ADM Knives is housed in Lodi NY directly south of my kitchen - in my basement, where the washer and dryer take cover from incoming wood and steel dust shrapnel (and, come up on the losing end of that one each time...)

Nothing fancy - but, some very nice equipment that I'm proud to own.

I hope to someday, build onto my house, a nice shop with seperate grinding and finishing rooms. But, for now - it is perfect for me.

Materials I use vary for each project.

Typically, my knives are made from CPM D2, CPM S30V or 154 CM. I have used 01-toolsteel and 1095 in the beginning stages of my knife making career.

I send all air hardened steel (s30v/D2/154) blades to Paul Bos to be professionally heat treated and hardened at whatever RC the customer requests (typically I go with 59/60)

The process involves: developing a profile, grinding out that profile, using my drill press for handle holes, surface grinding the blade (and cleaning up using ceramic belts that start at 50 grit and end at 400), then I bead blast my blank, polish, wash and dry and oil (whew, by that point, it's ready for heat treating...)

The blade returns from Bos in about 3 weeks, fully hardened and double tempered. I blast off the scale (from the heat treating process) and run it through another 220 and 400 grit belt. Next, I use digital caliper to measure the exact blade thickness. I divide that number by 2 and set on my height guage. I then run the edge side of the blade along the scribe on the height gauge (and, if I measured correctly, it will produce a line down the center of the edge)

I then grind the bevels (either flat grinding with a flat platen, or hollow grinding - with a 10" contact wheel) I run the 2hp grinder on full bore (100%) and cut the bevels. I then slow the grinder down to about 20% and lightly go over the bevels with 120, 220 and 400 grit belts (while I do this, I am also thinning out the edge until it almost disappears - very careful not to heat. I have a 5 gallon quench bucket next to me that I am dipping the blank in at every pass)

Next, I work on handle material. I use either exotic hardwoods, G-10, micarta or carbon fiber (depending on the request of my customer and the intended use for the knife) Right now I am focusing on tactical knives, so I stick with a textured g-10/micarta or carbon fiber handle.

This process involves first epoxying the liner material to the scale overnight (clamped to a flat piece of aluminum) and kept at an even 70 degrees (winter months, it sits in the family room where the wood stove roars all night, with a digital thermometer next to it) The following day I will use a dremel and texture the scales.

Then, clamp to the blade, drill pin holes through the handle, epoxy, pound in the pins, clamp and again, let set overnight (70 degree temp really ensures a proper cure of the 2 ton epoxy) The next day, I will use the grinder to cut away all the unnecessary scale and make it flush to the blade.

I then do final shaping and texturing, re-blast in the cabinet and let tumble for an hour or so (for stone-washing finishes) It then goes in another tumbler for another hour (dry polish media) When it gets done tumbling, I use my Baldor buffer and buff out the handles, bringing out a tremendous shine and a useful "feel" to the handle".

Final step is to clean up and then spend an evening grinding an amazingly sharp edge. The man who I feel puts the sharpest edge out there is Tom Krein. I have been fortunate enough to have had many conversations with Tom (via USN or on the phone) and I try to replicate his technique (but do not pretend to be in the same category of the "Arkansas Grinding Monkey")

But, it does put one hell of an edge on the knives. Basically, I put on a used 120 grit belt, run the grinder at 40-50% and very lightly go back and fourth, turning the knife over and just touching it to the belt, until a nice wire edge forms (looks like ice forming on the edge) I can also feel the wire edge with my finger.

From the grinder, I use an oil stone (at about a 22 degree angle with the blade running down the length of the stone), Then strop the blade on a piece of leather, loaded with flitz polish (I do atleast 300 passes on each side, depending on the thickness of the edge and how quickly the wire edge get's taken off) I then test on my arm - if the hair doesn't go running for it's life (flying through the air) then I start over

I then cover the blade up and make a kydex sheath with tek lok. I proudly go upstairs and introduce the knew member of ADM Knives to my wife, who rolls her eyes and continues reading her people magazine (until I get my hands on it and shred it to pieces, to show off the extreme shredding capabilities of the new knife) Or, I cut myself by accident and try to take pictures to show the boys on the USN (while my wife yells "put the camera down - you're sick!! This isn't funny!!")

I have recently aquired a bead blasting cabinet from Lake Buckanan Industries. This large, 18 gauge, 55 gallon drum (used for the body of the cabinet) is just what I was looking for! It required little assembly, included the blasting gun, gloves and light fixture. I picked up 50lbs of #8 glass beads with it (and, also ordered 80 grit aluminum oxide, which is much more aggressive) There is a large 12" x 16" viewing area and on the right side is a port (for shop vac connection) I power it with a used 6hp Craftsman 33 gallon air compressor. If you're interested in a blasting cabinet - this is the way to go! Communication with Michael McDavid was awesome.

I also picked up this tumbler on the 'ole bay... It's made by Bleakco Lapidary Supply. It's an all steel jig welded, 1/4 HP American Motor powered heavy duty tumbler. There are two rollers (1/2" steel shafters with rubber coating) and a 1/2" V belt for dependability. Instead of going with the 40lb barrels, I picked up two 15lb barrels. One barrel has ceramic triangle media (for the stone wash) and the other tumbler has a dry polishing media. I can tumbler up to about a 12" knife. This puts on a beautiful, almost scratch resistent finish (how can you scratch something that's already been scratched up a million times?) This is is a great way to finish a blasted knife...

I have a pretty simple warranty. If any knife made by me and sold to you ever breaks, send it in and I'll take care of you. As long as I'm in the knife-making business, send your knives back for re-sharpening (you just cover s/h both ways) If a knife breaks due to being used inappropriately (ex. trying to pry open your car door when you lock your keys in, or seeing if your new knife will stick into your concrete basement floor...) - well, then you're on your own.

I stand behind every knife that goes out my door. I won't sell junk. If you are not completely satisfied with your knife, send it back (in the condition it was received by you, unused) and I'll refund your money. If you have any questions, concerns, etc.. - just contact me. I'm easy to get along with :)

My philosophy for effective knifemaking is the same as my philosophy in life. One knife at a time (the same as we all live one moment at a time) I don't care how long it takes to build a knife. Each stage of knifemaking is exciting to me.

A friend once told me (at a very difficult time in my life), "life is like rockclimbing.. You go one inch at a time... Don't try to take the whole rock - just move an inch at a time" - he was absolutely right! If a knife does not seem like it's going in the direction I would want, I'll start over.

As I mentioned in my About Me section, my father is my hero. I build each knife like I'm making it for him.

Andrew David Merrill
Knifemaker