- Joined
- Oct 19, 2005
- Messages
- 19,687
Well you folks have watched many of my apprentices begin, then grow, then come into their skills and make fine knives. Once again we are at that point. My friend and apprentice Joey Berry came aboard close to two years ago. When he first appeared, he was already making very competent knives. He also came aboard with a lot of shop talent, having been a professionally trained gunsmith during his life. This made for a special kind of apprentice relationship. Mostly what I needed to teach Joey was do's and don'ts of knife design, and simple tips and tricks that we use to make these knives for y'all.
It really blew me away when he started going into the back and knocking out badass kitchen knives. Kitchen knives are the hardest full tang knives to grind. Joey was completely undaunted by this and went at it full force. In addition, due to his career as a butcher for many years he had very specific ideas about how a kitchen knife should work. And he just stared nailing these beautiful kitchen knives with amazing grinds time after time.
As you've noticed lately, his grinds, his tapered tangs, his handles, and his models are all dead on.
Well, last week he presented me with this small camp hatchet. Its made out of Pops 8670 and sharp as a razor. The tang is tapered as well. Its a very fun little hatchet to use, and because of the toughness of 8670, he set the heat treat at 61rc. Thats awesome for a hatchet. I've gone out and banged it around, and I really like this little thing.
So, here we are. Officially, Joseph Dwayne Berry has graduated from the Fiddleback Forge Apprentice Program. Watch out for his knives going forward. I expect them to get better and better. He is definitely an up and coming talent.
Joey has decided to stay on at Fiddleback Forge in a management role. His knives will continue to appear on my Fiddleback Friday threads as well. You can also find and inquire about purchase directly from Joey at his instagram page @JBKnifeworks
It really blew me away when he started going into the back and knocking out badass kitchen knives. Kitchen knives are the hardest full tang knives to grind. Joey was completely undaunted by this and went at it full force. In addition, due to his career as a butcher for many years he had very specific ideas about how a kitchen knife should work. And he just stared nailing these beautiful kitchen knives with amazing grinds time after time.
As you've noticed lately, his grinds, his tapered tangs, his handles, and his models are all dead on.
Well, last week he presented me with this small camp hatchet. Its made out of Pops 8670 and sharp as a razor. The tang is tapered as well. Its a very fun little hatchet to use, and because of the toughness of 8670, he set the heat treat at 61rc. Thats awesome for a hatchet. I've gone out and banged it around, and I really like this little thing.
So, here we are. Officially, Joseph Dwayne Berry has graduated from the Fiddleback Forge Apprentice Program. Watch out for his knives going forward. I expect them to get better and better. He is definitely an up and coming talent.
Joey has decided to stay on at Fiddleback Forge in a management role. His knives will continue to appear on my Fiddleback Friday threads as well. You can also find and inquire about purchase directly from Joey at his instagram page @JBKnifeworks