Plough Book Sales

The popular knife making classic

First published in 1976, with over 200,000 copies sold to date

"If you make yourself a knife, you'll be a more complete person." - David Boye

Step by Step Knifemaking: You Can Do It! is widely regarded as a foundational text on the art of handcrafted knives. Thorough, clear, detailed instructions guide the reader through each step in making a knife. Generously illustrated, with photos and drawings on most pages, this book reads like a one-on-one workshop with a thoughtful teacher. The reader is led to develop his sense of artistry and to acquire practical skills for knife making and self sufficiency.

Boye guides the beginning knife maker through the thinking processes necessary to make a knife; inspires confidence in the reader to begin at his own skill level, and shows how it can be done on a financial shoestring.

Step by Step Knifemaking covers tools, setting up a shop, knife design, grinding, heat treating, polishing, sharpening, blade etching, sheath making, and more. Boye's outdoor knives, kitchen cutlery, and utility knives are functional and "peace-loving" works of art, and the chapter on etching designs into the blade is a visual delight.

Step by Step Knifemaking has moved many to involve themselves in this craft, and they constitute a visible portion of today's knife makers. This book can impel the reader to a personally satisfying, alternative backyard career, making his own useful knife art. It is an enjoyable, indispensable reference for those wanting to learn knife making, become more self-reliant, or for anyone with an interest in the ancient craft of blades.

"Handmade knives are unique," writes David Boye, "reflecting the skills and personality of their maker. They impart a personal touch to what would be a cold, impersonal item. Thus it is with a handmade knife, or a handmade article of any kind, that there is subtle exchange of electromagnetic energy that is transferred from the heart and the hands of the craftsman to the heart of the person who sees and uses the handmade article. Hopefully, the product will be the embodiment and expression of love and beauty in a useful, sanitary, and safe cutting tool - a hint of a deeper, more profound spirit in the process of living."

An inspiring, complete resource guide to artisan knifemaking

Profusely illustrated with over 300 photos, drawings, and charts

Friendly, expert advice; written with warmth and humor

"Your book has been my Blade Bible. I have looked at other books and nothing compares. You are an excellent instructor in your break down and description. You are the Bruce Lee of Knifemaking." - JLH, Las Vegas, NV

Code No. 010846, 274 pages, ISBN 0615116590, $33.00

This item is listed under the following subjects: