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We don't have any secrets at Tharwa Valley Forge and are very excited to be able to share all that we have learned about knives and bladesmithing. In addition to being the largest knife-making school in the world, we employ the largest number of full-time bladesmiths in Australia, so we've got a large base of knowledge to share with you.
Choosing the Right Leather for Your Project
Walk into any leather supplier and you'll quickly find yourself confronted with a choice that isn't always well explained: veg tan or chrome tan? The two look similar on the shelf, they're both leather, and yet they behave quite differently in your hands – and very differently over time. Choosing the wrong one for your project won't ruin it, but choosing the right one will make everything easier and produce a better result.
Here's what you actually need to know.
You've watched the videos. Dozens of them. Maybe hundreds.
You've seen the glowing steel, heard the hammer ring out across a quiet shop, watched a rough bar of metal transform - almost impossibly - into something sharp and beautiful and useful. You've taken notes. You've saved links. You've told yourself: I could do that.
And then you tried. And it didn't look anything like the video.
If that's you, you're not doing anything wrong. The problem isn't your hands or your patience or your eye for detail. The problem is that the internet, for all its generosity, has a hard limit when it comes to teaching a craft like bladesmithing. And most beginners hit that limit much sooner than they expect.
Read more: Why Online Knifemaking Courses Are Failing Beginners (And What Actually Works)
My journey started roughly 3 years ago with a conversation.
I work at Tharwa Valley Forge in Australia as a knife making instructor and I have been there about 5 years out of the 15 plus years I have been making knives.
Karim, who owns TVF, along with myself and the other instructors had a morning meeting where the topic of the American Bladesmith Society (ABS) Journeyman Smith (JS) arose, for some strange reason it resonated within me and felt right, I think at that moment I took the first step onto a path that I have no regrets taking.
I started with the intimidating performance test, if I couldn’t achieve that then I couldn’t move forward. I started with 1075 which is a steel we specialise in at TVF, its great for beginners and very forgiving, my approach was to squeeze all the performance I could from 1075 then take those parameters to a more specialised steel as this was going to be a torture test.
3D printing has become one of the most useful tools in my knife-making workshop. From jigs and sanding guides to clever storage solutions, these prints save time, improve accuracy, and make daily work more enjoyable. Modern 3D printers are much cheaper, faster, easier to use and have higher quality prints.
Knifemaking is a subtractive technology. We start with something bigger and remove material until we get the final shape. 3D printing is an additive technology, where objects are built up from scratch. This allows different models to be made with less waste and in shapes impossible to make with subractive methods.
Read more: Ten Useful 3D Prints Every Knife Maker Should Try
At Tharwa Valley Forge, we believe a good knife is more than just a blade — it’s a story in your hand. And the timber you choose for your handle is where much of that story lives.
Every mark in the grain, every bit of texture under your fingers, every shade of colour in the finished handle — it all contributes to how your knife looks, feels, and performs. Whether you’re making your first knife or your fiftieth, selecting the right timber can turn a good project into something truly special.
Here’s what we tell our students when they start thinking about timber choices:
Read more: Choosing Timber for Knife Handles: A Beginner’s Guide
If you’ve ever tossed your kitchen knives into the dishwasher without a second thought, you’re not alone—but your knives are silently screaming. While dishwashers are a modern-day miracle for most kitchen clean-up, they’re the nemesis of your quality blades. Here’s why dishwashers ruin knives, how to properly clean them, and what to do if the damage is already done.
Read more: Why Dishwashers Ruin Knives (And How to Fix the Damage)
Japanese kitchen knives are renowned for their precision, craftsmanship, and specialized designs. Unlike Western knives, which are often more general-purpose, Japanese knives are tailored for specific tasks, reflecting centuries of culinary tradition. Whether you're a professional chef or a home cook looking to refine your skills, understanding these knives can transform your kitchen experience.
Here’s a guide to the top 10 Japanese kitchen knives, their unique characteristics, history, and uses.
Read more: The Top 10 Japanese Kitchen Knives and Their Uses