Step by Step Knifemaking: You Can Do It

A knife is the most basic tool, and the average adult uses a knife almost every day. Yet there are very few individually made knives in existence, and few people who know how to make knives. Step by Step Knifemaking, by master knifemaker David Boye, is widely regarded as the classic on the art of handcrafted knives. Thorough, clear, detailed instructions guide the reader through each step in how to make a knife. Generously illustrated with photos and drawings on most pages, this book reads like a one-on-one workshop with a thoughtful teacher. The reader is led to discover the spiritual connection between himself and his work, to develop his sense of artistry, and to acquire practical skills for self-sufficiency. Completely self-taught, the author guides the beginning knifemaker through the thinking processes necessary to make a knife; inspires confidence in the reader to begin at his own skill level; and shows how it can be done on a financial shoestring. Topics covered include tools, setting up a shop, knife design, grinding, heat treating, polishing, sharpening, blade etching, sheath making, and more. Boye's outdoor knives, kitchen cutlery, and utility knives are functional and "peace-loving," and the chapter on etching designs into the blades is one of the few guides to this unique art in print. With over 175,000 copies in print, Step by Step Knifemaking has deeply moved thousands to involve themselves in this craft, and they constitute a visible portion of today's knifemakers. This book can impel the reader to a personally satisfying, alternative backyard career, making his own useful knife art. It is an enjoyable, indispensable reference for those wanting to learn knifemaking, become more self-reliant, or for anyone with an interest in the ancient craft of blades. "Handmade knives are unique," writes David Boye, "reflecting the skills and personality of their maker. They impart a personal touch to what would be a cold impersonal item. Thus it is with a handmade knife, or a handmade article of any kind, that there is a subtle exchange of electromagnetic energy that is transferred from the heart and the hands of the craftsman to the heart of the person who sees and uses the handmade article. Hopefully, the product will be the embodiment and expression of love and beauty in a useful, sanitary, and safe cutting tool - a hint of a deeper, more profound spirit in the process of living." 272 pages; 170 illustrations; 155 photographs.

David Boye has been a full time artist knifemaker since 1972. He is on the leading edge of blademaking science through his historic discovery and development of Dendritic Steel and Dendritic Cobalt.

Completely self-taught, David started making knives from used sawmill blades. In 1976, Rodale Press published his book, Step-by-Step Knifemaking, which explains how to make knives using recycled materials and readily available equipment. This popular text has sold over 150,000 copies to date, and has influenced the careers of many custom knifemakers working today.

In 1980, David began experimenting with the technique of investment casting for making knife blades. He discovered that casting produces a dendritic (fern-like) network of carbide crystals throughout the steel, and that dendritic steel blades hold an edge from 2 to 50 times longer than other steels commonly used for cutlery. His work is considered to be a revolutionary breakthrough in modern knifemaking.

David was born in San Mateo in 1941, and grew up in the Bay Area. His academic background was primarily in psychology (B.A. San Jose State, 1964, M.A. San Jose State, 1965), and included a minor in Art. He also completed 2 and 1/2 years towards a doctorate degree in Social Psychology at the University of Minnesota.

David makes a variety of knives for the home and the outdoors. He specializes in a dendritic cobalt boat knife, which was rated #1 Sailor's Knife by the highly respected, independent journal Practical Sailor. His work has been shown in more than 50 galleries and museums, including the Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., as well as in Japan and Europe. Boye knives have been featured in numerous articles in both national and local publications.