Hello everyone. I am and have been a full-time knifemaker (14 years ago then a 10 year hiatus as a contract Metrologist - now done travelling) living in North Idaho (Sandpoint). Although knifemaking is not new to me, forging them is. I spent most of last year making Scott Sawby's Combat Utility folders with his self lock since his retirement and quite frankly got tired of making someone else's design (even though I love that knife and Scott is a close friend, fishing buddy, and regular dinner invitee). Working with him made me a much more careful and deliberate knifemaker but I knew that I needed to do something different. I've recently been blessed by having met and spent a lot of time with Steve Koster JS since he moved back from California to Sandpoint. I have to say that I am absolutely hooked on forging knives. I've forged three knives so far (random pattern kwaiken, 5160 stag bowie, and a feather pattern gyuto). I'm spending as much time as possible at the forge and am learning as much as I can. I will be taking one of the ABS intro to forging classes next year and plan to test for my JS soon after that. I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with Ed Caffrey last year at the Blade show and hope to spend time with my "neighbor" in the near future as well. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge on this forum and I look forward to meeting a bunch of you.

Kind regards,

Mark

PS: Attached are two of the three knives I have forged.