a bit of history 😮

Published: Sat, 05/30/20

Hi ,

It's fitting that on my 39th wedding anniversary, which just so happens to be today, May 30th (I know what you're thinking and I don't know how she put with me for so long either!), I share with you a bit of history.

Not of my married life, but that of my life with chip carving knives. Sorry to disappoint you...🤣

Here's the summary of the process to get where i’m at today with the MyChipCarving line of knives.

It was around 10 years ago that I first started to work on producing my own line of chip carving knives. My goal all along has been to make the absolute best chip carving knives available.

Step one was to determine what elements were needed to make the best chip carving knife.

I’ll answer this by showing you the knives I first started carving with 35 years ago and what MyChipCarving Knives are like today.

Left to Right (approximate dates)
1. 1985 - Klotzli Swiss knife (I modified the blade from its original shape)
2. 1990 - Barton Knife
3/4 2009 - First prototypes made by ex-Army Ranger I met with in MN
5. 2010 - First edition of MyChipCarving Knives, Cutting, Modified, Stab. Available with Bone or Wood (shown) handles.
6. 2013 - Second edition. Platinum Knives made in US, Gold Knives made in El Salvador (not shown)
7/8 2018 - Third edition. Diamond Deluxe (shown), Diamond and Gold Knives. Blades made in the US and I do all the handle work and assembly.

In the quest for knife nirvana, absolute requirements for my knives are shown in the following comparison chart.

(Star ratings are all my own and not scientifically evaluated or corroborated by the Academy of Higher Learning for Chip Carving) 😏

	MCC 3rd edition	MCC 2nd edition	MCC 1st edition	Barton Knives	Klotzli Knives
High quality steel*	⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐some too brittle	⭐	⭐
Full tang blade*	⭐	⭐	⭐
Thin blade grind	⭐⭐Diamond ⭐Ruby	⭐	⭐⭐		⭐
Thumb notch	⭐	⭐	⭐
Pre-sharpened	⭐	⭐	⭐		somewhat
Ergonomic blade design*	⭐	⭐	⭐	⭐
Comfortable feel	⭐	⭐	⭐	⭐
Lifetime Guarantee	⭐	⭐	⭐

Note: I have sharpened, held and tried many chip carving knives over the years but have not included them in this comparison.

Comments on each knife element: (skip this if you don't really care)

*Quality steel selection - there are many different modern steels to choose from. Carbon size, carbon %, edge retention, ease of sharpening, hardness capability and availability were all considered. I’ve used a few different steels and each steel has performed well.

*full tang blade - blade runs the entire length of the handle NOT a small piece of steel inserted into the end of the handle. When holding a full tang knife you have the entire blade in your hand.

*Thin blade grind - There’s a fine line when it comes to grinding blades. Ground too thin and the blade will either bend or break. Ground too thick and ease of cutting is decreased.

*Thumb notch - The Swiss/European style of chip carving requires your thumb to be in contact with the handle to form a consistent 55-65 degree angle. I couldn’t figure out why this feature wasn’t on other chip carving knives but I knew it had to be on mine.

*Pre-sharpened - You shouldn’t have to know how to sharpen a knife in order to learn to chip carve. Receiving a dull knife is asking for frustration. I refuse to ship out a knife that isn’t sharp and ready to carve. Starting with a sharp knife is the only way to expect someone to first learn this great craft.

*Ergonomic blade design - chip carving knives are designed specifically for chip carving. When the knife is held correctly the cutting edge should enter the wood at a correct angle. The point should reach the bottom of the chip. The length of the blade should allow for removal of small and large chips.

*Comfortable feel - The thumb notch is part of this, but the rest of the handle adds to the overall comfort when holding a knife. The weight of the knife also plays a part. My first Klotzli Knife is super light. It hardly feels like anything’s there! I’ve tried to reach a happy medium regarding handle size, weight and feel for most people. Those with really small hands or extra large will always struggle, but some adjustments on my end will help in those cases.

I don’t expect you to know of any of this when buying a chip carving knife! That's my job! You should pick up one of my knives, like how it feels in your hand, easily be able to hold it correctly and start making cuts.

There's a lot that goes into this process that I won't bore you with.

But these are the key elements that I incorporated into the design and production of my knives.

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