The Process

Jesse studied Fine Art at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University (NSCADU). During his time at NSCADU he took a truly interdisciplinary path, focusing on a variety of craft topics such as gold and silver smithing, graphic & product design, woodworking, and blacksmithing. This interdisciplinary perspective, and appreciation of the history of design, opened his eyes to alternative ways to design and manufacture, which he has incorporated into the current knife making practice at Nordquist Designs.

Every product at Nordquist Designs is handcrafted with care by Jesse Thompson. All products are made from Canadian-sourced materials whenever possible and manufactured completely in Jesse's shop in Kelowna, British Columbia. Made to last a lifetime. 

Below is a glimpse into the process! Follow @nordquistdesigns on Instagram or FaceBook to see what I am currently working on! 

Each Knife starts on the milling machine where the hollow is machined in. As you can see, a lot of steel is removed in this process! All the blue you see are steel chips from the cutter!

Once the hollows are cut, I hand grind each blade to its final dimensions!

Once ground to shape each blade is heat treated by heating it to 850 degrees C before being quenched in oil for hardness, and then double tempered for toughness.

Each blade is tested for hardness once the heat treatment cycle is completed. A very important step in ensuring the quality of the blade!

Each handle starts from a block of natural hardwood or stabilized wood. The mill is used to cut the tang slot.

Once the slot is cut, the handle is shaped by had and eye with a variety of tools.

 

I sew the leather wraps on my trusty Brother sewing machine. It handles the 6oz leather with ease!