time, I was going through the selection process for a police department and that’s all he really knew. So, he was expecting to see this big bad cop show up.

When I knocked on his door, this young guy, only slightly older than me and way too normal looking answers the door. I half thought about asking, “is your dad around?” Andy looks at me funny and says, “you’re Dylan?” I said, “yep, that’s me.” You have to understand, he was expecting a tightass cop, and the dummie standing on his porch has tattoos everywhere and giant earrings in both ears. I would imagine that was a little confusing. He and his wife treated me to a damn fine meal and with no shortage of beer he showed me around the shop. That’s when I first laid eyes on a KMG (a heavy duty industrial grinder used to make knives -Ed.). Man, what a sexy metal beast. Andy and I ended up having a lot in common and became fast friends.

Instead of asking me to make sheaths for him, he started suggesting that I try making a knife. I had tried making some file knives at home, but nothing I wanted to show to anyone. Wellll… that’s not entirely true. I took those ugly bastards to Blade Show back in 2009 and showed them to just about everyone that would stand still long enough. I tell ya what, if I could take anything back it would be that. I wish I had never shown those to ANYBODY. Andy kept telling me, I’ll teach you how to make knives if you want to learn. In exchange, you can help me do grunt work around the shop. Eventually I decided to take him up on it.

At first, he didn’t really ask me to do much. I’d show up on my days off when I could get them and give him a hand, and in the process learn a little bit more. After a while I started showing up every week. One day, Andy says to me, “sweep up the floor.” I knew what that really meant. I was now his apprentice. Keep in mind, there are a lot of knifemakers in GA and Andy wasn’t the first one to ask me if I wanted to learn how to make knives. Anyone who has seen the tools from Fiddleback Forge knows that Andy does some of the best Convex grinds and handles in the country. He is truly one of the greats when it comes to old school and outdoors styles. He’s known literally all over the world as a master of comfortable knife handles. I’d seen his work for a good while and heard what everyone had to say about it. I knew that if there was someone to learn from, this was the dude. So that’s it. I went full-time in May of 2010 and Andy and I now share a shop.

Man, talk about a hell of a long story right? hahaha.

Dylan, I’ll agree that is a hell of a story. Very cool. I’d be interested to hear how you made your transition from part time knifemaker to full time.

That decision was made for me by the economy. I had been working in a really nice motorcycle shop as a salesman for the past few years, pushing Ducatis, Aprilias and Moto Guzzis. I had a lifelong history with bikes so it was easy and I was really good at it. Well unfortunately, as of 2009, it didn’t matter how good you were as a salesdummy. Nobody was buying expensive toys, at least not enough to make a living at it. Now, I loved everyone that I worked with and still consider them all great friends. I can honestly say that it was the best job I’ve ever had, and I liked every single person that worked there. None the less, I figured out one day that I actually no longer had anything to lose financially. Even if knifemaking didn’t work out, I’d be no worse off than I already was so I thought what the hell.

Thanks to help from my father, I managed to score myself a KMG. I had a bunch of other tools, but in this business, if you don’t have the serious toys, you just can’t make it work as a full-time maker. Luckily, I was also blessed with a very understanding and supportive wife. Had it not been for her, I doubt I would be a full-time knifemaker now. It takes a good woman to let her stupid husband chase a dream of doing whatever he wants for the rest of his life. She’s still waiting for it to pay off for her, and I keep telling her it will… some day. hahaha. I finally quit working at the motorcycle shop right before Blade Show last year and went full-time. Somehow, by the grace of the good lord, my knives actually took off. Now, almost every knife I make has a name written on it before it ever even takes shape. I usually have one or two up for grabs every month or so, as I try to make a few extras so people who aren’t previous customers can get a chance at them, but they all sell out in no time. I thank God every day that it has worked out so well.

In these times, it’s great to hear a success story like that. Do you have any advice for anyone who is considering becoming a full time knifemaker?

I sure do. If you have a good, stable job with health care, STICK WITH IT. I can tell you that I DEFINITELY would not be making knives if I had a good steady job that allowed me to provide for a family. However, if you don’t have a good job, are a youngin who doesn’t have the strain of adult bills, or the allure of knifemaking is just too much to resist, find a knifemaker who will show you the ropes.

Honestly, there are tons of good knifemakers out there who are more than willing to teach a newbie the process. Some offer real-deal apprenticeships and some just want someone to help them out. Either way, knifemakers who are willing to teach are a lot more common than people think. Most knifemakers, or really any tradesman in the world, knows that it’s his duty to pass the trade on and keep it alive.

If you can’t find someone to show you how to make knives, read up on it and look for tutorials on the internet. There are tons of them around. They aren’t near as good as having a real person there to show you technique, but they’re better than nothing. You don’t even have to have big boy tools. I’ve seen guys make some pretty killer knives with nothing more than a piece of steel, a couple of hand files, a cheap BBQ grill, the oven in their kitchen, and some handle material from the backyard.

Lets move back to your knives, tell us a little about the philosophy behind your designs.

The philosophy is pretty simple. I design and make knives for users. They’re meant to be comfortable, durable, and efficient. Throughout my life, I’ve had enough experience to know what works and what doesn’t. I apply that to my designs and create things that work. A lot of my designs come from all the ideas I’ve had over the years of what my perfect knife would be for various situations. If you need a knife for bushcraft, you got it. If you need an EDC knife that’s easily concealed, no problem. If you need to cut yourself out of the tank you’re stuck in, got that covered too. None of them are show pieces, but they sure do work.

I also get a lot of input and feedback from bushcraft guys, hunter/outdoorsman, military and LEO’s. In fact, the Bush Operator and Bush Operator XL were both designed with direct input from Special Forces soldiers, Operators, and law enforcement.. Everyone will notice that the Bush Operator line of knives definitely has a more tactical and “serious business” look to them. Every feature that went into those knives came from someone in the military or law enforcement saying, “Dylan, I wish that someone made a knife that had …. or was ….” ALL aspects from the number of pins in the handle, to the design of the guard/leverage point, to the sheathing and concealability all came from them. At the same time, I wanted to make sure that the military and LEO guys that were getting them would also be getting a good woods-bumming knife for when they were camping and trekking around the woods back at home. In my opinion, that line of knives is a great bridge between tactical application and bushcraft. With those, you get the best of both worlds. I’m very proud of the Bush Operator line.

Another aspect is the cost. I have always been a knife user who drooled over the expensive customs, but never able to afford them. I do my best to give maximum bang for the buck. I want my customers to feel like they got more knife than they paid for.

Plus, I want them to know that they just purchased that knife for the last time, which is why I offer a killer warranty. If that knife or tool fails, it will be fixed or replaced, plain and simple. I treat my customers the way I want to be treated, best value at a fair price and fully backed by the person that made it. To give a little credit, I base a lot of my own business practices and philosophy on the good people of ESEE. In my opinion, Jeff Randall, Mike Perrin, Shon Rowen, and all the people involved in ESEE are THE model of how a business should be run.

With a philosophy like that, it’s no wonder you have so many repeat customers. And I have to admit, I think your prices are very doable – even for the average guy.

What kind of steel do you use?

I use a few different steels. I’ve tried my hands at several, but I’ve narrowed it down to a few that I really like to work with. At the moment, I go between O-1, 5160, 440C, and 1095. My absolute favorite is O-1. I love that stuff. It’s funny, that was the first steel, other than files, that I ever used to make a knife. I was told that it was the easiest to learn with and was very forgiving. In the end, I also discovered that, done correctly, it was some of the best tool steel you could use to make a knife, period. It has the best of everything I like, edge holding, ease of sharpening, and it looks awesome with a good patina. I’ve used some stainlesses like 440C and A-2, but I just love the way that a good carbon steel ages. It really develops that character that you just don’t get in stainless.

I agree that if you take care of the knife you really can’t beat carbon steel. What is your method for making your knives, forging or stock removal?

All of my knives are stock removal. I honestly don’t think that I could make a living forging. You have to take ten times more time forging and making each knife. That means you have to charge a bunch more. That also means you have to get the right customer that wants to drop that much cheese on a knife like the one you made. It’s all just too lengthy. I can bust out 25 to 30 knives a month and sell them all lightening fast because they’re affordable. No waiting around, no hoping the right customer comes along with tons of money burning a hole in his pocket, just go go go. Another knifemaking buddy of mine said to me just the other day, “dude, you need to slow down. You’re going to burn yourself out.” Truth be told, I goof around a lot and take my sweet ass time. I’m in NO danger of snuffing out my passion for knives and making them. Every time I finish a batch, I have to force myself to sell them. I always get a huge sense of accomplishment that is hard to match.

I’ve noticed you appear to be a fan of the convex saber grind. Any particular reason?

I really think it’s the best all around grind for hard use knives. It’s an absolutely awesome utilitarian grind, super tough, yet if done correctly, can make a hell of a slicer. Also, I think it’s the hardest of the grinds to do correctly and I love it for that challenging aspect. I’ve heard and read people say, “oh convex grinds are the easiest.” They are the easiest to mess up. A lot of knife people out there do really shady “convex grinds”. To do a perfect one takes some serious skill. There isn’t a rest or clamp that I know of to help you, nothing to make it easy. You can always tell the difference between a convex grind, and a well executed convex grind. A lot of times you’ll see poor plunges, accidental grinding all the way up and onto the spine, tons of hand sanding to cover up wavy and uneven grinds. Every one of my knives are ground free-hand, by eye, with a rotary platen on a KMG. Almost every single one of them is what we call a convex saber grind, meaning the grind does not go full height. You can clearly see how even and straight the grind is and how far up the blade it goes. To me, it’s the same concept as a chef plating a dish. Sure, the food might taste good no matter what the plate looks like, but if the plating is really good, that shows the amount of pride they take in their skill and execution.

I know right now a bunch of people are saying, “what an arrogant bastard.” hahahaha! I’m really a humble dude. I swear.

Hey man, that is a way better answer than I ever would have expected. Your passion for knifemaking really shows through, and I think that will win you way more friends than enemies.

And I gotta admit, that forged finish looks great against that shiny saber grind. I also like how you sharpen all of the knives by hand, it’s a nice little detail.

Yep. The finish on most of my knives is just the forging scale leftover from the heat treat process. Sometimes I also do a finish I call “Ghost Scale.” I’d tell you how it’s done, but then I’d have to kill ya. haha.

Hand sharpening my knives is another one of those “matter of pride” things for me. I really appreciate the process of using stones and hand tools to sharpen a blade as apposed to whatever the latest sharpening doodad or contraption is. Don’t get me wrong. Some of those doodads, whichamadoodles, doohickies, etc. can get blades plenty hair-popping sharp, but it just doesn’t have the same connection with the steel and the history for me. I respect the process of hand sharpening more as a skill. I try to steer everyone towards learning to sharpen knives by hand simply because I think it’s a good skill to have. I actually enjoy doing it. Some people play solitaire, make model airplanes, twiddle their thumbs… I like to sharpen my knives. It’s a fun activity I can do by myself and it keeps me from getting bored. I’ve tried just about all of the new-fangled devices for sharpening at some time or another, but I always pass them onto someone else pretty quickly and go right back to my stones and strop. Currently, I like to use DMT plated stones or a Smith’s dual sided sharpener and a leather strop with green honing paste.

Keeping edged tools sharp is one of the oldest skills known to man. These days very few from the general population can sharpen an edge by hand. It’s got a very “zen” type quality to it and it’s a skill I still struggle with myself.

Can you tell us a bit about your heat treating process? What kind of hardness do you like to get the knives to?

My preferred hardness really depends on the steel and what the knife will be used for. The majority of my knives are O-1 and get heat treated to a Rockwell hardness of 60-61rc. All I can tell you is that I’ve done a lot of experimenting to get the results just right. I can’t give all the trade secrets away, now can I? Oh, and I use a Paragon oven and quench in peanut oil. The peanut oil really makes the shop smell good on heat treat day. Although, it means I have to ask everyone that comes to the shop if they have a peanut allergy. I’m not sure, but I think they might die in there if they do. Basic logic tells me that has got to be a bad combo.

From start to finish, how much time would you say goes into a standard Fletcher knife?

Total time on one knife is about 4 to 5 hours. I’ve gotten to where I can do them pretty quick. I do all of them in batches though, unless I have something special that needs to get busted out for a birthday or Christmas. For the really big knives like the Ulysses, it takes a lot longer. The grinds are harder to do cleanly the larger the blade gets, and if you add curves, it’s even more difficult.

What are you currently carrying every day?

Right now I carry a Bush Operator every day. Not every task needs a fixed blade knife though, so I also carry a Zero Tolerance ZT0301. The ZT gets the majority of the dirty jobs like cutting box tape and scribing lines in steel. Tough little folder. I recommend them. It should also be said that I’m never out of arms reach of an ESEE-3 or ESEE-4. I still buy factory knives and they’re still my favorite.

I’m also a big fan of ESEE knives and the ZT0300 series; solid choices. Thanks so much for your time, is there anything else you would like to add?

I would like to thank all of my supporters and customers. They are the ones that continue to make it possible for me to chase my dream of making knives. Hopefully I can keep them interested and using my tools. I’d like to thank my mother and father too. They were the main reason I was able to get started and continue to help out where ever they can.

Also, 2011 is going to be a huge year for Fletcher Knives in terms of growth. I’m already adding several knives to the line-up that aren’t on the website yet and there’s going to be a lot more to come. Fletcher Knives is currently working on a production line with an awesome USA local manufacturing company. Blade Show is going to be a big deal. Andy Roy and I are both going to have meets, dinners, and some impressive tables. You can always find us at Bladeforums.com and find Fletcher Knives at JerzeeDevil.com. As always, if anyone has any questions, suggestions, etc. feel free to contact me. I’m just a regular dude and I’m never too busy for anyone. Everyone’s questions and opinions are important to me. Thanks again and God bless!

Thanks again for the awesome interview Dylan, all the best in your knifemaking endeavors.

You can learn more about Fletcher knives (including where to get one of your own) at Dylan’s website http://fletcherknives.com or by checking out his forum at bladeforums.com or at JerzeeDevil.