Josh Quayle is Minnesota maker whom I first became acquainted with via our Knife Magazine Facebook page, ironically in a conversation about how much Facebook sucks when it comes to nerfing the reach of a business’s posts which aren’t sponsored. He forges his knives from scratch, creating a wide variety of blades from karambits to hunters to everything in between.
He is our latest featured knifemaker in our 5 from the Grinder series. If you are a maker who would like to be featured yourself in a future post, all you have to do is fill out a simple form – https://www.knifemagazine.com/5-from-the-grinder-form/ (password is “grinder”), and upload a handful of pictures, I will combine them into an online feature including all of your social media and website information. That is all there is to it.
So without further ado, I bring you Josh Quayle, of Northern Wolf Forge.
Please introduce yourself and let us know what led you to making/designing knives
I am a small knifemaker from northern Minnesota, i got started in early 2014 making knives when i decided that i was severely disappointed in the quality, design, comfort and personalized feel of store bought knives and wanted to learn what it took to make something better, and found an unmatched passion in the process.
What knifemaker(s) or designer(s) have had the biggest influence on you? Do you have any mentors?
Jay Fisher has been an incredible resource and unparalleled inspiration.
What is your favorite knife pattern or style from history?
I dont have a particular favorite, all knife designs have a function or intended purpose, the beauty is in the creation of it into a work of art from the makers hands.
What is the next big thing in knifemaking? / What direction do you see the industry going?
I want to see more high tech high alloy stainless steels come into play in place of pop culture forged steels
Is there a knife from your lineup that you feel best exhibits who you are as a knifemaker/designer in terms of design elements, aesthetic or techniques used?
I made a 4 finger ring double edged Karambit with full hollow grinds, 464 brass bolsters and G-10 scales, with a fully hand tooled and dyed, custom fit leather sheath with a glass dragon eye cabochon. Fully fileworked and tapered tang, made from 1/4″ 5160 spring steel. It is a testament to personalized custom quality that cant be remade
What is your EDC and why?
A modified skinner/utility knife with a glass breaker in the tang of the handle, 5″ hollow ground blade, stainless steel bolsters and Black palm wood handle. Design, because im an outdoor enthusiast, and i wanted something i could clean and skin with, and also use every day as a general knife, but also in the event of something terrible, have a additionally viable tool to get me or someone else out of a bad place in a hurry.
If you would like to see more of Josh’s work, you can visit his Instagram (@northernwolfforge), Facebook, or you can reach out to him at Northernwolfforge(at)gmail.com.
Want to be featured on KNIFEMagazine.com? Participate in our “5 from the Grinder” series