THE PROCESS
OUR PROCESS
The Process of creating hand-crafted knives can be a long one. Many different stages and mechanical processes are in play, each one reliant on the one before to ensure the end product meets the highest expectations.
Below you can learn about these processes and phases of creating one of our Divine Companions, from start to finish.
01: Steel Selection & Profile Cutting
It all starts here. Selecting the right steel and cutting out the profile of the blade. Some of our commercial steels are cut by CNC laser process, while more exotic steels like Aogami or Damascus are hand cut.
02: Pre-Heat Treat Grinding
The profile is then ground out and checked to ensure it fits specifications, holes are drilled, and bevels are free-hand ground into the blade.
03: Heat Treating
Blades are then heat treated for hardening and tempering. For certain steels we make use of a high tech Vacuum Hardening facility, while other more specialist steels are heat treated in-house.
04: Finish Grinding
The heat treated blade is now finish ground by hand. Bevels are neatened up the edge is reduced in thickness down to approx. 0.5mm in preparation for sharpening.
05: Hand Finishing
The blade is now hand finished to the desired level of polish. A high polish can take several hours to achieve.Then the blade is either patina etched, or blued.
06: Handle Material Selection
Materials for the handle construction are now selected. We use only the finest materials. Imported Japanese Silk Ito cord and Samegawa, and exotic stabilised burls.
07: Handle Construction
Creating the handle for any knife requires a multitude of skills. Whether contouring a synthetic scale or creating a complex composite scale for Tsukamaki. Our more complex handles can take up to 3 days to complete.
08: Sheathing
Each Kydex sheath is made specifically for its knife. This produces a perfect seated fit ensuring the right amount of retention.
09: Sharpening
Each knife has its edge honed by hand on Japanese Water Stones. The edge is worked through the different stones up to 6000 grit which produces a highly polished fine edge.
10: Presentation
Finally, the knife is cleaned and oiled with Choji oil, then wrapped in presentation cloth and boxed. Ready for its new owner.