WANT TO DESIGN AND PERSONALISE A KNIFE WITH US?
Whether you want to design a knife that stands out and shouts 'you' entirely, embodying all you appreciate in a knife - or you whether you want to design that knife that will be loved and remembered forever as a gift for someone special ... here's how:
Nothing says "I love you"like a custom made knife
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First off: If reading through all of this seems too much, right from the start ... just give us a call on 022 464 7499 or email us at willie@kiwiblade.co.nz and we will walk/talk you through it
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Easy as pie!
For those intrepid adventurers that like to forge their own path in this world ... read on
Step 1: Choose the style of knife that you want
We make a wide variety of knives. Usually we work within a typical range of knives such as the ones in the graphic below.
If you like the look of something that you have seen in our SHOP we can probably make it for you and customise it in terms of handle material, mosaic pins, steel used, bolsters and engraving.
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If you have something entirely different in mind, send us a photo or a drawing to start the conversation.
If you are interested in creating a BBQ knife or hunting knives check out our SHOP for a broader range of options
Step 2: Choose the type of steel you want
Our most commonly used steels are:
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N690 Stainless Steel: A sharp high carbon cobalt stainless steel - best for kitchen knives but a good option for all knives. It's a great, durable all round steel for knife making
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01 Tool Steel: High carbon tool steel - wonderfully sharp but you need to be diligent in looking after it (i.e washing and oiling it after use). Due to the high carbon content in this steel you can create a forced patina pattern on the blade
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We often use 01 Tool Steel for filleting knives, hunting knives and long bladed carving/bbq knives and thin gyuto type blades.
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Sleipner Steel: Thick spined, sturdy and sharp, this steel packs a punch. We use it most often for cleavers.
The top green handled knife is an 01 Tool Steel filleting knife with a forced patina
75CR1, A2 and D2 steels are also available. If you would like to know more, please feel free to talk to Willie about their applications and uses.
Step 3: Decide on what kind of handle you want
Do you want a wooden handle, bone/antler, kirinite resin? Or something else?
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We have a wide range of wood (with a large variety of New Zealand woods included) available in our workshop. Let us know your preference, interms of colour, shade, tone and application, and we can help you narrow down and select an option from there.
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For our range of coloured kirinite resin handles, check out our colour range here. Please note that it can take 6 - 8 weeks to order and get kirinite into New Zealand.
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We are also currently developing our own personal range of resin handles. If you are interested in these, ask us what colours we have in stock.
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Handles can come in all shapes and sizes, so check out our SHOP to get an idea of what you might like. If you scroll to the very bottom of the SHOP page you will find a diverse selection of pre-sold examples for inspiration.
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Step 4: Would you like a bolster on your handle?
A bolster is a small piece of contrasting material (wood, brass, antler, kirinite resin) that sits at the top of your handle
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It can add real beauty and distinction to your knife - but to have one or not is purely an aesthetic personal choice and it is purely optional.
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In terms of kirinite colours available, it will depend what we have in the workshop at any given time as we do not order in kirinite for bolsters.
Step 5: What kind of pins would you like to use in your handle?
For full tang handles, you can choose the types of securing pins that hold your handle together. Talk to us about what we have in stock. We usually have a range of copper, brass and our own handmade mosaic pins available
Totara handles with antler bolster
Step 6: What kind of blade finish would you like?
You can indicate a preference for a certain type of blade finish.
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Our most common types of blade finish are:
black mill grind finish (which can range from dark black to a more variegated silvery black finish) It can vary in shade and intensity - light to dark
200 grit satin finish
400 grit satin finish
highly polished mirror finish.
These are the most common type of finishes on our N690 Stainless Steel and Sleipner Steel blades.
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Be aware that food will stick more readily to highly polished blades and that for preparation of anything that is likely to stick to your blade, you are better off to prefer a satin or mill grind finish on your blade.
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On our 01 tool steel or high carbon tool steel blades, we can also create a forced patina pattern on the blade.
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For a general overview of what type of blade finish that you might like, have a look in our Shop and when you find something that you like, look at the specifications listed for that blade.
Step 7: Would you like your blade engraved?
We can organise engraving for you.
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If you have any text that you would like on your blade or you have a high quality resolution image that you would like to see placed on your blade, talk to us to see what is possible.
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We do not do the engraving ourselves but we work with an awesome laser engraver.
Step 8: When do you need your knife by?
Customised knives take a while to make and we cannot 'whip them up' overnight. As a general rule, depending on how many orders we are fulfilling, a custom made knife can take 8 - 10 weeks to make from start to finish.
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There are lots of varying factors so talk to us in terms of how long we consider your knife may take to make.
We love making custom designed knives and it is always satisfying to create something truly unique that fits with the person who will be using it.
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Ordering a knife doesn't have to be hard. We are always here to help - and remember that if you need any help with the process at any stage, refer back to us and we will help you to make the knife that really fits your dreams.
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That's what we are here for
One thing to note: We require a 70% deposit on our quoted price before commencing work on any special order