Crafting “Joy”

Sometimes you build a knife just for yourself. Maybe it’s an every day carry, a kitchen or utility blade, or meant for a special purpose… or just because you have a deep desire to make it and see what it becomes.

This one is mine and I call it “Joy.”

The handle was crafted from Wenge, a dark Central African hardwood that I’m currently enamored of, and I hand shaped it for a thumb-and-finger hold.

I’m learning that Wenge can be an interesting and finicky wood to work with - its beautiful dark-and-light patterned grain contains two separate densities, so it doesn’t always like to come evenly smooth… but when it does it has a gorgeous satiny finish similar to Bloodwood, and it darkens when oiled or waxed.

The blade is made from a rasp that was used to smooth horses’ hooves for shoeing; it was gifted to us by a farrier friend, along with two 5-gallon buckets of used horseshoes and files that we’re still having fun forging with. This one had been rough-crafted into a shape that reminded me of the first belt knife I brought to the Renaissance Faire when I was 16. Ever since I started forging blades, I’ve thought about trying to recreate it… as often happens, the steel had its own ideas of what it wanted to end up being, and I love the result.

The hourglass-shaped pins are repurposed drill bits with a cobalt coating - they’re a bear to grind down evenly, but worth the work - they make a very sturdy mechanical connection for the handle! I used an epoxy dye around them that turned out darker than expected and ended up blending in well with the color of the handle.

This will be a special occasions piece, not a daily carry. It lives on a shelf in a place of honor, waiting to be picked up; I have a feeling I’ll know when it’s time.