Goot
Well-Known Member
A few days ago, I received "Next Level Knifemaking", edited by Jason Fry, via Amazon. I bought this book because I'm very new to the hobby and I saw it mentioned by the author/editor himself on this very forum. I'm about a quarter of the way through, and I plan to write a full review once I finish in a couple of weeks.
First off -- I can't put it down. While reading, I feel like I'm being guided through a gigantic shop tour with each new chapter being another room, inside which an expert is waiting patiently within, and looking forward to the opportunity of teaching me what he knows. It's an extremely enjoyable experience and fascinating for a new student such as myself. I believe the experience of the contributing authors drips off the page and will fill in all of the gaps leftover from the hodgepodge of internet and youtube tutorials I've read and watched thus far. As for the more knowledgeable readers, I expect they will gain a lot from this book as well, since it appears to be designed with more advanced topics in the later chapters. I'm not there yet, but flipping through the pages and seeing technical graphs and pictures, there's enough in-the-weeds material that should satisfy the experts as well.
The book is well-made with a soft-feel satin cover and thick pages. I read another knifemaking book given to me by my wife for Christmas, and it was thin, the binding was weak, and spelling errors were prevalent. It was almost embarrassing to have it on my table. Next Level Knifemaking is the exact opposite. The publisher and editing team knocked it out of the park. The pictures within are black and white, but with high resolution, and I don't perceive it to be an issue.
The editor's style is friendly and engaging. Jason presents a humorous demeaner where his passion for the art and craftsmanship of "making knives" truly raises it out of the mundane. It's a great read thus far. Because I'm so new to the hobby, I don't have much to compare it to, but so far I would recommend this to everyone. I even might get a copy for my dad, and he's not even making knives. That's a rare thing for me.
Great job, Mr. Fry, and thank you.
First off -- I can't put it down. While reading, I feel like I'm being guided through a gigantic shop tour with each new chapter being another room, inside which an expert is waiting patiently within, and looking forward to the opportunity of teaching me what he knows. It's an extremely enjoyable experience and fascinating for a new student such as myself. I believe the experience of the contributing authors drips off the page and will fill in all of the gaps leftover from the hodgepodge of internet and youtube tutorials I've read and watched thus far. As for the more knowledgeable readers, I expect they will gain a lot from this book as well, since it appears to be designed with more advanced topics in the later chapters. I'm not there yet, but flipping through the pages and seeing technical graphs and pictures, there's enough in-the-weeds material that should satisfy the experts as well.
The book is well-made with a soft-feel satin cover and thick pages. I read another knifemaking book given to me by my wife for Christmas, and it was thin, the binding was weak, and spelling errors were prevalent. It was almost embarrassing to have it on my table. Next Level Knifemaking is the exact opposite. The publisher and editing team knocked it out of the park. The pictures within are black and white, but with high resolution, and I don't perceive it to be an issue.
The editor's style is friendly and engaging. Jason presents a humorous demeaner where his passion for the art and craftsmanship of "making knives" truly raises it out of the mundane. It's a great read thus far. Because I'm so new to the hobby, I don't have much to compare it to, but so far I would recommend this to everyone. I even might get a copy for my dad, and he's not even making knives. That's a rare thing for me.
Great job, Mr. Fry, and thank you.
