Works of art: Joel Davey brings the craft of knifemaking to life through his Lake Macquarie business, Adamas Forge

It's also a work of art.

"Apart from the sharpening and metallurgical side, the whole process can be as creative as you want with endless materials, shapes, and ways to finish steel," he tells Weekender.

"It gives me a chance to create beautiful and functional pieces that will be used on a daily basis. Although a kitchen knife is a tool, it can just as well be a piece of art to be admired."

Davey attended Cessnock High School and worked in the hospitality industry before turning his attention to industrial work, more specifically, metal and wood working.

Unable to work during the Covid-19 lockdowns, he spent time doing the things he loved - forging and blacksmithing - while trying his hand at knife making.

"I made a few kitchen knives as I was sick of having poor quality ones in my kitchen. I fell in love with the process as it involves lots of different skills," he says.

"I decided that's what I needed to do. If you do what you love it's not work, right?

"I am mostly self-taught in this craft, researching and learning from peers. A lot of it comes from trial and error, figuring out what works, making mistakes and learning from them."

He started his business, Adamas Forge Handcrafted Knives, in 2021 after completing an NEIS (New Enterprise Incentive Scheme) business course. Davey's clients are a mix of home cooks, professional chefs and knife enthusiasts. Hunter Valley businesses EXP. restaurant, Yellow Billy Restaurant and Brokenwood Wines all stock his knives.

A lot of work goes into the knife-making process. Depending on the steel and other materials used, and the style of knife, it can take Davey 12 or 200 hours, and sometimes more.

"It's hard to put a time frame on a piece because there are so many variables," he explains.

"It starts with forging the steel to shape, getting to final shape and refining the cutting edge, and then the heat-treating process which can be rather complex. After the steel is treated it is onto grinding, refining and polishing the blade.

"The handle tends to take a lot of time, depending on the complexity. After the handle is completed, it's onto sharpening and cleaning to get ready for shipment."

He says he "dabbles" with forged cutlery and items like bottle openers and incense holders, and has plans to make more kitchen utensils, but always finds himself "getting lost in making kitchen knives".

Quality is key when it comes to knives, and that quality can only be known once the knife is used.

"Not to sound vague, but it's something that needs to be felt," Davey says.

"It makes an amazing difference to be able to cut and prepare the food effortlessly, which makes it a much more enjoyable process."

Greater interest in the craft is, he says, due partly to the popularity of television shows like Forged in Fire and the increase in instructional YouTube videos available to view.

"It's brought it more into the mainstream - it's not as much of an underground niche any more - and the trend that emerged during Covid of people preferring handmade, local products is also continuing."

Davey has just been accepted into the Australian Knifemakers Guild and hosts regular knife-making workshops at his workshop, teaching participants how to forge a knife, the metallurgy involved, and the history of the craft.

"With the introduction of mass production and more modern technology a lot of the 'ancient' skills are being lost, so I try to keep those alive through my work and by teaching classes to pass on knowledge," he says.

What he can't teach is the personality that goes into making each knife. That's unique to each individual.

"It feels like a natural thing. I guess because everything is made by hand and lots of care goes into each piece it can be very personal," he says.

"I always try to do new things and make something unique even if it's different colours, textures and tones."

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