Like so many other makers, Matt has been infatuated with sharp things since childhood, when he fashioned crude knife-shaped objects from found materials using files, sidewalks and curbs. He’s since graduated to modern alloys, grinders, and aerospace materials. Always striving to balance form, flow, precision and ergonomics while refusing to fill his life with ever-larger machines and tooling, he focuses on doing more with less. Over twenty years into his journey, he’s constantly realizing that the more he learns, the less he knows, which pushes his curious nature to always want more understanding.

I started bladesmithing and blacksmithing in 1982, after getting involved in historic re-enacting. For the next twenty plus years I forged knives, tomahawks and various other items, mostly for re-enactors. Sixteen years ago I started bladesmithing and blacksmithing full time. I take great pride in making the best knives and tomahawks that I can, starting with forging, grinding, and heat treating and including the hand sewn leather sheaths.

I joined the American Bladesmith Society in 2005, after attending a number of ABS hammer-ins in Michigan and Ohio. In 2009 I was awarded my Journeyman rating from the ABS. Most of the working knives that I make are forged from 5160; I also use 1084, 1095, W2 and 52100. The majority of the Damascus that I make is 1084 and 15N20. I use only natural materials for handles, including wood, stag, antler, horn and bone.

I’m a full-time knifemaker, which means I make things no one needs, almost no one uses, at prices no one should pay. In return I have no guaranteed salary, no health insurance and no retirement. So listen to what I have to say at your peril.

Rob Wayman operates Rob Wayman Knives out of Middleburgh, NY. He started making knives in 2017 and attended his first Ashokan Knife Seminar shortly after. He focuses on forged blades, damascus steel and kitchen knives. In 2019 he was a finalist on History Channel's Forged In Fire and won Best In Show at the 2023 North East Cutlery Collectors Association Knife Show.

I began bladesmithing in 2014 and quickly became enamored with Viking Age pattern welding, Medieval sword forms, and Japanese sword making. I focused on historical pattern welding and using artifacts to reverse engineer the forging techniques used on those pieces. I’ve had the opportunity to study many original artifacts in museums as well as private collections and this study influences every aspect of my work. I began making bloomery iron and steel in order to more closely emulate these artifacts. I currently create Japanese style pieces out of my own smelted sand iron tamahagane and oroshigane as well as Viking spears, swords, and seaxes from the same period accurate materials.

Tim made his first knife in 1979 while still in high school. In 1982, he made his first Damascus steel, and in 1983 knife making became his full-time profession. He has been the director of the Ashokan Knifemaking Seminar for most of the last two decades and a regular contributor to Blade Magazine and Knives Illustrated.

In the modern era, Tim was the first craftsman to make straight razors full time in the US, and the first razor maker to use Damascus steel of his own manufacture. Since then, he has continued to innovate by making his 'Tim-ahagane' from iron ore he collects himself.

I started making knives as a teenager. I made my first journey to Ashokan for the 1995 Sword year and I've only missed a handful of years since. I've been a spare-time maker while pursuing a career as a structural and pipe welder for a DOD contractor. I've helped teach classes and volunteered with youth forging programs at nearby New England School of Metalwork.