Hello, My name is Stuart Willis. I have been blacksmithing since 1989. I worked as the blacksmith at Kings
Mountain State Park and Walnut Grove Plantation from 1995-1999. In 2000 I turn my full interest to the early
American bladesmith and I specialize in tomahawks.
I hand forge most of my knives from plain carbon steel (1080,84,95) and occasionally 5160. My hawks and
axes are from 1045,80,84,5160 and mild steel with the cutting edge being carbon steel forge welded in. I
sometimes recycle using old files,plow points,leaf springs,coil springs,old tools or any other good steels that
can be found laying around abandon farm buildings.
My hawk and axe handles are handmade mostly hardwoods that are native to America. Knife handles are
hardwood,bone and stag. The hardware,end caps,guards and pins are from scrap metal,brass,pieces of
wrought iron and pour in place pewter. The handle decorations are from feathers,rawhide,glass beads,sinew
or anything that would have been on a period blade.
All of my blades are differentially heat treated for use or can be used as decorative.
|
|
