Self-taught amateur blacksmith from Doncaster shares his love for knife making

Many people have picked up hobbies during the lockdown but designing and forging knives has to be among the more unusual pastimes embarked upon in the midst of the pandemic.

Chris Evans, of Wheatley Hills, says he taught himself how to make the intricate and complicated knives by watching YouTube tutorials.

The 38-year-old said: “It takes about 30 hours to make a knife.

“I use a special layered steel to make my knives in combination with steel with a high nickel content.

“I melt them together like a Mars bar and it creates a design with contrasting light and dark areas.”

Once the metal has been melted Chris dips it in acid then lets it cool before filling it down and adding handles.

Chris sources his metals from within the UK and is passionate about continuing to learn the old English skill which has a strong history within South Yorkshire.

The hobby began as a way to spend more time with his father who is a retired joiner but has become a true love for Chris who says it helped him get through the lockdown.

“I work five or six days a week so I do this on my days off as a creative outlet,” he said.

Chris is an OpenReach Engineer and says he has been extremely busy over the last six months.

He has recently decided to start sharing his hobby online through social media and has been blown away by the support of his hand made creations.

“I have been surprised by the reaction online,” he continued.

“So many people are interested in my work and I’m gaining new followers every day.

“I’m no Kim Kardashian but it’s exciting to see where this could lead.”

Chris’s knives are not for sale as he does not wish to change the nature of the expressive hobby.

He enjoys designing for himself and doesn’t want to dull the enjoyment he gets from the process.

If you’re interested in seeing more of Chris’s work you can find him on Instagram here.

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