3 ms·

He's doing stock removal rather than forging (buys steel stock, cuts, shapes, and sharpens it).

• willyt 15y ago
  Yes, that's what I guessed from watching the video. I understood that you need at least 3 layers forged together to make a high quality knife; two relatively soft and ductile stainless alloys sandwiching a fairly brittle but hard stainless alloy. From memory, my understanding was that the japanese knife makers fold together multiple layers like this because it's a traditional technique which hardens the alloy in the centre of the sandwich, the layers towards the centre get progressively harder, more brittle and thinner and therefore easier to keep sharp. The more layers, the better the knife, up to a point. Also, the more layers you have the more beautiful the swirly patterns look :-)
• rdl 15y ago
  The only interesting part of these knives, IMO, are the pins (which he sources from someone else). In addition to merely being stock removal, it's pretty lame steel. I far prefer Global (http://www.global-knife.com/ http://www.global-knife.com/) for mass-produced knives, and Kramer (http://kramerknives.com/ http://kramerknives.com/) for custom kitchen knives.
  • willyt 15y ago
    Global knives are good, I've got some, but apparently they reduced the proportion of molybdenum in thier alloy a few years ago making the cutting edge more brittle and therefore requiring more frequent and intensive sharpening.