What is Metallurgical Bladesmithing? |
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What is "Metallurgical Bladesmithing?" First of all, you can relax; it is not metallurgy
or any other intimidating branch of science. Metallurgical Bladesmithing is an approach that recognizes above all else that knowledge
is power and, since making a knife involves working with metals, the more we know about our material, its properties, and true behavior,
the more effective we will be in accomplishing our goals. It does, however, focus on objectivity and the scientific method in coming
to conclusions about the subjectivity of how to best make our knives.
In a field where so many "experts" present their craft as mysterious or metaphysical in order to portray themselves as sole sources of
hidden knowledge, the Metallurgical Bladesmith insists on arming himself with facts. Facts that will allow him to see though hype, marketing
and misinformation to recognize that claims which contradict proven principles, or even common sense, are not beyond question simply
because they managed to get published in a magazine.
This approach rejects subjective claims, supported solely by appeals to authority, tradition or common beliefs and practices in knifemaking.
Instead it embraces the study and use of the proven principles and techniques utilized by every modern metal working industry outside of
the pop custom knife culture. It is not a reaction to the problem of modern blade folklore as much as it is a solution to misinformation.
If assuming, believing or feeling just cannot take the place of your actually knowing, then you may be a Metallurgical Bladesmith.
Staff and Credits |
• Administrator: Steven Sanborn
• Acknowledgements and Thanks:
Sincerest thanks to Kevin Cashen and Tim Zowada for permission to link directly to pages on their very informative websites, and without who's generous help and input hypefreeblades.com could not have been possible.
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A Few Words About Us
Have you ever felt that the blade making advice you receive on many Internet sites seemed more like
a sales pitch for the theoretical methods, or resulting blades, of the advisor or their popular knifemaking heroes? Are you
tired of "expert" advice from folks with two finished blades, but a half dozen Internet tutorials and a thousand forum
posts under their belt? Are you weary of being verbally assaulted for trying to help others with common sense advice, or
not being in lockstep with trendy knife media concepts?
Well you are not alone and hypefreeblades.com was created as a common sense alternative to business as usual in the blade
making community. After seeing one site after another losing the input of truly knowledgeable professionals to, frankly, rather
unprofessional treatment, the need for an alternative was plain to see. In the summer of 2009 hypefreeblades.com was created
in a cooperative effort by amateur website building knife enthusiasts and the League of Metallurgical Bladesmithsİ.
Have you ever been discouraged or intimidated by pretentiously technical points from guys whose inability explain things to the
average Joe left you wondering if one needs a PhD just to make knives? Or have you ever desired more of a challenge in truly
mastering a craft than the over-simplified, one size fits all, nothing to it, descriptions of knifemaking? Hypefreeblades.com
was created for people who believe the path to excellence rests between these two extremes.
So if you are a metallurgist or engineer you may find our approach a little unsophisticated. The making, using and understanding
of the best blade possible is our single minded concern. If you are a knifemaker or purveyor looking to promote your products or
business, you may not find our forums as interesting as the more conventional sites on the Internet. You see, here we are only
interested in honest sharing of information simply for the sake of education, with no marketing or hidden agendas to get in the way.
If you are a beginner, experienced maker, or blade enthusiast, looking for straightforward advice and discussion with a community
of like minded people then hypefreeblades.com and our Metallurgical Bladesmithing Forums are probably just what you have been looking for.
Welcome!
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