Sharpening Guide

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Heat Treating Basics for Knifemakers

Your Complete Guide to Hardening, Tempering, and Getting It Right

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced maker, this 25-page guide walks you through the entire heat treating process—step by step. Learn what really happens inside the steel, how to normalize, harden, and temper your blades at home, and how to avoid the most common mistakes that ruin edge performance.

Includes:

• Clear explanations in plain language

• Oil vs. air quenching tips

• Tempering charts by steel type

• Real shop setups using forges, ovens, or torches

• Common problems and how to fix them

• Safety practices and repeatable methods

No filler. No confusing terms. Just a solid, professional guide you can use again and again. Perfect for home shops, hobbyists, and small-scale knifemakers who want consistent results.

Designing a knife isn’t just about looks—it’s about balance, purpose, and performance. Whether you’re a beginner with your first sketch or a professional refining your next signature blade, this 15-page illustrated booklet walks you through every element of smart knife design.

You’ll learn how blade shapes affect cutting performance, how to choose steel that matches your knife’s job, and how to design handles that feel good in the hand. We cover weight distribution, ergonomics, filework, inlays, and aesthetic choices—plus the problems most makers run into and how to avoid them.

Includes:

• Blade shapes and what they’re really for

• Choosing steel types and heat treat considerations

• Handle materials and proper ergonomics

• Weight, balance, and center of gravity

• Layout tips, prototyping methods, and field testing advice

• Visual examples, common mistakes, and expert tricks

Whether you’re sketching your first design or refining your tenth, this guide helps you make smarter, better-looking knives—faster.