History of Knife Making

The first human smelted iron objects date back to roughly 2500 BC, but iron does not become a major material till much closer to the 500 BC. The earliest iron production appears to be centered out of what is modern day Turkey. There is considerable debate currently on just how humans ever figured out how to convert iron oxide ores (essentially rust) into useable metal. The Greeks made only limited use of iron, it was the Celts (about the same time frame) who were the first culture to be based on iron, namely tools and weapons. The creation of a workable iron bloom from iron ore was (and still remains) a challenging and resource intensive effort. In the early beginnings of the iron age it was difficult to obtain iron. During the Viking Age, the average 'load per person' was closer to 4-5 pounds each (one axe, one knife, and one’s share of the household cookware).

Some of the earliest iron objects in existence (the dagger in King Tutankhamun circa 1300 BC tomb a striking example) are in fact made from this non terrestrial source of metal. Cold worked meteor iron is found in Inuit contexts as well. One surprise in the sample of knives in the collection of the London Museum is that roughly 15 % show some traces of nickel content (hence most likely the inclusion of meteor source materials).

The development of steel has been a major factor in the history of human conquest. The sword has been an outstanding weapon, being thoroughly recorded in historical literature and poetry. Legends are sometimes made of Sword arms and the soldiers that carried them in conflicts.

Knives have evolved over time as a tool and an implement of survival (unfortunately, too often survival was over shadowed by aggression and war).

Knife making is the process of manufacturing a knife by any one or a combination of processes: stock removal, forging to shape, welded lamination or investment cast.[1] Typical metals used come from the carbon steel, tool, or stainless steel families. Primitive knives have been made from bronze, copper, brass, iron, obsidian, and flint.