It's been a long time since I've updated the blog. In short, I've been busy. Busy in the way that detracts from keeping the holistic goals insight, and in a way that makes me a little nervous. However, I’ve been working on keeping my goals realistic, hence the newly instated 12 month waiting list on all new custom orders, for example. Another way I’ve been finding solace in the level of activity around here lately is to focus solely on knife making and on making knives that perform to the best of my ability. It’s a simple goal, to make the best knife I can make. And in these busy times (and slow times), that’s the most important goal. Though I may forget the blog, to update a gallery, or in some cases, be delinquent in responding to emails, I will never forget my primary goal.

If you’re the owner of a Heartwood Forge blade, you’ll know that most of them come in a cardboard “sheath”. Upon visiting peoples’ kitchens, I’ve noticed that folks are keeping these to store their knives in for the long haul. I still recommend a magnetic knife block above all other storage mechanics. However, I’m honored to see these things are appreciated and living out an unexpected second life. I personally hand fashion each one before shipping knives out and the sole purpose is to prevent the points from stabbing their way out of the box through repeated small movements (caused by shipping turbulence). I keep the sheath in place by wrapping the knife tightly in paper and we haven’t had any complaints yet. Anyhow, I recently was processing all the 6-pack containers I’ve collected in the past year and thought about how this is definitely part of the process but not part of the process that I ever really talk about. It’s a good thing to do on a cold wet day when you’d rather stay in by the fire.

A lot of what I do at the start seems to be in material processing. Heartwood Forge is a micro-recycling plant in that sense and it feels good to take the dregs of our society and create useful tools from them. From hunting for and trimming up lumber to finding good steel, dissecting and organizing it, it’s not exactly as fun as forging out a knife, but it’s a small price to pay to have very little waste while shedding light on some of the best refuse money can’t buy. We are all in this together.