Of all the steels that I have worked with over the past 35 years, none have stood out like D-2. I have used it, almost exclusively for over 30 years. D-2 is an amazing, all American tool steel that offers unparalleled performance for the type of knives that I craft.

All of my knives are individually heat-treated in my shop, by me personally, to ensure that each and every blade gets the attention that it deserves. My in-house heat-treat protocol involves a proprietary triple tempering process that greatly refines the grain structure and allows for a durable, long-lasting edge.  My D-2 blades have a hardeness of 59-61 Rc

Most of my knives feature natural handle materials and there are very few of these materials that I have yet to encounter over the past 35 years.  I make it a practice to pay close attention to the individual characteristics of the particular handle material being used. I work all ivory and bone slowly, and by hand, instead of with heat generating grinders, in order to ensure that checking will be at a minimum. Likewise, all woods, bone, horn, antler, and ivory are kept in a humidity controlled environment in order to control swelling and shrinking caused by excessive moisture.

I recommend Micarta handles for knives that will see heavy use/abuse. Micarta has been proven over the years to be one of the finest handle materials for high impact applications.