Cutler bladesmith

While artisanal forging is disappearing, along with the transmission of ancestral know-how, this book highlights the work of a cutlery blade blacksmith through the story of Christian Moretti. After presenting the specificities of the tools and equipment, the authors provide keys to optimize one's workstation while respecting safety conditions. They then address the fundamental gestures of forging to properly manage the fire and temperatures, protect the steel during heating, and shape the material. Once these basics are mastered, the book focuses more specifically on cutlery forging. A series of exercises explains how to make different knife models: hidden tang knife, full tang knife, flat sole knife, simple folding knife. For each of them, the choice of steels, the steps of forging the blade, the handle assembly, and the finishes are detailed. Throughout the pages and projects, the main forging techniques are covered: welding, shaping when hot, cold grinding, layering of steels, heat treatments, etc. This richly illustrated manual, very comprehensive, will be of interest to apprentice blade makers as well as metal professionals looking to reconnect with traditional forging.