Steve lives in Mildmay, Ontario
“Some folks have the privilege of growing up in a household with tools, and some of us grow up where a screwdriver is used only for opening paint cans”. Steve’s journey in knifemaking began with a blank canvas and an empty work bench. It all started back in the mid nineties when he went to The House of Knives to get a set of throwing knives. They wanted $60 for a set of three knives, ridiculously expensive, so he decided he would attempt to make his own. He went out and bought a piece of Home Depot mild steel and a bench grinder. That was the first step on the road to his ongoing addiction. He went through the standard progression from hunters to bowies to almost swords then back down the size range all the way to 5½” fixed pocket carry gentleman’s knives. At this point he has progressed to folders and is busy exploring the variations available to that genre.
When he started there was no internet, the only online that was available were dial up text platforms. He bought videos, yes the old VHS videos. He also started collecting knife books, from the Knives Annual books to Dr Darom’s coffee table books and everything in between. He now has close to 200 knife books in his library. One of the suggestions he has for new knifemakers is to look through books, not just online pictures but actual books, put post it notes on the pages for the knives that speak to you then go back and see what the features are that are common to all those that you bookmarked. Then go and make knives that incorporate those features. He also says that you don’t need thousands of dollars in equipment to make knives. A drill press and files will work. When he started it would take him a week to cut out the shape of the knife using a drill press and cut off wheels on a Dremel. Now it takes 15 minutes on a metal cutting bandsaw.
Steve has been an Accountant for over 40 years. He says “accountants are puzzle solvers and that is why knifemaking fits with my personality. Knifemaking is a creative puzzle as you need work out the geometry and the mathematics of each knife, especially folders.” He also considers himself an artist, because each of his knives needs to be authentic, aesthetically pleasing, and “say something”. With a folder, it is “like carrying art in your pocket”.
Like many knifemakers, Steve is a perfectionist. But he says the imperfections are the greatest teachers. He has boxes of knives that will never see the light of day but each of those has also taught him what not to do or how to adapt a plan. There are more than a few paring knives that started as bowies. He says “there is a fine line between the need to be perfect and being realistic, that is a tough line to find.” He says he does not think he will ever get to the place where he has mastered anything with knifemaking because he knows he could always do better.
He is always challenging himself. He rarely makes more that 2-3 knives of one style before he goes on to a different style. But he may come back to a style from time-to-time with different handle material. He has about 100 patterns for folder and fixed blade knives. He says slipjoint knives are both the simplest and most complex to make. Simplest because there are only two moving parts, the blade and the back spring. But they are most complex because there is nowhere to hide. Steve uses a pivot bushing that needs to be 1.5/1000 of an inch thicker than the blade tang. The blade pivots around the bushing and the blade can’t touch the liner.
When Steve sold his first knife in 1998, it was a “sort of” hunter with O1 steel and a purple heart handle. Now he sells most of his knives to customers in Europe and the US and some hunting knives to local hunters. For materials, he used 440C for many years. But he now uses CPM154 as it makes better springs than 440C. For handle material, he finds mammoth ivory works beautifully because the textures and colours can be shaped into unique handles. He has recently been stabilizing his own wood and likes the dynamic natural designs. But Steve stresses that time perfecting techniques is what is most valuable not necessarily the material. Along the way he has pursued lapidary, the art of working stone, stabilizing, how to use a mill not to mention a grinder. All the steps on the journey were accomplished by learning. And it never stops.
Steve learned many of his skills from renowned Knifemakers such as George Tichbourne, Chris Crawford and Wolfgang Loerchner. He says Wolfgang is someone he aspires to but acknowledges he will never equal. “I marvel at the precision of Wolf’s knives, he does it to another level.” Steve now wants to pass on his knowledge to the next generation of knifemakers. At Knife Shows he likes meeting novice knifemakers, seeing their knives, and openly sharing his knowledge and techniques.
When asked why he likes knifemaking he referred to acclaimed knifemaker Bob Loveless who said, “if you make a knife properly it will be around for 200 years”. Steve says ”I appreciate the opportunity to create something that is unique … what else can you make that has your name on it and will be around that long?”
Words of Wisdom – “Do what you love, in knifemaking and in life. If knifemaking speaks to you pursue the craft and the art of it. Make mistakes and learn from them. Never put your name on something you are not proud of”
See Steve’s knives on his website: https://www.Vanderkolffknives.com/
https://www.facebook.com/steve.vanderkolff
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