Which knifemakers do the best jobs of tempering?

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bladejunki

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Jan 1, 2008
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I am just curious which custom knife builders you guys believe do the best all around jobs tempering blade steels. I am talking about the more general steels and not so much the so called super steels. An example of a semi-custom knife maker that in my eyes does a fantastic job of tempering A-2 and Sanvic's is Mike Stewart of Bark River. I love the way his blades hold their sharps and toughness. I am curious as to what you all have to say. Thanks in advance. Best, Ron.
 
I think no one is perfect and that includes knife makers....but, here at BF we have some darn good makers and those that do tempering are all good...i dont know ifs its fair to compare who is better or best...i think more the question might be is who is not someone one should seek out.... (and if that is what u want to know go to the good bad and ugly on the forum)..and sry if it sounds like im harping on u just dont like to start a "knife" waving contest...just my 2 cents....


BTW WELCOME TO BF...WE LOVE MORE PEOPLE!!
 
I've heard Ed Fowler's blades are done very well. Bob Dozier is known to do an excellent job with D2. I've also heard the same about Phil Hartsfield with A2.
 
I suspect that to do the exact best possible job for a given steel, you need to use salt pots. With this said, some smiths that I know to make use of salt pots are Howard Clark, Nick Wheeler, and Kevin Cashen. I know they're not the only ones.
 
Tim Zowada is a salt-pot guy, too. I think "hardheart" is as well. So are Howard Clark, Randal Graham, and Brian VanSpeybroeck. Larry Harley probably does, too, if he's making choppers with bainite.

The list of knifemakers who are great heat-treaters is legion. And most who've had bad luck with it hire people who are great heat-treaters.

Oops. Didn't see Clark in Joss's list. :o
 
I don't know if he's the best for everyone, but definitely for me. Ed Fowler.
 
Not sure if you mean heat treating in general, and are looking for a user, but the finest "steel" in my collection at this point is from Ed Schempp, Ed Fowler, Howard Clark and Kevin Cashen. If you're looking for info on the specific process of tempering<which makes the steel less brittle?> I'm not sure.
 
it's hard to say who's "best"

there are some knifemakers that stand out in my mind as being associated with certain steels

off the top of my head

howard clark 1086
bob dozier D2
bob loveless 154cm
phil hartsfield a2
kevin cashen L6
kevin mcculng O1
Ed Fowler 52100
jerry busse "infi"

whether they are the "best" is certainly debateable...but it is a place to start
 
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