Knife & Sword Making: Books, Videos

Jim Hrisoulas is a master bladesmith specializing in medieval broadswords and daggers and Damascus pattern welding. He has almost 30 years of experience at the forge. You can learn more about Jim and his work by visiting his website.
$29.95
DVD-R 805966 061634 198 minutes 2-Disc Set

Have you always wanted to learn how to make a knife? Well, here's your chance. With a few inexpensive tools, some easily acquired materials, a little hard work and this two-disc DVD production from Paladin Press, you can learn all the basic skills of knifemaking and be on your way to producing your own high-quality custom blades. Master Bladesmith Wally Hayes first shows you how to turn your workshop into a functional knife shop for less than $250. He then takes you step-by-step through a complete course in knifemaking, including profiling and grinding your blade; differentially heat-treating your knife (using a home-built forge that costs less than $40); embellishing your blade with filework; crafting form-fitting Kydex sheaths in your kitchen oven; polishing your blade to a mirror finish; attaching a slab handle and doing a Japanese cord-wrapped handle. This video covers the complete construction of two knives - a chisel-ground tanto-style neck knife and a flat-ground utility/hunting knife - and is one of the most detailed courses in knifemaking ever captured on video. For information purposes only.

Master craftsman Wally Hayes is one of the hottest knifemakers and designers in the custom cutlery world today. He has earned the coveted Master Bladesmith rating from the American Bladesmith Society and is a member and former president of the Canadian Knifemaker's Guild.
$69.95
DVD-R 805966 043036 150 minutes 2-Disc Set

Get ready for the ultimate do-it-yourself project: a battle-worthy handmade Japanese katana (long sword). In this one-of-a-kind video, Master Bladesmith Wally Hayes takes you step by step through the process of designing and building a Katana-Tac – a simplified tactical katana suitable for traditional martial arts practice or modern battlefield use. Through detailed instruction and close-up camerawork, you'll learn exactly how to design, profile, grind, temper, polish, and haft your very own working katana using a minimum of tools and equipment. In the process, you'll also learn some of the most closely guarded secrets of both traditional and modern-day swordmaking, including the construction of a low-cost charcoal forge and the exact process for Japanese-style clay tempering. Once your blade is properly tempered, Hayes teaches you how to polish it to reveal the hamon (temper line) and haft it with a traditional cord-wrapped handle. This is one of the most extraordinary instructional videos ever produced and a rare look at the craft of a master swordmaker. For information purposes only.

Master craftsman Wally Hayes is one of the hottest knifemakers and designers in the custom cutlery world today. He has earned the coveted Master Bladesmith rating from the American Bladesmith Society and is a member and former president of the Canadian Knifemaker's Guild.
$69.95
DVD-R 805966 042930 120 minutes

This groundbreaking film documentary reveals the inside secrets and tips of the knifemaking trade as they've evolved in the shop of R.W. Loveless. Learn the rare art of custom knifemaking from a true master as he shares his expertise and talks in-depth about his design philosophy.
$19.95
DVD-R 805996 058931 95 minutes

Looking for instructions in bladesmithing that'll put you on the cutting edge of the custom blade market? Then this definitive guide to forging world-class blades is for you. Written by a master bladesmith, this book tells you how to set up your forge, select your materials, fashion grips and hilts, grind edges and much more!

Jim Hrisoulas is a master bladesmith specializing in medieval broadswords and daggers and Damascus pattern welding. He has almost 30 years of experience at the forge.
$29.95
Softcover 978-1-58160-633-1 190 pages 8.5" x 11" photos, illustrations

This advanced study of steel reveals forging secrets that for centuries have been protected by guilds. Never-before-seen instructions, diagrams and photos explain the tricks behind using Japanese mokume gane, differential heat treating, power hammers, and other techniques to make kukris, wavy blades, spears and swords that bear the master's mark.

Jim Hrisoulas is a master bladesmith specializing in medieval broadswords and daggers and Damascus pattern welding. He has almost 30 years of experience at the forge. Learn more about Jim's work at his web site.
$46.00
Softcover 978-1-58160-543-3 296 pages 8.5" x 11" photos, illustrations

Pattern-welded blades are among the most beautiful and durable creations to emerge from the bladesmith's forge. Now, Jim Hrisoulas, author of The Complete Bladesmith, reveals the secrets of this ancient craft, from the welding of the starting billet to final assembly of the completed blade. Learn basic patterns and stunning, complex designs.

Jim Hrisoulas is a master bladesmith specializing in medieval broadswords and daggers and Damascus pattern welding. He has almost 30 years of experience at the forge. See more of Jim's workj at his web site.
$30.00
Softcover 978-1-58160-544-0 120 pages 8.5" x 11" photos, illust.