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Why Use Liquid Nitrogen? What Is Liquid Nitrogen? What Does It Do? How Do You Know It Does That? Will LN2 Fix a Bad Heat Treatment? People ask questions! And we're going to try and provide some answers today about one of the most misunderstood parts of heat treating knives- the cryogenic quench! WHAT IS LIQUID NITROGEN? The air we breathe is 78% gaseous nitrogen. It is all around us as you read this. So there's plenty of this element, but we need it to be liquid, and we need it in a container! This involves a process called "air liquification", which compresses and chills air or gaseous elements to the point where its constituent components separate and liquify. (carbon dioxide solidifies at -120F, nitrogen liquefies at -320F, oxygen at -297F, hydrogen at -423F). Knowing that, the liquifier can collect each liquified gas at a specific temperature, pretty much in its pure state. Much like a liquor still purifies and collects alcohol, except the temperatures are reversed! Then all that's necessary is to keep it cold, and pump it into my dewar. The vacuum insulated dewar I own insulates so well I only fill it about twice a year! Now remember, LN2 boils at -320F, so I think that's amazing! Why Use Liquid Nitrogen?- When a knife steel is heated to a certain point it changes to a softer, nonmagnetic phase called austenite. That "certain point" is modified by the carbon and other alloying content of the steel. Then as we quench the blade back to room temperature, it will pass a point called Ms "martensite start" , where the austenite begins to convert to the harder, stronger martensite(we want this conversion!). As the steel continues to cool is passes a point called Mf "martensite finish". Now, due to carbon content and other alloying, that Mf temperature can be below room temperature, below freezing, and sometimes even below dry ice temp.(dry ice, or solid CO2 is at least -120F). This can leave a percentage of the matrix as "retained austenite", which isn't a good thing for a variety of reasons. It is critical that the knife go straight from room temp to LN2. A delay of even a few minutes, or the sometimes recommended "snap temper" before LN2 offers an opportunity for the retained austenite to stabilize. Don't even check hardness, get your blade in the LN2 now! What Does LN2 Do?- This is the reason LN2 is the choice for cryo treating to insure Mf. It is cold enough to facilitate the conversion of retained austenite(RA) to hard martensite. There are reasons we want to convert this RA as soon as possible. Here are a few: 1) Retained Austenite makes the matrix of the steel softer. At levels around 20% or above, RA negatively affects the bulk hardness of the blade, hindering performance and sharpenability. 2) Under certain stresses, RA can spontaneously convert to untempered martensite. There is a valid reason we temper our knives after hardening. Untempered martensite is extremely brittle and prone to fracture. It has very low toughness. It is prone to chipping. It creates crack initiation points and stress risers. BAD JUJU! 3) RA negatively affects edge retention and sharpenability. Softer steels are harder to properly sharpen than harder ones. Soft steel doesn't want to take a crisp edge, doesn't want to let go of the burr or foil edge when stropping. And then the softer high RA knife gets dull many times faster. How Do You Know LN2 Does That?- There are a number of ways to accurately measure the effects of LN2 on steel. 1) Rockwell Hardness Tester. Running sample coupons before and after LN2, before and after LN2 AND tempering, and at different temperatures, and checking the hardness of each one is a knifemaker's way of verifying our processes are giving the results we expect! 2) Magnetic Resonance Since RA is nonmagnetic, a very accurate measurement can be made of how much RA is in a given piece of steel. While I do not have the means to conduct this test, there is plenty of research available to verify the theory. To the left here is a chart created by Dr Larrin Thomas, showing the effects of austenitizing temperature (hardening temp) and room temp quench vs home freezer vs LN2. It is easy to see that LN2 treated samples are 3.5 Rc points harder compared to room temperature, and 2.5 points harder compared to a home freezer treatment. That's quite a difference, and exactly why I use LN2 treatment on all knives at Keith Nix Knives. Will LN2 Fix A Bad Heat Treatment? - No, LN2 will NOT fix a bad heat treatment. If a custom knife is austenitized at too low a temp, it won't fully harden. LN2 cannot fix that. If the knife is austenitized at too high a temp, awful things can happen like explosive grain growth, too much carbon in solution, and so much excess RA even LN2 can't save the piece. So LN2 isn't a "fix" for anything. It is a logical continuation of a proper heat treatment, that can enhance desirable properties of the blade. Learn more about heat treating HERE! My desire is to make the very best knives I am capable of making. To get the geometry right for the knife and the tasks it will perform. The best support for that geometry is a hard steel matrix that supports the carbide structure of the steel, resists edge rolling and chipping, and sharpens easily. LN2 helps steels achieve all those properties. (Special Thanks to Dr Larrin Thomas of Knife Steel Nerds for his seemingly unending research and generous sharing of his findings with the knife making community.) More FREE Learning: What is Heat Treating? The Next Ultimate Knife Buyer's Guide How I Design and Make a Kitchen Knife What Makes a Good Chef's Knife? Knife Safety Tips Order Your Custom Knife from Keith Nix Knives Shop Now! keithnixknives@gmail.com 828-337-7836 Thanks for reading, Keith Keith Nix Knives

Keith Nix Knives FREE Learning!! Which Hunting Knife Style is Right For ME?? Does Anyone Make Hunting Knives Near Me? Everyone who hunts has a different answer to "what makes a good hunting Knife?" Part of that comes from what each hunter HUNTS, and part is likely family tradition. Some like big, beefy knives, others like thinner, shorter and more precise, agile blades. Bird hunters need a different blade, than bear, deer, or rabbit hunters. Folks who fish are hunters as well, and their blade needs are different still. STEEL Before we get into blade shapes, let's discuss the steel your knife is made from. There have been a lot of "super steels" offered for the knife market in the last 20 years or so. Some offer extreme wear resistance (edge holding), or extreme stain resistance. Others boast of great advancements in toughness or hardness. Any steel with extreme wear resistance, or edge holding is going to be a PAIN to sharpen in the field. And any hunting knife that gets dull is going to need sharpening in the field! So if you roll the edge of your "super steel" knife cleaning that buck, you're pretty much going to have to live with it. And there's added cost of the steel and the making of the knife. Just imagine, this imaginary steel CPM-XYZ. It has 10 times the wear resistance of good ol' 52100 carbon steel. It needs to be sharpened with diamond stones. CPM-XYZ costs 5 times what 52100 costs, it uses twice the abrasive belts in my shop and takes another 40-50% in labor cost to produce. Will it be worth it to you in the field? Maybe. Or maybe you won't even notice the difference. Food for thought! A hunting knife is a tool, in fact a multi-tool. Typical classic designs try to make the hunting knife a tool to gut and clean a carcass, skin it, break it down into primal cuts, debone the primals, and fillet a few trout for dinner, after the same knife is used to process enough firewood to last all night. Of course no knife will do ALL that well, and it makes no sense to even try to make one. I do make a "classic" looking hunting knife(left), I make it thin enough to actually serve as a knife, and not a small axe like object for splitting firewood! It's a simple 4" - 4.5" drop point, with a handle that fits just right. This knife, "The Lautner", is available in any steel I stock. I offer another blade, smaller and more agile than a standard hunter. A friend commissioned this blade and we designed it together, called "The Pig Skinner". He uses this 3" blade to skin the feral hogs he hunts in SC. Blade length can be increased to around 4" to accommodate your preferences. Named for the co-designer, this is "The Rollins". A third hunting knife I offer is a 5" fillet/skinning knife, or it can be stretched to 6.5 - 7" for a fillet/boning knife. Another great friend and I designed this one, around his love of an old fillet knife to skin deer. It's thin and flexible similar to a fillet knife with enough heft to still be useful skinning large game. This blade can be easily modified to your particular task. My thinking is that a "hunting knife" should actually be a "Hunting Set", with three or four specialized knives to do all the tasks needed to move game from the field to the frying pan or freezer. Do you have a need for a specialized hunting knife? Let's talk about it and get it built for you! More Free Learning: The Great Steel Debate Order Your Custom Knife from Keith Nix Knives Shop Now! keithnixknives@gmail.com 828-337-7836 Thanks for reading, Keith Keith Nix Knives

Knife Sharpening Q&A Keith Nix Knives Knife Sharpening Questions Answered How Do I Get My Knives Sharpened? There's no need to be in the dark about Knife Sharpening Services. Why do knives get dull? What does Professional Knife Sharpening cost? How long does it take? Find out when to have your knives sharpened, how to make your edges last longer through care and maintenance, and safety tips, all right here. Sometimes we're a little resistant to do something we've never done before. We don't know what to expect, or how the whole Professional Knife Sharpening procedure plays out. You have knife sharpening questions and we have answers! So dive in to the Knife Sharpening Q&A I trusted Keith with some of my custom kitchen knives, and he did an outstanding job. He took great care and is a true professional. I would highly recommend him. -Seth I contacted Mr. Nix about sharpening a set of German knives that I have. He was super friendly and easy to work with - even letting me mail my knives to him! He turned them around in 1 day and stayed in communication with me. Just a great overall experience, a great price, and a great job! I can’t recommend him any more highly!- Chris Q: Is it worth it to get my knives professionally sharpened? A : The short answer is yes, at least occasionally. A dull knife is a minor misery to work with. Dull knives are potential accidents waiting to happen. Dull knives are time wasted. ​ My tools and setup allow me to do things in minutes that would take a typical home sharpener many hours to do. And there's accuracy. Do you know the angle you're sharpening, honing, or steeling your knives? Have you taken the time to thin out the thickness behind the edge of your knives? Quality Assurance at Keith Nix Knives takes care of that. We know the angle. We thin the edges at the right angle. We hand sharpen the apex of your knives. If you're reasonably good at steeling or stropping, you shouldn't need my services more than once a year unless you're a professional chef or butcher. But your edges do need a reset now and then. That's where Professional Knife Sharpening comes in, and the answer is YES, it is worth the cost! Q: What does it cost to have my knives Professionally Sharpened? A : This is the most asked sharpening question here at Keith Nix Knives, so let's address it early and get it out of the way. We charge $1 per blade plus $1 per inch of blade. Serrated knives are $2 per inch of blade. That is, a knife with an 8" blade costs $9, a 6" blade is $7, and so on. The handle length doesn't count! For that cost, you get the following: ​ Every knife receives this attention: 1) A full inspection of your knife to check for cracks in the steel and other safety issues. 2) Measurement of "thickness behind the edge," the key metric in keenness. 3) Edge thinning, if necessary, most often at 10-12 degrees per side for kitchen knives, higher for heavy-use blades. 4) Final HAND sharpening, on a fixed angle sharpener (Hapstone), at a final angle appropriate for the knife, its use, and the quality of the steel it is made from, I use a progression of diamond stones from 80 to 2000 grit and polish/deburr the apex with a 3000 grit ceramic stone. 5) Final Stropping on leather loaded with 1-micron diamond paste to further polish the apex of your knife and remove the burrs created in the sharpening process. 6) Measurement of the sharpness with the Edge on Up Sharpness tester. It gets resharpened if your edge doesn't cut the test media with less than 170 grams (6 ounces) of force. We no longer say, "it's shaving sharp"; we measure sharpness for quality assurance! 7) Final clean up and wipe down with isopropyl alcohol to remove residues. 8) 100% satisfaction guarantee! ​ Q: How do I know when my knives need sharpening? A: If you have difficulty slicing a ripe tomato, your knife must be sharpened. If you're slicing carrots and they pop off the cutting board, your blade is too thick behind the edge. If you have to saw back and forth on the roast or onion you're slicing, your knives need help. If your knife won't cleanly cut paper, that's a great indicator that it needs sharpening. If the edge of your knife has visible nicks or chips, please bring it to me as soon as possible. Q: How can I get my knives sharpened? A: At Keith Nix Knives, it's as simple as a call, text, or email to make an appointment. I'll typ ically need no more than 24 hours to fine-tune your knives' edges so you ENJOY using them! See our contact info RIGHT HERE ! Give us a call, text, or email. Just get in touch! Q: How Do You Sharpen Knives? A : After edge thinning to make your knife a better slicer, I hand finish your edge with a small 'microbevel', at a slightly higher angle. This hand sharpening step eliminates the possibility of a "heat affected zone" at the edge of your knife. The microbevel adds strength to the edge. All knives I sharpen are finished to 2000 grit, and deburred with a 3000 grit ceramic stone and 1 micron diamond pasted strop. Your knives will be tested on the "Edge On Up" sharpness tester, and must fall between 140 and 170 on the BESS scale of sharpness. Read through the "Quantifying Sharpness" articles to learn more about this. Q: How Long Do Kitchen Knives Last? A: There is no reason for a quality kitchen knife to wear out in a single lifetime unless you are a professional using your knives for your living . With proper care and sharpening, your custom knife should be something your kids and grandkids will treasure long after you're gone! Refer to the links right after the next question for some tips to make your knives last longer. ​ Q: Why Do My Knives Get Dull So Fast? A: There are several possible reasons your knives are dulling quickly. If you own factory-made knives, it could be the quality of the steel or the factory heat treatment of the steel. It could be that you're scraping things off your cutting board with THE EDGE of your knife, a big no-no. Are you s toring knives loose in a drawer, where they can slide around and roll, chip, or ding the edges as they bang together. Dishwashers are notorious for ruining fine edges and handles through corrosion and microabrasion, and should be avoided at all costs! Be aware of the type of material your cutting board is made from! That too. There are two pages right here at Keith Nix Knives for you to read: ​ Caring For Custom Knives Choosing The Right Cutting Board Q: What is "Quantifying Sharpness"? A: Where I work as a machinist, we make parts with exceedingly close tolerances on a daily basis. Bearing journal Inside and outside diameter tolerances are .0003" TOTAL. We often hold plus or minus .0005". We have to have the means to MEASURE, or quantify, those dimensions and guarantee their accuracy. And from the time I started this little business, not being able to actually measure sharpness bothered me. I could slice paper, shave the hair on your arm test, slice the tomato test, all the anecdotal, subjective "Papaw taught me" tests. But I lacked a way to put a solid number on sharpness until the "Edge on Up" Sharpness tester. I've written about it so if you're interested, click on "Quantifying Sharpness" , and read all three related posts. ​ Q: Can you sharpen Japanese knives? A: Yes I can. In fact, I love sharpening high-end Japanese blades, or any other knife with a properly hardened blade. The quality of the steel and the heat treatment in high-quality Japanese cutlery is superb, making my job easier! Most mass-produced blades, whether western or Japanese, are made from good-quality steel with inferior heat treatment. They are softer than a knife should be, and during shar pening that softer steel is harder to give a really keen edge, it's harder to deburr and strop, and harder to polish well. Properly hardened and tempered knives are a dream! Q: How long will my knives stay sharp after you work on them? A: That depends more on how you use and care for your knives than how I sharpen them. The steel they're made from and heat treatment applied at the factory matter too. No knife sharpener has a magic machine that will make your knives stay sharper for longer. I know some sharpeners tell you that, but it just isn't true. Proper care, use, and storage improve edge life dramatically! And proper edge thinning makes a knife "feel" sharper longer. This article will give you some tips on caring for your knives. And this post will help you choose an appropriate cutting board. Here are some knife safety tips. ​ Q: Should I buy an elect ric knife sharpener? A : No, please don't. Any one of those "drag through" electric sharpeners is a death sentence to your quality knives. If you want something to touch up your knives at home, look into a pair of ceramic honing rods, held in the shape of an "X" by the base they're mounted to. They won't remove too much material, and they will help you realign the edge of your knife between sharpenings. H Q: Can You Sharpen my knives while I wait? A: I'm going to say no to that. Knife sharpening requires concentration, patience, and time. My shop is tiny. My procedure and protocols are not secret in any way, I've written about them at length. I can do same-day sharpening with an appointment beforehand, SOMETIMES. I typically don't do "walk up" same-day sharpening, and sometimes I won't be able to do same-day on your schedule. Make an appointment, please, let's talk about it. I will try my best to accommodate your needs. Besides, I know I don't do my best work with someone standing over me or waiting on me. Go have lunch, and see the sights in Black Mountain. I'll be done in a little while! Q: Can you sharpen serrated blades? A: Yes, we sharpen serrated blades. They require round sharpening stones of the right diameter, and I have a selection of those. Serrated blades take longer to sharpen and so I do charge more. The good news is serrated blades stay sharp longer, so you won't have to bring them as often! Q: Do you offer pick-up and delivery? A: Yes, within a reasonable distance of say 10-15 miles, Beyond that there will be a mileage-based fee. Or the US Mail is available. Q: May I mail you my knives and have you mail them back? A: Yes, provided you pay postage both ways and understand that I am not responsible for the safety of your blades in either direction. ​ More Knife Sharpening Info: Knife Sharpening At Keith Nix Knives Quantifying Sharpness Quantifying Sharpness II Quantifying Sharpness III If you have any questions about knife sharpening, knife making, how to book a custom knife, or have a special blade designed, please get in touch with Keith as described below: Call or Text: 828.337.7836 Email: keithnixknives@gmail.com

Keith Nix Knives - Knife Maker North Carolina Custom Knives Knife Sharpening Near You Knife Maker, Black Mountain Knife Shop Who Makes Knives In Black Mountain? Custom Knives Black Mountain , Knife Sharpening Local C hefs Knives , Custom Kitchen Knives , Knife Sharpening Black Mountain Keith N ix Knives is a M ember of the North Carolina Custom Knife Makers Guild We Are A Member Of The Black Mountain/ Swannanoa C hamber Of Commerce We Are An Accredited Member Of The Better Business Bureau "I ordered a beautiful chef's knife from Keith. He showed me his process, allowed me to pick out the wood for the handle and delivered a lasting heirloom for my husband's birthday. If you are interested in a purchase, take the time to set up an appointment, and see what is possible. Also, I was aware that Keith needs the lead time to hand craft such a gorgeous, perfect knife. The investment up front by contacting him months ahead was worth it.I also have a friend who is a professional chef and he gave the knife high marks, plus many "ooohs" and "aahhs." I am so very pleased to have this beautiful knife in our home, representing a local artist like Keith." -Kay BLACK MOUNTAIN KNIFE MAKER TAKES NO DEPOSIT EVER Keith Nix is a Knife Maker in Black Mountain, a native of the little town just minutes from Asheville, NC. We offer Custom Chefs Knives for home cooks or professional chefs, custom kitchen knives , hunting knives near you , belt knives , and custom made outdoor knives from our Black Mountain Knife Works in town. We don't take deposits for custom work. EVER. Custom Knives We are a custom knife designer and maker near Asheville, ready to serve you. The Knife Shop and Black Mountain Knife Store are located only a few minutes from Asheville (20 minutes), Marion (25 minutes), Hendersonville (45 minutes), and Weaverville (30 minutes). And we NEVER take a deposit on custom work at Keith Nix Knives. You may pay when your knife is finished or walk away. So come on out and visit, check out the North Carolina Knife Maker , see the Black Mountain Knives, then have lunch or dinner in one of our many fine restaurants in Black Mountain. (Learn About Hunting Knives Near You) Kitchen Knives Near You We make other hand made knives in Black Mountain, including carving and slicing blades, paring knives and steak knives, custom cleavers, thin vegetable cleavers, deba knives, and nakiri knives. Hand crafted custom hunting knives and a growing number of outdoor knives are also available. All kitchen knives are hand made by Keith The Knife Maker, from start to finish. Trouble finding Asheville Knife Makers? It's a short drive to Black Mountain Knife Works! The Steels We offer three high-carbon steels, three stainless steels, and three tool steels from which to choose for the home kitchen or professional environment! Any custom knife we offer at Keith Nix Knives can be made from AEB-L, 14C28N, CPM MagnaCut, CPM M4, A2, D2, 52100, 80CRV2, and 26C3. No single knife steel is suitable for every job and every customer. (Learn about The Steels ) If you're looking for an Asheville Knife Maker, we're close enough to be the right choice. The Custom Knife Shop is nearby, and our Black Mountain Knifeworks is only minutes away. Stop by when you're in town and visit the knife shop. Let's get your Nix Knives custom blades on the list. Wouldn't it be great to purchase your Nix Knives kitchen knives from a local knife maker and take advantage of free local knife sharpening for life? Check out the Knife Sharpening Q&A below to learn how to book your custom kitchen knife or hand made hunting knife. Knife Sharpening Q&A HERE Custom Knife Handle Materials Introducing the Mini Cleaver! To Speak Or Text With The Knife Maker Now, CLICK HERE! About Keith Nix Knives In Black Mountain, NC! Keith Nix Knives Online S tore For Custom Chefs Knives! WANT CUSTOM KNIVES? Your North Carolina Knife Maker Can Help! Custom Knife Designer Near Asheville ​ Want a unique knife built? We are a custom knife designer, here to assist you in realizing your dream! Our beautiful ergonomic, COMFORTABLE knife handles are designed by and unique to Keith Nix Knives. When you stop by the Black Mountain Knife Shop, you'll see hand made kitchen knives in various stages of completion, handle woods, sheaths, not yet released prototypes, and all the tools used to create and sharpen your hand made knives. So come by, and let's talk about your next custom chef's knife or hand made hunting knife. Or instead, choose your beautiful custom kitchen knives from the Online Store by clicking here. "The Norton" Fillet/Boning/Camp Kitchen Knife While you're here, please consider subscribing to our mailing list. Great things are happening at The Knife Shop, and you'll be first to know. Click here to go to the subscribe form. It's FREE! Click here for Local Knife Sharpening Asheville. Knife Sharpening, Questions and Answers HERE! Quantifying Sharpness Quantifying Sharpness II Quantifying Sharpness III Click HERE To set up Professional Knife Sharpening near you! Knife Sharpening Black Mountain Searching For Knife Sharpening Near You? WANT SHARPER KNIVES? Try Professional Knife Sharpening at Keith Nix Knives! Local knife sharpening is available in Black Mountain. Black Mountain Knife Sharpener Keith Nix Knives provides knife sharpening near you in Black Mountain, NC, for professional and home cooks. Scissors sharpening is also available for businesses and individuals in the Greater Asheville Area. ALWAYS choose a professional sharpening service, and count on Keith Nix Knives for local knife sharpening. I don't know anyone doing local knife sharpening services who HAND SHARPENS knives with a grit progression of up to eight diamond and ceramic sharpening stones other than North Carolina knife maker Keith Nix Knives. ​ I've written and provided links on why hand-sharpened edges are superior to powered machine sharpening. We sharpen all knives, including traditional Japanese, French, German, single bevel, and all Western and custom blades; even more, we are quantifying the sharpness of your blades with "The Edge on Up" Sharpness Tester, that is MEASURING the level of sharpness before we return your knives. ​ Quality Control makes for better products and services and genuinely professional knife sharpening near you. Call or text 828.337.7836 to make an appointment with your local knife sharpener or email keithnixknives@gmail.com . I am a low-volume knife maker producing small batches or single blades. Local knife makers like Keith Nix Knives have the ability and time to give more attention to details like custom heat treatment protocols, cryogenic treatment (learn about the cryogenic treatment of knives HERE), special precise grinds, and hand-sharpened edges. ​ We make the best hand made knives we can simply by taking the time to do it! On top of that, you get to choose the material for your handle and blade! These details ensure you harder, tougher, sharper, better-looking custom knives right out of the box, a knife we cannot make any better, and the custom knife you envisioned. Heirlooms for the next generation. Let us be your Asheville knife maker. We offer laser etching for personalization on all knives built in-house. ​ At mass-producing major knife companies, quicker is often better, and the big corporation won't go to the time and expense to cryogenically treat or hand sharpen your blade with a progression of stones. This kind of attention to detail gives the custom knife maker the edge, literally! And I promise your local knife maker will be more interested in your happiness than some corporate customer service representative! Check out our Guarantee! ​ About The Steels The heart of any custom knife is the steel it is made from. The heat treatments and grinds applied to that steel by the knife maker become the "personality" of the hand made knife, and determine whether it will be a pleasure or a pain to use for its intended purpose. Let's talk about how you use your knife and then make a custom knife you can USE! We offer three stainless steels, three carbon steels, and three tool steels, because no ONE steel is perfect for every job! Do You Make Custom Sheaths? Why YES! Yes, we do! We offer heavy-duty vegetable-tanned top-grain leather custom sheaths hand made for YOUR custom knife by Curtis Cooper. Welted, glued, and hand saddle stitched to hold up to abuse! ​ North Carolina Knife Maker This Black Mountain Knife Maker does everything "In House" except make the raw steel, laser etch the logo, and stabilize the wood for handles. We cut and grind the profile, heat treat, quench, apply a cryogenic extension of the quench, temper, grind bevels, make the handle, and apply the finish. Once complete, your custom knife will receive its first HAND sharpening before transferring it to your possession. If you have questions, consult our FAQ Page HERE! Or contact Keith: EMail Phone Introducing the Mini Cleaver! Custom Chef's Knife HERE! To Cal l Or Text With The Knife Maker, Click HERE! Paring Knives Here's a sweet little "Sarah" Belt K nife for a belt or backpack! Knife Maker Near You "If you value true craftsmanship with a little mountain history, Keith Nix is your man. With an engineer’s brain and an artist’s heart, he can make your dream knife come true. I ordered a Pig Skinner knife for my uncle’s birthday, and it is absolutely gorgeous and ready for adventures. I was fortunate to be able to visit his shop and see where the magic happens. He couldn’t have been nicer to work with on this special gift." -Kendra "I brought in a 12 year old chef knife that was in rough shape (it hadn't been sharpened in those 12 years, and had small chips all along the blade) and a boning knife that was really dull. Turn around was fast, Keith was very kind and professional, and when I got home I was able to slice through broccoli stems like butter and remove chicken tendons like paper. Pretty sure the chef knife is sharper than when I first bought it. Now cutting vegetables is seriously weird, I'm not used to this level of effortless slicing and dicing. Do yourself a favor and take your knives to Keith." -Jordan "What first took my breath when I opened the gift of a Keith Nix Knives petite chef’s knife was the handle. Keith crafted it from a dead limb removed from a dogwood tree on my land. The subtleties of hue and depth of grain are extraordinary! The handle fits as if it were made for my hand. The weight, balance and edge of this knife make every type of cooking prep effortless. It’s as if the knife is an extension of my arm. "Keith also gave new life to several heavily used and abused knives in three vacation rentals I own. Sharper now than they were new. The same applies to two heavily rusted and terribly dull garden loppers I took to Keith Nix Knives. Keith’s craftsmanship, skill, integrity, humility and humor are a rare combination. 1,000 thanks to you, Keith, and to Keith Nix Knives!" -Marisa "The kitchen knife, cook's knife, chef's knife, is the most used single tool in the house for many of us. To be continually disappointed by dull, cheap knifes is something I can't understand. If you cook for yourself or your family, you DESERVE a great kitchen knife!" -Keith Nix My Guarantee to You! Your Keith Nix Knives custom knife is guaranteed for life. Whether a custom chef knife or a handmade hunting knife, I will repair, replace, or refund your custom knife at my discretion. All you have to do is ship or deliver it to me and pick it up, or I'll pay return shipping. If you don't like your Keith Nix Knives product, ship it back. I'll refund or exchange the purchase price for another knife, no questions asked. When your knife gets dull, and it eventually will, I'll always sharpen it free of charge. Dull knives are awful to work with. Just don't do it. Buy a custom knife with a guarantee that matters! STAY SHARP! WHENEVER, FOREVER! See Styles and Prices Here! ​ Click Here To Submit a Review of Keith Nix Knives on Google! Contact Please get in touch to find out more about the process and work of Custom Knife Maker Keith Nix or to consult about your own project. Phone/Text: 828-337-7836 keithnixknives@gmail.com 244 Cragmont Rd Black Mountain, NC 28711 Keith Nix Knives is a short five minute drive from downtown Black Mountain, not far from Lake Tomahawk. Call and schedule a visit! 828-337-7836 T-Shirts HERE! Caps HERE!

About Keith Nix North Carolina Knife Maker Knife Store Black Mountain Knife Sharpener Near You Professional Knife Sharpening Service Hello! I'm Keith, the head grinder at Keith Nix Knives. I am a native North Carolina Knife Maker, with the knife maker's shop and knife store in Black Mountain. I make high-quality, AFFORDABLE custom kitchen knives and handmade outdoor knives of all types, from hunting knives to paring knives and all-purpose belt knives. Fine slicing blades, pig skinners, custom carving knives, boning knives, and heavy-use bushcraft blades. Each blade is made by hand from new steel stock purchased from reputable dealers well-known in the knife community. All suppliers I use can provide certifications back to the factory and the specific "Melt" my steel came from. No scrap, recycled, "fleabay," or mystery steel is ever used for knives at Keith Nix Knives. I'm proud to say I'm a member of the NC Custom Knife Maker's Guild, The Better Business Bureau, and The Swannanoa Valley Chamber of Commerce. In 2015 or 2016, I acquired a beautiful piece of Birdseye Maple and thought it would be fun to make a knife handle from it. I didn't have a suitable knife, so I shopped around and found a company that sells drilled, profiled, and hardened blank knives. "Add your handle and sharpen," so to speak. I ordered a blade, and when it arrived, I was amazed it passed this company's quality control process, if there ever was one. The bevels were grossly off-center to the centerline of the knife, the pin holes varied by over .010, and the hardness was in the mid-50s HRc. It might have made a nice toy, but it wasn't a knife I wanted to carry. And that $20 blade compelled me to embark on this "hobby." Being a machinist, I knew I could do better, and I set to studying the art and design, heat treating processes, knife steels, and handle materials. Many thousands of dollars in knife-making equipment and machines later, and a bunch of badly ground blades, I started making and testing knives. Calling Black Mountain Home I grew up in Black Mountain. I have roamed and camped these beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains and valleys, chased waterfalls, waded and fished the creeks, and worked here all my life. My home, shop, and knife store are about five miles west of the Eastern Continental Divide or The Blue Ridge Mountains. The water from the Swannanoa River here in the Valley eventually flows into the Gulf of Mexico via the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers. On the other side of the Divide, the Catawba River flows southeastward, finally entering SC, becoming the Wateree River, then the Cooper River, and flowing on to the Atlantic Ocean at Charleston, SC. My tiny shop and store are located on the property where I grew up. Lying on the north side of the Swannanoa Valley, my mountain views from home look south and east across the Swannanoa Valley at High Windy, High Top, Lakey Gap, Sunset (Miami) Mountain, and the Swannanoa Mountain range. We sit about twelve "crow miles" south of Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. ​ Access to the Blue Ridge Parkway is nine miles from home. I can be in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in an hour, Craggy Gardens in less than an hour, and Shining Rock Wilderness in an hour. Easy access to these wonders has helped shape who I am. To this day, the natural beauty of Western North Carolina sometimes takes my breath. My parents and three of four grandparents grew up in Western North Carolina. So did most of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings. Many of us are still here in Black Mountain and Buncombe County, along the Blue Ridge, and my children are also here. As a child and an adult, we have enjoyed picnics, hikes, and rides along The Blue Ridge Parkway. Now my young grandson is calling Buncombe home. My roots in Western North Carolina are long and deep. That alone guides me to provide the best products and services possible. Because quite possibly, my client is a friend, neighbor, former schoolmate or coworker, or even a family member, or maybe one person away from knowing my family or me. Because of this, you will get the best I have to offer! ​ "Keith was great to work with! Not only was he quick and professional, but his work with our broken knife was fantastic! We will use him in the future and I highly recommend him!" -Lori Ezra Maille of The Black Mountain News wrote an excellent article about Keith Nix Knives. Please read it HERE! Cooper Metts of the CPJW shot a video of my little shop. View it HERE! Knife Making Articles HERE! I started gathering tools and knowledge for this "retirement hobby" of making, sharpening, and repairing knives in early 2017 and made my first serviceable knife in the fall of 2019. Since I already had the specialized tools in my shop, I offered professional sharpening services for knives and scissors for friends and family. Both jobs have blossomed, and now I have around six months worth of knives on the books to build and sharpening projects flowing in regularly. You can visit the gallery of past knife-making projects HERE. I've always appreciated a good knife that does its job well, whatever that job may be. I constantly strive to make a great 8-inch custom chef's knife , a handmade nakiri , a hunter, or a skinning knife in a price range that regular folks like you and I can afford. Background Working with steel and other metals for most of my adult life as a manual and CNC machinist and tool maker, the jump to custom knives was a natural choice. I'm constantly refining my "process" as if I'm still in a production atmosphere; for example, making or heat treating a batch of five or ten knives is more cost-effective and less time-consuming "per knife" than making them one at a time. Developing and refining my skills also saves time and improves quality, as does having and choosing the right tool to perform the task at hand. I've studied the science of metallurgy to understand better what each element in a particular steel composition does to the finished product. I've studied deeply the steels I choose to offer for knives, and I chose these for their BALANCE of properties, such as toughness, ease of sharpening, potential working hardness, and for stainless steel, stain resistance. At Keith Nix Knives, we offer three high-carbon steels, three stainless steels, and three tool steels from which to choose for the home kitchen or professional environment! Included are AEB-L, 14C28N, CPM MagnaCut, CPM M4, A2, D2, 52100, 80CRV2, and 26C3. I've tested heat-treating protocols for the steels I use and offer to you. I've done all this in my ovens, and I know my ovens' idiosyncrasies. They produce results comparable to the people whose teachings have helped me achieve my goals. I am set up to do cryogenic treatment of all the knives I make, because it has been proven that a soak at -320F (yes, 320 BELOW ZERO) makes every steel stronger, harder, and more abrasion resistant to support sharp keen edges. I use the knowledge I've gained to produce the very best knives possible for folks in Black Mountain and the surrounding area. And I'll share what I know with those interested! HOME PAGE FREE Learning Page HERE! Learn About Heat T reating HERE! Learn About Liquid Nitrogen HERE! "The Norton" Fillet/Boning/Camp Kitchen Knife Keith Nix Knives also offers Knife Sharpening Services and edge and tip repair to individuals and businesses in Asheville, Weaverville, Black Mountain, Old Fort, and Marion, NC. Call or text to book your knife or make your appointment! Knife Sharpening Q&A HERE Knife Sharpening In Black Mountain Learn How I'll Sharpen Your Knives HERE! Check The Knifeworks Store N ow! Crafted By Hand, Informed By Science! keithnixknives@gmail.com 828-337-7836 Button Button Button "I've already put some good use in from working in a professional kitchen with my cleaver and 10" chef knife; also, love the quality, balance, and sharpness. Keith let me pick the wood in for the handles, talked me through blade sizes, and also the edge type that was right for me. All of my coworkers are just as in love with the product as I am, as well I've already been asked by family and friends where to get the high quality craftsmanship that I received. The handles are beyond beautiful, the blades are beyond sharp and strong, and I love how great Keith is with making sure the product meets the person and need for the knife. All around, better than anything I've ever bought from major knife brands!" -Gavyn Join our mailing list Email First Name Last Name Subscribe Thanks for subscribing! Sharpening Services Click here for professional, precise, knife sharpening. Please, PLEASE, don't hesitate to call or text before ordering a product or service online. In order for me to customize your work for you, we need to talk. Email works too, just talk to me! 828-337-7836 keithnixknives@gmail.com Call or Text