Hello! Welcome to Amelia Island Forge, home of rguessknives. I am a retired firefighter/paramedic with 26 years of service. I first began

Forging a small piece of coil spring into a skinner

this obsession in late summer, of 1993, after watching a program on PBS about blacksmithing. What really got my attention was the smith forging a large ball bearing welded to a metal rod for a handle. Slowly, it began, and grew longer and thinner. As I watched, spellbound, the sphere that was a ball bearing, began to take the shape of a knife. From that moment, I knew that I had to pursue this . Since there are no anvil and forge stores around, I decided to improvise and build whatever I could. I acquired a large gear (20"dia X 4" thick) to use as an anvil and lined a small wood burning stove with firebrick. 2" pipe installed and my wife’s hair dryer became the forced air. I picked up coal from the RR tracks leading into the two local mills. Soon I was pounding on RR spikes, reading books on knife making, metallurgy and seeking information on the internet. Within a year I had found and anvil (101# Peter Wright), bought a LP gas propane forge and acquired coil and leaf spring, old plowshare and band saw blades to use instead of RR spikes. I still use some of those recycled materials but also use bar stock from metal suppliers. I work with plain high carbon steel and occasionally O1, D2, A2, and 52100.

That was 10 years ago. Since that time I have gained experience, knowledge and equipment. I have since built 2 LP gas forges, a break drum coal forge, several buffers and rebuilt a 25# Little Giant power hammer, made in 1924, that I use drawing out large stock and “Damascus” billets. I also use a Burr King 2" X 72" belt grinder to grind off scale, profile blades and grind the bevels.
This craft has become my passion. I wake up and go to sleep thinking about blade smithing. My desire is to forge the perfect blade (it hasn’t happened yet), so I will continue trying. The cutlery I make is intended to be used. My work does not approach art, nor collectibles. I hope you find something interesting within this site.