Custom Knives

At this time, Devin is not taking new custom orders.

I made my first knife in 1979. I've loved knives ever since, which is why I got in the Damascus making business. While the damascus business has often left me too busy to make many knives over the years, I have learned how to make time for a full offering of custom knives in the past few years. I have dreamed of knives too often to let everyone else have all the fun!

My focus with knives is to offer quality workmanship, the best damascus I can produce, and to make it into a comfortable knife with a thin edge and precise heat treatment. I feel that thick edges are for factory knives. A thin edge cuts longer, better, and is easier to sharpen. I think the best combination of durability and cutting ability is with a shallow, thin convex grind. The convex grind gives strength to the thin edge and pushes material away as it's cutting. My favorite stainless steel, AEB-L, offers many performance characteristics of carbon steels through it's extremely fine grain and carbide size, it is sometimes called "stainless 52100." These properties include: great ease of sharpening, edge retention, and toughness, while offering excellent stain resistance (See FAQ for more information on AEB-L). The study of metallurgy and heat treatment has been an important pursuit for me. I have discovered which steels to use and what heat treatments for different knives and customers, but there is always more to learn. I use a multiple austenititizing technique with my stainless and carbon steels for a very small grain size. Cryogenic processing helps give the blades their maximum potential.

Custom made knives allow the customer to get exactly what he is looking for, not a one-size-fits-all. I can produce a blade that doesn't have to be unbreakable and dishwasher safe, I can make a knife for someone who knows how to use and care for a knife correctly, and will appreciate the performance a finely crafted tool brings to the table. After the journey the blade goes through to become a finished knife, the journey of the user begins. Learning the characteristics of how the knife cuts, feels, and how it sharpens culminates this journey into a partnership of man and knife. This is what I try to deliver to the customer.

ITK Knives

Our ITK line of knives were designed along with the "In the Kitchen" section of knifeforums.com. Our ITK knives are made in-house with the exception of waterjet cutting for the profile. All of the ITK knives are given a custom grind and heat treatment for the best possible performance. Limiting the options, using standard patterns, and making the knives in batches allows us to offer the knives at a lower price than the full custom knives. ITK knives are currently being sold through www.chefknivestogo.com So far it's been difficult to keep them in stock due to popularity. Check back often.

Razors

Straight razors and safety razors may not be as common as they were in years past, but those who have used them know the advantages they can provide. With Damascus or mokume, a razor becomes even more beautiful. Each razor is designed for function, balance, performance, and beauty. These traditional razors remind you that you used to enjoy shaving.

Spoons

These are sauce spoons designed for the use of chefs. Many chefs will use spoons constantly for plating, stirring, serving, and tasting. A high quality spoon with a deep bowl is necessary for these tasks. These spoons are modeled after the Gray Kunz Sauce spoon and measure about 9.5" long with a 2.5 tablespoon bowl.