Join or Die Knives
I have been following Join or Die for years on social media, or running into Brent at local craft/maker shows over the years. My father always carried a pocket knife and collected them as well, and he passed that interest down to me. I also have a real fascination with the process of handmade things, so it was really great to have the opportunity to hang with them last week.
The shop is tucked into a warehouse down in Shockoe Valley. It is everything I would have expected. Big, dark, full of anvils and smelling of hot ore. Brent was an excellent host, going through the process of creating a stunning knife from a block of metal. He and several others quietly went through their various stages of forging - from sealing surfaces, grinding edges to a final polish on the handles.
Brent patiently explaining every step of what he was doing that day - and he had alot going on. Welding layers of metal together and then putting them in a forge, and hammering them into shape; and then repeating the process. He peppered his thoughts with historical facts about the craft, why swords from some regions were superior to others, etc. I was surprised at how delicate the process can be, how the metal ‘wants’ to go one way sometimes and how you have to coax it to do what you need - and how it doesn’t always work.
I was something of an intrusion into their day, but was never made to feel that way. Everyone was open and informative. I came away with an even healthier respect for the process, and anyone who follows a passion to create something out of nothing.
Check their work at: joinordixeknives.com
