Hey Everyone. Welcome to a special 5 from the Grinder with my friend Matt Schweinberg. I have known Matt for years, as we used to go 4-wheeling together back before he ever made his first knife. So I have been able to watch his progress from the start. His background in metal fabrication led him to a runner up Forged in Fire appearance just a few years after he began to focus on knives.
If you are a maker who would like to be featured in your own 5 from the Grinder, check out this link. Our queue is pretty thin right now, and we’d love to add you to our growing list of featured makers.
Please introduce yourself and let us know what led you to making/designing knives
I have been working with metal and fabricating since I was a teenager. I never thought I would ever make high performance blades. Like many “Forged in Fire” showed me the process of knife making and after my first lesson at Iron Mountain Metal Craft in Gatlinburg, TN I was forever hooked! From there I built my own propane burners and forge so that I could start hammering on steel!
What knifemaker(s) or designer(s) have had the biggest influence on you? Do you have any mentors?
One of my good friends, Brock Hutt, is also a knife maker and has helped me polish various knife making techniques improving my smithing capabilities.
What is your favorite knife pattern or style from history?
I would say my favorite blade shape has to be a kukri as the recurve is supreme for chopping and slicing.My favorite damascus pattern is hands down the shark tooth pattern. It has such an aggressive look and gives some cool dimension to the final blade.
What is the next big thing in knifemaking? / What direction do you see the industry going?
It seems that people really enjoy hand made knives over a machined knife as they generally will have higher quality steel and/or a better heat treat on them so they will have better edge retention.Making a quality knife and handle takes time, a lot of time… I think that custom orders and/or one off pieces will be in the future, at least that is what I am seeing right now.
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 really enjoy making chef knives although I didn’t at first because they are more difficult to heat treat than choppers or survival knives. My most recent damascus chef knife had a complicated handle and I really enjoy making the multipart hidden tang handles.
What is your EDC and why?
I carry a CRKT because making a thin folder is something I haven’t had time to tackle yet.
Matt is still in the early stages of selling knives so he doesn’t have a formal website or storefront, but you can see some more of his work at this link.
He can be reached at mschweinberg73(at)gmail.com to answer any questions or to discuss custom work.
If you are a maker who would like to be featured yourself, visit this link to find out more:
Want to be featured on KNIFEMagazine.com? Participate in our “5 from the Grinder” series