Our Craft
A small forge, a big stack of steel and a short list of rules: make it by hand, make it honest, make it last.
From a garage to a coal forge
I am Ruan Pelser. I made my first knife in 2014 from an old leaf spring, with a borrowed grinder and a lot of bad language. It was ugly, but it held an edge, and I wanted to know why.
Today the workshop is a tin shed on a smallholding outside Magaliesburg. There is a coal forge for shaping, a gas forge for heat treating, an anvil I bought at a farm sale and a grinder that has seen better days.
I make about 150 knives a year. That is the limit of what one pair of hands can do properly, and I would rather make fewer good ones than many average ones.
What goes into a knife
Steel
80CrV2: tough carbon steel for hunting and bushcraft knives. 1095: simple, hard carbon steel that takes a keen edge. O1: fine grained tool steel for kitchen knives. 12C27 and N690: stainless, for wet work, skinning and folders. Damascus: 1084 and 15N20 forge welded and folded.
Handles
Olive wood and kiaat: local, oily and tough. Blue gum and ash: stabilised so they ignore water. Black micarta and G10: for knives that live outdoors. Walnut and burl: for folders and show knives.
Leather
Vegetable tanned, 3 to 4 mm thick. Cut, wet formed and hand stitched with waxed thread. Brass rivets, dyed brown or left natural. Belt loop, dangler or pouch style.
Steel and care
A good knife lasts a lifetime if you give it ten minutes of care now and then. Wash by hand with warm water and dry straight away, never in the dishwasher. Cut on wood or plastic, not on stone, glass or steel. Carbon steel will darken, and that patina protects the blade: wipe it dry after use and rub it with a drop of food safe oil before you store it. Wipe wood handles with a little oil twice a year, and keep leather dry. Do not store a knife long term in its sheath, as leather holds moisture.
| Steel | Best for | Care level |
|---|---|---|
| 80CrV2 | Hunting, bushcraft, chopping | Medium. Oil now and then. |
| 1095 | Braai and camp knives | Medium. Dry after use. |
| O1 | Kitchen knives, fine slicing | Medium. Patinas. |
| 12C27 and N690 | Skinning, wet work, folders | Low. Rust resistant. |
| Damascus | Showpieces, gifts, hunting | Higher. Oil and keep dry. |
Free first sharpening on every knife we make. After that, post it to us and we will bring it back to shaving sharp for R120.