About

JLD Knives began in Ireland in 2015, when I learned the knife-making process from master knife maker, Fingal Ferguson. Since then, I have refined my process and design to make a knife that is comfortable, sharp, and handsome. My aim is to make a knife that is the knife you always reach for in the kitchen.

I’ve made a variety of knives, but specialize in chef knives. I handcraft each part of the knife, from start to finish. This allows me to control every aspect of construction. From blade shape, handle material, and weight, building from a blank slate results in a knife that is completely unique and tailor-made to its purpose.

Steel

I source my steel from Hawthorne, NJ, and hand-forge all of the Damascus blades. I use a variety of steels, but am partial to two; O1 high carbon steel, tough, hard steel that keeps its super-fine edge, and AEB-L stainless steel, a fine grained, corrosion-resistant steel used in the razor industry. 

Both types of steel are superb, but each has its own strength in certain areas. Simply speaking, carbon steel can be easily sharpened to an extremely sharp edge. The purity of carbon steel and lack of chromium alloys makes it more prone to corrosion, so light rust may occur if left in soaking water (rust is easily removed with a scrubbing brush and Bar Keeper’s Friend). The steel reacts to acidic foods, which oxidize the blade, leaving a dark grey patina (which I think looks super cool). Think of carbon steel like cooking with a cast iron pan – superb performance, but requires a little extra care.

Stainless steel produces an edge that is razor-sharp and will last a long time but is more difficult to sharpen. Given the properties of stainless, the blades will not corrode or react with acidic foods. The long edge retention is ideal for heavy use and low maintenance. Stainless knives require less attention than their carbon counterparts and are great for all-around use in a kitchen. 

Handles

I get most of my wood from Sheffield, MA, and fallen trees the woods. Most of the wood comes from trees that are dead, or are dying and have to be removed. The horn and bone come from North Carolina. All handles are stabilized in resin to prevent major warping and cracking. That being said…. wood, horn, and bone are all organic materials, and WILL NOT SURVIVE THE DISHWASHER – so don’t put them in the dishwasher! If a knife does end up in the dishwasher, repair, or re-handle for a fee. I will fix any repairs due to defective materials, or poor craftsmanship, at no charge.

Give me a shout at jack@jldknives.com if you have any questions and sign up for the newsletter for updates!  You can buy knives directly under the shop page. I post 20-30 knives at a time in a first come – first serve basis. 

Thanks you very much for looking

– Jack Dolan