How It All Started

How I Got Started in Knife-Making: The Norse-Forge Story

My journey into knife-making began in 2008 under unexpected and challenging circumstances. After losing our home—and my entire knife collection—in a devastating fire, I found myself at a knife show, searching for a way to rebuild what I’d lost. It was there that an idea struck me: why not try making my own knives?

Not long after, I borrowed a couple of library books—one on forging and another on building a forge. Armed with determination and a dose of ingenuity, I set up a makeshift forge in my garage. Using a piece of pipe, a hair dryer, and my kettle grill, I cobbled together a functional setup. An old railroad track became my makeshift anvil, and I crafted my very first knife from a file. That moment ignited a passion that would shape my future.

What started as an experiment quickly became a calling. I began making knives for friends and family, and as word spread, my hobby grew into something more. Before long, I was running a small shop—Norse-Forge—right out of my garage.

But my commitment to craftsmanship didn’t start there. I’m a proud fifth-generation Local 638 Steamfitter, a lineage that taught me to accept nothing but the highest standards of workmanship. This tradition of excellence has been at the heart of everything I do, from welding pipes to forging blades.

Today, Norse-Forge has grown into a fully equipped workshop where I blend traditional craftsmanship with modern tools to create high-quality blades. Each knife I make carries a piece of this journey, from that first handmade blade to the intricate creations I forge today.

Norse-Forge is more than a business; it’s a testament to resilience, creativity, and the enduring spirit of craftsmanship.