knife making

D2 gets recommended a lot these days for working fixed blades, but I think the choice between D2 and a simpler high carbon steel like 1075 or 1095 really comes down to how you plan to use the knife. D2 has some clear advantages. With its higher chromium content, it generally handles moisture and...

I’ve always thought the Viking axe and the tomahawk get compared a little too casually. They can both be carried as compact chopping tools, but the design priorities are pretty different. A Viking bearded axe puts a lot of useful cutting edge below the eye, while a tomahawk usually keeps things...

One thing I’ve been paying more attention to lately is how much the final grind changes the way a knife feels. It is easy to spend most of the time thinking about the steel and heat treatment, but two knives made from the same steel can feel completely different once you start looking at the...

I keep seeing the same thing come up when bull cutters get discussed: one person calls it a skinner, someone else calls it a small Bowie, and somebody else says it is just whatever the seller decided to put on the listing. The name actually has some history behind it. A traditional bull cutter...

One thing I noticed when learning more about balisongs is that most beginner explanations spend a lot of time talking about flipping and not enough time explaining what is actually happening mechanically. The two handles, pivots, tang pins, latch and blade all have pretty specific jobs. For...

Hey everyone, Finally getting around to introducing Balisong Butterfly here. We’re a small Austin, Texas based shop working with Filipino makers whose families have been making balisongs for generations. The knives are made in the Batangas tradition, but the work is now being done here in the...

Been spending some time in the shop lately working on a few kitchen pieces, and this one came out especially nice. We just added the Bonito Pro BMK-715, a 7-inch Damascus utility/chef knife. It uses 1095 + 15N20 Damascus at 352 layers, with an octagonal rosewood handle and black ferrule. It is...

A quick comparison of popular knife steels and their practical differences. READ THE GUIDE OF KNIFES STEEL COMPARISON: https://blackmambaknives.com/guides/knife-steel-comparison/

Pearl Lily Handmade Damascus Drop Point Ladies Knife with White Pearl Resin Handle, Steel Bolsters & White Leather Sheath | Women’s Collector Knife | BMK-1212

When people look at a Damascus blade the first thing they usually notice is the pattern. I find it interesting that the pattern is not simply something added to the surface at the end. The pattern comes from the way the different steels are forged and worked together. At Black Mamba Knives the...

Hello everyone I am with Black Mamba Knives, a knife workshop located in Memphis, Tennessee. We have been creating knives since 2009. We focus on hand-forged and hand-finished blades Many of our projects involve Damascus, hunting knives, pocket knives and other handmade designs. What I like the...