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| Savage Smith Bladeworks is dedicated to creating original, beautiful pieces of durable and usable blade art. I use only the strongest and most attractive materials possible in the construction of my works. My Blades are processed with the most efficient and technologically advanced heat treatment process available today. My superior steels and handle materials, coupled with a modern process, produce reliable works of art, each tailored to the individual customer, that will last a lifetime and then some. |
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| I first developed an interest in edged weapons when I was quite young. I was one of those rare kids (shunned nowadays) that drew knives, swords, axes and other weapons in the margins of my homework and school assignments, causing my teachers to worry I'm sure. Eventually it became clear that I was a "Knife Person," a special term that I use to refer to those of us who take great delight in the beauty, history, and craft of edged weapons, but are not a danger to themselves or others. Throughout my youth I studied several different martial arts, including Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kenjutsu, Jodo, Aikido(Seikikai), Wing Chun Do and Fencing. Most of my friends were also in martial arts and we spent a lot of time sparring, both bare handed and with padded weapons. Much of my understanding of combat and the correct properties of a fighting edge I owe to my friends and Senseis. When I was fourteen years old I was introduced to a renowned custom knife maker by the name of Roderick Caribou Chappel who happened to live in my hometown of Edmonds, WA USA. Over the years I became a regular in his shop, watching him work, talking about life or just playing chess with him or his son when business was slow. I admired his ability to get a mirror polish and a razor edge on any blade that came his way, even some of my early "collector's items" which, at that time meant (to a kid) surplus bayonets bought at garage sales and flea markets. At age fifteen I became involved in the Society for Creative Anachronism (www.sca.org), a group concerned with the reenactment of daily life from the 600s to the 1600s AD. In the SCA I met many more "Knife People" and I began studying the martial arts of the European sword, which I feel has been a huge bonus to my ability to design an effective, combat ready, dagger, axe or polearm. At age 20 I took a weekend course in Blacksmithing instructed by Dave Lisch. I had such a great time that I decided to pursue metalwork as a career and in September of 2000 I shipped off to the John C. Campbell Folk School. At JCCFS I had the privilege of studying under some of the best teachers one could hope for: Charlie Fuller for Basic Blacksmithing Techniques, Clay Spencer for Figure Carving, Dr. James Batson (President of the American Bladesmith Society) for Crafting the American Knife, and Don Fogg for Construction of the Japanese Sword. After returning from JCCFS I found a Merchant Mariner job as a deckhand for a local ferry service. In my limited free time I managed to find a shop to work in owned by a local blacksmith, Michael Linn, who focused mostly on wrought iron hardware. I worked a few days a week in his shop for six years, learning new techniques for hardware and practicing old ones for blades while still working full-time as a deckhand. Working on ship quickly gave me an understanding of the strength and durability that a good chore knife must have. I went through several factory-made knives cutting hausers, boxes, opening cans, prying off paint lids and doing all the other chores required on ship before eventually assembling my own which is to this day worn on my side and is so far the strongest chore knife I have ever had the pleasure to use. One day in 2001 as I was walking home from work I got a call from my old friend Rod Chappel, he had bad news; Rod junior, Rod's son and only apprentice had died in an accident. Rod was unconsoleable over the loss of his son and over the next few years I made time often to call or visit him and see him through his grief. It was during one of those visits, three years after Junior's death, that Rod told me that he finally felt ready to take another apprentice and that he would like it to be me. I happily agreed and after two years of part-time study I decided that in order to move forward I'd have to quit the Merchant Mariners and pursue knife making on a full-time basis. Fast forward a bit and here I am now. Thanks for reading. Sincerely, Dan Lombardo, Owner/Operator Savage Smith Bladeworks Please feel free to contact me via e-mail or on myspace. |
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