FREQUENTLY ASKED

 
 

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions with answers.
All the questions are posted by actual customers.
 

A


Do you make / forge all your blades yourself?

Yes. I form most all of my knife and sword blades by forging. Occasionally I also use stock removal, but in such cases it is a matter of an exceptional design or a material that is non-forgable. (Also my blades of Damasteel stainless damascus are usually forged into shape.)

B


Do you also make the handles, sheaths and the carvings?

Yes, I construct and shape the handles and also stitch (without a sewing machine) the sheaths and decorate them myself. The making of bone/antler carving started "by accident" and is a skill that has developed over the years, without any tutoring or guidance.

C


Is it possible to buy just blades for one's own hobby knifemaking purposes?

No. I have never seen it necessary to sell just blades.

D


Is walrus ivory legal material to use in knife handles?

Yes. Some of the walrus ivory I use is ancient, several thousand years old material while the rest is modern, hunted by native people and sold under a licence.

E


Do you make mosaic damascus blades?

No, because my aim is to make functional and durable edged weapons that can really be used. Most of the mosaic damascus made today is meant to be used as a decorative material for metallic sculptures and show pieces. It is not really meant to withstand the stresses that a using knife is subjected to.

F


Can one cut trees in two with a sword that you have made?

The tools for cutting wood are such as axe, hatchet and saw. Swords are weapons which are designed to cut and damage flesh and bone. The swords I make are NOT designed to withstand stresses created by chopping wood with them. On the other hand, it must be said that when wielded by a skilled swordsman, a sword is capable of cutting surprisingly thick branches or trunks of wood without damaging the sword.

G


Can your samurai sword punch through a car hood without the blade being dulled or damaged?

Generally it can be stated that no historical sword type is meant to be used for wood choppig, car hood wrecking, lamp post cutting or any other type of "mindless mischief". Of historical sword types only very few are originally developed to withstand edge on edge contacts and none of these are designed to endure it all day long.

In Japanese "samurai swords" a heat treatment method has been used that makes it possible to harden only the cutting edge, leaving the rest of the blade soft and resilient so that the sword would not break in use. I use the same method of heat treatment in my Japanese-style swords. After the heat treatment the blade is ground into shape and then hand ground step-by-step until all the surfaces are mirror polished, usually this process takes a week or so. Finally, the blade is etched so that the temper line - hamon - becomes visible. The finished blade is easily scratched and corroded so that experts apparaising sword blades never touch the with bare fingers and often have a small wad of silk paper in mouth to prevent accidental drop of spittle to ruin the polish.

One can only guess what will happen to the blade when it is forcefully hacked against car body structures. In test cutting sessions where bamboo mats have been used, swords I have made have performed delightfully well.

H


Is your samurai sword so sharp that a silk scarf dropped on the cutting edge will be cut in half?

No, they aren't. This particular stunt was performed in the movie Bodyguard and in the role of the samurai sword was a cheapo sword manufactured in Spain. The blades of this manufacturer are usually sold unsharpened. In the movie wonder world a dull sword will turn into a laser sword if the director of the movie so wishes.

I


I saw your in TV bending your sword blades into drastic angles, are all your sword blades as elastic?

No, they aren't. The "bendability" of a blade depends on its construction and the form of its cross section. If the sword is meant to be a thrusting weapon, then the blade must be rigid enough for the purpose. The blades that are designed mainly for cutting can be more elastic. Many swords based on iron-age weapons (viking-swords) that I have made are relatively elastic and can be bent into app. 90 degree angle. The sword shown in TV represents an extreme in the elasticity of blades. Such blade is a successful combination of good quality steel, accurate forging, meticulous heat treatment and careful grinding.

J


How long does the delivery of a custom order knife take?

The answer is coming soon.

K


How much time does it take to make "such or such" a knife / sword?

The answer is coming soon.

L


Why are the carved handles so expensive?

The answer is coming soon.

M


What are the things that make your blades special?

The answer is coming soon.

N


Are your blades better than those that can be bought from a shop?

The answer is coming soon.

O


Do you use better steel than maker XXXXX?

The answer is coming soon.