How to Forge a [San Mai] Chef’s Knife- Your Edge

The first 1000 who click the link will get 2 months of Skillshare Premium for FREE skl.sh/thatworks
In this Special Edition of Your Edge Ilya Alekseyev shows you how to for a Japanese kitchen knife using the San Mai construction. He goes into great detail in every step of the process. The body of the knife is made from wrought iron and the edge is W-2 on the first one and damascus on the the other knives. You see Ilya doesn't just make one demo knife. Instead he makes 3 knives to show different options that you can do with this style of forging. Ilya uses all hand tools to forge these knives and a charcoal forge. The reason behind this is to show you that you can do it without fancy power hammers and expensive forges. All you need is fire and a hammer and San Mai can be done.
Many Techniques are covered in this Your Edge video. Ilya Alekseyev is a Forged in Fire champion and brings years of experience to you for free. Think of this as a online master class totally free of charge. He shows how to forge the wrought iron and hot cut it for the insert. Then shows how to forge weld the pieces together using a striker and explaining how you could forge weld it yourself. He then shows how to forge out the blade properly and how to use hand files and scrapers to forge the geometry after forging. Ilya then heat treats the knife using a then coat of clay and quenching into water. All of the blade finishing is shown and explained. Everything from making the wood handles to etching and polishing. Sit back and learn how to make a San Mai kitchen knife the Slavic way !
After the forging is complete sit back and enjoy a slavic cooking show with Ilya as he shows you how to put the knife to use while preparing on of his favorite dishes, grilled mackerel. Learn how to make a knife and how to cook fish on a grill all in one video !
► To purchase one of these knives please vist thatworks.shop/shop .
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**Please consider supporting us by sharing this video to help spread the word!
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Thanks to our shop sponsor Red Label Abrasives ! Check them out for all your abrasive needs ! www.redlabelabrasives.com/
Videos Shot, Produced and edited by - Matt Stagmer
Co-producer Ilya Alekseyev
Brand Manager - Chris Cash
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Music by - Epidemic Sound
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#SanMai #Bladesmithing #ThatWorks

[@ThatWorks]

Thanks to Skillshare for sponsoring this episode and thanks to all of you for watching and supporting us. If you would like to purchase one of these knives please go to ThatWorks.shop and be sure to follow us on Instagram for live videos. @slavicsmith and @mattstagmer

[@rusteshackleferd8115]

That Works fantastic video! 🤓 I especially love the cooking lesson at the end. 😍😍😍

[@ThatWorks]

ruste shackleferd thank you!

[@keeperoflenneth]

Hell yea sponsorships!

[@kingkuroneko7253]

Nice video

[@AbuelaPowers]

Would be awesome watching you tackle, ghost of tsushima, Jin Sakai's katana

[@yanuehara8017]

This channel is so underrated.

[@ThatWorks]

Yan Uehara agreed :-)

[@jorgegonzalez-pv8mv]

What happens is that they use techniques that others do not know or do not try to reproduce because they are extremely laborious and detailed

[@dontaylor9719]

I agree Ilya alone deserves way more too many keep secrets of the trade and those techniques take a chance of that knowledge dying with them. Thank you Ilya for what you do for the trade. O and Matt too lol

[@hookersbladesforge]

Agreed

[@bill4639]

@@jorgegonzalez-pv8mv that is ridiculous

[@tuseroni6085]

fun fact: when ilya cuts onions, the onions cry

[@ThatWorks]

You win. I’m not sure what you win, but you def won!

[@DrZedd169]

I would cry if someone was cutting me. I get it onions. I get it.

[@kevindodds7435]

It’s because his knives are made correctly.

[@CECS1]

Ilya makes a knife so good Chuck Norris runs and hides

[@AndrewArndts]

no when Ilya cuts onions, Chuck Norris cries

[@MrMopbucket]

Ilya is such a cool craftsman. I love the fact he doesn't have an ego or anything to go with it. He's just straight facts and competence. He's a student who never stops learning and contemplating what he does. I know he wouldn't say he's a master smith, but, to me, his constant striving to do better is the very embodiment of what a master smith should be.

[@Matthew199771]

This is so well-written I can't agree more.

[@bill4639]

You don’t understand. The knife is a complete disaster. There is wrought iron in the edge and it is way over-forged.

[@arrowzen7433]

No ego? - of course he has one. And clearly it is huge. He knows he is good and wants to be “different”. But he understands virtue ethics and wants to be virtuos - so he keeps his ego in check, by practicing virtue ethics, thus cultivating a character of virtue. E.g. balancing pride w. humility.

[@blakequinn]

@@bill4639 if you would have payed any amount of attention then you would've seen that there is not any in the edge, (the whole reason for making a 'san mai' constructed knife) and if i'm not mistaken you cant "over forge" a piece unless you've gone and melted it.

[@Newbyrock23]

11:10 (off camera). “What am I doing” LOL. Bro I feel u

[@fingergunz4675]

Can we get a tour of the shop? I hear birds throughout the video and I'm interested to see the shop, if you're interested that is. Amazing video as always and keep pushing forward

[@stevegrillot]

Also can we get a video about making your charcoal

[@ThatWorks]

Steve Grillot That could be fun

[@ThatWorks]

We will! I promise. Still feels like we are getting set up here with all the new additions

[@stevegrillot]

@@ThatWorks awesome, been thinking about trying charcoal but still in the thinking part due to sheer amount of charcoal needes

[@zumbazumba1]

@@ThatWorks Where can i buy a guy with a sledgehammer and are they cheaper than a power hammer?

[@froschnmaximus9108]

A video about sharpening knives (and other edgy tools) with stone (water, oil, different edge geometry, basics and such) would be a good thing. This will even benefit all the viewers, who cant forge at home, but want to take care of their blades ;) I sharpen all my knives by hand and yes it takes time (good meditation), but the moment you get a mirror like finish and shaving sharpness ... - pure bliss!

[@lairdcummings9092]

This.

[@ScottKenny1978]

Seconded!

[@cedricl.marquard6273]

Absolutely love the style where you have no music, just the raw sound and explenations every now and then

[@talespaz]

"usually you can trick one of your friends to help you out as a striker on this or that weekend but if you don't have friends..."

[@lairdcummings9092]

Offer to grill fish like that, and you'll have all the strikers you need.

[@HuddBob]

I didn't realise how much I'd appreciate the culinary 'cut test' definitely more appropriate than hacking at some water jugs.

[@Nelith80]

I do love my weapons being forged...but somehow this is more interesting. Sure, the process of making a crazy fantasy weapon is entertaining to watch, but a simple knife is a wow moment for me. I dont know why. I guess seeing something so practical being made and then used. From a piece of metal into a useful tool. Loved the video. Thank you.

[@tyrellthiel2201]

I have wanted to take up smithing for years now, originally I was thinking "I could make a sword, or spears, or..." now I just want to be able to make an elegant, high functioning, utilitarian knife that once someone has will last their lifetime. And repeat that when asked

[@TRIC4pitator]

I love the "Your edge", I'm not a blacksmith but getting a look at such a skilled blacksmith while providing interesting historical/technical information is just really entertaining

[@YBombonato]

"...is that salt or borax Ilya?!" Ilya: yes.

[@ThatWorks]

aTastyKiwi indeed

[@astranix0198]

Flux works on fish too I heard

[@lukasgropl2166]

Ilya is one of the only smiths I know who can claim other craftsmen lazy or bad, and do so rightfully. AND is also brave enough to do so on the internet. Mad respect to you sir.

[@came9896]

i finished all my knives on whetstones for over a year before i decided to buy a belt grinder. i can say that the whetstones made learning the beltgrinder so easy. i knew exactly what to do before i even stepped up to the machine. i didnt realize it at the time, but learning things by hand before you buy the machine makes you a much better craftsman.

[@makariosagios]

Awesome video. I want to get into blacksmithing / bladesmithing badly. I'm medically retired from the Marine Corps, I still have medical operations I have go though before I'm fit enough to do anything beyond lay in bed, these are great to watch to fill time.

[@ThatWorks]

Arkon Jon thank you and good luck on recovering !

[@bizarreworld2510]

Get well soon man, good luck!

[@liliyaanisimov925]

get well soon

[@christiandietz6341]

Thank you for your service! Wish you a quick, complete recovery.

[@jamesyamamoto5155]

Those knives are beautiful! I bought a Yaginaba on Kappabara in Tokyo, and I use it whenever I need to cut fish. It's wicked sharp, and the edge lasts a ridiculously long time. San Mai knives take a bit of know-how to maintain. Once you own one, however, you'll never need another knife.

[@ThatWorks]

james yamamoto I couldn’t agree more

[@stokermeister3]

It’s always informative to see how you forge different steel in different ways

[@ThatWorks]

Robert Stoker so very true. Every material is different and needs to be forged differently

[@zumbazumba1]

@@ThatWorks Would you use a old file as a high carbon insert and wrap it inside of a car leaf spring?Would that work? What common items i could use for that?(due this corona outbreak i cant exactly order steel )Or maybe ball bearing race as a high carbon insert? Please share your wisdom with me !!!

[@zreiser]

I think I learned more about san-mai forging techniques in this one video that in the last 2 years of watching other smiths tutorials. Blown away!

[@ramonpizarro]

That Shinsengumi shirt that Ilya wears during his cooking Perfection

[@valrdjem]

I've been hesitant to do san mai because I was unsure. I think that I may have to give it a shot after recovery from shoulder surgery. Ilya is a heck of a smith.

[@Nikolaider]

Я человек простой. Вижу Илью - ставлю лайк!

[@konstantinmilyutin1190]

Ну тут и кроме самого Ильи есть много чего интересного, чтобы посмотреть

[@Chris-yg5vh]

How am I just seeing this!? I’ve made San mai before but the series has me stoked! Ilyas engraving episodes were hugely beneficial!!!

[@codybates2419]

The comments on the craftsmanship and philosophy behind it were so awesome. Not to mention the great walkthrough of making it

[@ozzyvhl4793]

What is something Ilya can’t do... like I’m actually astounded by the amount of skills one man has

[@Amurini]

Илья честно,усы тебе не идут без бороды....не перестаю восхищаться твоим мастерством,ты реально Кузнец 99 уровня!!!!! с уважением из Краснодара

[@howler6490]

Many moons ago, as an apprentice, we had to make our own scrapers. These were used in fitting bearings onto shafts etc. That was the first time I came across heat treatment. Yet another part of the game gone...hand power tools do the job now. Great work Ilya...thanks

[@Banzai431]

I didn't think I'd enjoy watching Ilya cooking as much as I do watching him forge, but here we are...

[@Naturiel]

Watching a Blacksmith cook with the Knife he just forged is a special experience... more please

[@lufmesquita]

First thing, I love the more silent sound editing, just the sounds of the hammer and forge. Second, just beautiful work, so much more real and grounded, no material wasting, no excess of tools and superb forging inspiration

[@jimslater8685]

listening to ilya talk about steel structure whilst pumping bellows as vaguely eastern sounding music plays in the backround is my version of zen meditation.

[@Xhaosz]

Im so happy I found this channel. I always watched Ilya's episodes on man at arms reforged and was sad it skimmed over all the technical stuff (which is normal, it fit the format better). So I'm really happy I found this channel where it's nothing but technical stuff. This is like finding the lore wiki of your favorite RPG. Ggs boys

[@NickC_222]

You know, anybody can get on KZbin and describe HOW to actually forge a knife, but one of the things I most appreciate about Ilya's videos is when he gets into WHY you do things a certain way, and most of all, when he gets into the philosophy behind it. The philosophy behind work in almost any eastern culture is not only fascinating, but often truly motivating, and the Japanese culture has some of the best and most enlightening philosophy about work, especially in fields like carpentry and apparently forging too. That's something we have a severe lack of in the west and it's a crying shame. I really do believe that our lack of any kind of meaningful metaphysical philosophy (I'm not talking at all about religion,) is why western culture is so rabidly egotistical and myopic.

[@pmchamlee]

Spectacular presentation! I am an old man with out the energy you possess; however, I have the heart to admire your excellent craftsmanship! 🤠

[@filipejovetta2703]

The best video I1ve ever seen!!! Good job Ilya, execelent, this video motivaded me a make one of this, thanks! Brazil here.

[@ThatWorks]

Filipe Jovetta you are welcome and thank you for the comment

[@natmerry]

I’d love to learn more about your scraper - what steel, hardness, edge profile? Seems a really neat way of flattening blades without burning through a mound of abrasive paper.

[@elishaberry611]

Not only do you show the process, but you also give explanations for various parts of the process. Most importantly, you never forget to have some fun with it. Another great video.

[@FollowMySound]

Ilya does such a great job of demonstrating the methodology and explaining the relevant history/tradition behind these impressive builds. Very insightful even for those of us who aren’t blacksmiths.

[@TheRealBeefStake]

The pattern in the cladding really makes these knives beautiful. Amazing video as always.

[@zreiser]

Gotta love how Ilya just casually calls out 90% for modern bladesmiths :D

[@brucebutcher7838]

YES YES YES YES YES. this is one of the resons I love watching you guys. highly entertaining and an education at the same time

[@Junnie99]

Ilya seems like such an all-around great guy!

[@Z501]

Ilya, you sir, are a natural born teacher.. Amazing job as allways!

[@lokuzt]

props to the person who edits and color corrects these videos, beautiful and criminally under praised work!

[@LarryGarfieldCrell]

He makes knives, cleans fish with them, and grills them? I'm straight and even I find that sexy. Mrs. Ilya is one amazingly lucky woman.

[@dylanparker3138]

You're definitely gay

[@jnnerantzau6061]

I kinda agree. Maybe it’s his way of doing things: if it ani’t worth doing right it ain’t worth doing. He’s come a long way from the first man at arms, in the back

[@netherdominater9960]

I hate my brain because when I read 'Mrs. Illya' my brain conjured up the image of just Illya in a dress

[@FirestarBloodstones]

Because of this channel and how straight forward you all are I have been able to get my confidence back to work out in my shop. Listening to all the Your Edge videos has helped greatly. Such great care is done with these videos, Thank you for what you are doing.

[@ThatWorks]

FirestarBloodstones that is excellent ! Thank you for your support !

[@jameshaulenbeek5931]

Fantastic video! I love how clearly and simply you explain all the processes. I enjoyed seeing and hearing how you use the corner of the anvil instead of switching to a straight or cross pein hammer. That makes so much more sense. As always, beautiful work! Also, wonderful cooking at the end.

[@kimcurtis9366]

Ilya, you are an absolute master! I learned more in this 39 minute video than I've learned in 100 hours of others' videos! I had never even heard of scraping a blade to remove the humps, bumps and hammer marks! I love how you give us the background on everything and the reasons that things have been done this way or that for Centuries! BTW, I really like your choice of music as it is calming and very enjoyable to listen to!

[@olivierseurin1204]

I can't express how good and complete this video is. Quality of both the video and the craftsmanship itself is off the charts. Love the useless story of the fresh water octopus as well

[@nscantling]

@31:30 "Make sure to wipe the excess on your clothing." I've got that part down to a science.

[@cat_loaf943]

Who would've expected a forging tutorial and a cooking tutorial in one video. Nice job!

[@proudofjune]

Watching a english-speaking maker channel using metric system

[@tyrellthiel2201]

I'm a fairly proud 'merican and all, but I only use metric for my leather crafting measurements: easier to remember whole numbers and mm provides a very small margin of error.

[@locke2517]

You're an artist man. I love watching you work

[@jamescameron9420]

8:25 "but if you dont have friends" LOL this man gets it!

[@tnylsh]

I have watched all episodes from aweme and been binge watching every second of content from this channel so addicted can't get enough.thanks for all the hard work and vids getting us thru these horrific time .be safe.

[@-TheRealChris]

This video is incredible, beautiful smithing,beautiful knives, beautiful cooking, beautiful video making, very in depth and informative and how well placed that high carbon ended up was just superb, plus its always great to see the charcoal forge and some traditional techniques. Just excellent, thank you

[@KduBorges1]

Ilya your are one of the best in this world, for your passion, your kindness, and more importantly, your techniques. Is a pleasure to watch you working. I don't forget the first time was in forged in fire when you win with spiked shield. Thanks a lot.

[@wheeliehunter6937]

Ah, i see, a Gintama shirt during the cooking portion, you sir are a man of culture indeed. :) Great job on this one!

[@bartcir89]

Thank you for this video, very informative. You guys are the best! I only have a propane forge, an anvil, and a bunch of hammers. But this shows I have enough. Looking forward to trying out san-mai some day.

[@Outamyhead]

Thanks for the education and history lesson Ilya, always a joy listening to you guys explaining the methods and reasons behind it, never done any blacksmith work, but it makes me want to try and make something.

[@samziegler4957]

"Make sure to wipe the excess epoxy on your clothing." 😂😂😂🤣

[@SvSAKAK]

I also use this technique!

[@andrasbalogh4291]

I know I'm late to the conversation, but I didn't expect a Binging with Babish mini episode at the end of a That Works video. I love it!

[@olivierseurin1204]

Absolutely love this video guys; you display impeccable craftsmanship and bring us up to your level. This is what this channel is all about I feel

[@SteveWrightDesign]

Awesome video, awesome work. I'm about to make my dad a San mai chefs knife, so this video couldn't have come at a better time for me!! Thank you!!

[@comcamera91]

Ilya, You are a great teacher who keeps my interest, which is no small task. Keep up the good work.

[@reivercaptain510]

Kitchen knives are surprisingly my new favorite thing to make. It's a different and tricky thing to get right compared to utility or EDC knives which are more open-ended to me.

[@johnboyd7158]

Perfect description of San-Mai! Just bought a Murray Carter knife. Very thin, very sharp. So appreciate this channel!

[@garetkonigsfeld2]

As usual your craftsmanship is off the chart. almost makes me want to forg instead of stock removal. Almost lol. Thank you for sharing love That Works videos you guys are very inspiring.

[@garetkonigsfeld2]

Finally a video titled accurately. How to forge and not only do you show the forging but you explain what and why. So many of these videos say how to than play some out of place music and show the hole video in fast forward. Really good 👍 video thanks for sharing 👍.

[@jamesspry3294]

This is so good I've already watched it twice. And I'll have to keep studying it, there so much in there to learn! And this is just one video...!

[@Bildgesmythe]

You guys are so skilled you make it look like magic. I can see why there are so many legends about mythical swords/knives.

[@justanothajoe]

I absolutely love wrought iron.. with the exception that it's very dirty in a propane forge. I work out of a single car garage in the city so I can't really get away with a built in place forge. Maybe someday.. An excellent video! Thank you!

[@bizarreworld2510]

This was by far the best knife making and cooking video at least on this channel if not on whole KZbin

[@Paddydapro]

That was an awesome video, great explanations, great craftsmanship, great and chill videography underlined with fitting music and showing the process from beginning to end even with cooking :) that's what I call a complete piece of work. I really enjoyed watching it and appreciate this channel! :) I definitely want more of this almost documentary style video!

[@WolchBot]

Just discovered this channel the other day, but I like seeing this video with a more traditional technique in addition to the more modern techniques from other videos.

[@mikereilly174]

Thank you for posting this video, it was great to see old school techniques. I've given myself wicked cuts shaping with a file - be careful out there, everyone. I was very surprised to see the san mai technique being done so early well before the wrought iron was drawn out at all. I would worry that I'd lose track of where the high carbon steel ended up using this technique. I'll have to start practising to see if I can catch on.

[@kiritokazuto4383]

Love how much you can learn from.iilya just to make a basic set of kitchen knives Channel is way to underrated

[@samziegler4957]

Thank you for this video. I thought I knew a lot but still I learned so much. I'm going to leave the welder on the shelf from now on.

[@lairdcummings9092]

This is brilliant. Blades AND the cooking. Mad skilz. I'd like to see what is required to make a thin, springy blade like a filleting knife.

[@stephenduncan1622]

So much fun to watch, your metal knowledge is very strong and a pleasure to learn form. My favorite part of these videos is you add music instead of me listing to another grinder scream, or hammer chimes off of an anvil.

[@mountainwolf1]

Thanks for sharing your wisdom and for the two free months of skillshare. Also still very grateful for the training video for beveling that video has improved my skill a ton and i can work longer because of you're advice. Words can't describe how thankful i'am godbless be safe and keep up the good work guy's.

[@thescholar-general5975]

Great video! I love your in-depth explanations. Also, the fish looked amazing!

[@alphaomega2937]

I love this channel I love how informative it is and it is entertaining at the same time

[@illCMAC]

Absolutely gorgeous and I love the history lesson!

[@justsaynotoboomers]

You guys are amazing. Keep em coming!

[@rodneylangstroth4577]

Great work, Ilya. You definitely showed me how to ramp up my skills👍😎💥

[@serajalon]

First time I've gotten hungry from watching one of your videos, awesome work.

[@JoelMiller77]

Master Chef 👨‍🍳 Ilya 🙌🏽 great knives 🔪 every skilled chef should have at least one in their arsenal

[@olejohnnysandvik2606]

Ty for shoving the real use for it. I like the technique and see if it will work for me. I like the totorial for a beginner forger

[@exposuremeter]

I Love your work Ilya. I especially love the hammer you use. That's really beautiful.

[@anthonyromick569]

I enjoy watching bladesmithing but just the shear fact you added facts and tradition into it made it that much better.

[@yaboybouttaturnisraelintoi7329]

11:09 "what am i doing?" Ilya: "you're getting set on fire"

[@OverworkedITGuy]

Love watching the knife build. However, I do not appreciate how hungry you made me with the fish at the end.

[@ThatWorks]

Cameron Carson I know I know

Absolutely beautiful Sir. I can't wait for more videos especially ones in the series.

[@nickmiller3796]

Excellent video! Very educational. Learned a new way to forge and a new recipe. 👍

[@Amurini]

просто шикарные ножи Илья!! твое мастерство вызывает восхищение!

[@corvid1926]

The work you guys do is consistently great.

[@georgeskandalaros8661]

Very nice work, quite explanative and also analytic - this video deserves the time given to see it. That also holds for a few other videos of yours that I've seen, but I was in a hurrry and I didn' t comment on them - regretfully. I 'll try to catch up and review them.

[@janezsuznik373]

Now if that is not some nice looking knife... Respect,...and all the best to all the guys @That Works

[@deandauplaise2225]

I loved this video!!!! In my opinion there should be more raw and unedited videos like this. I love seeing the craftsmanship

[@garethbaus5471]

Raw and unedited? There isn't excessive background music and whatnot, but this is a far cry from being a bunch of raw footage posted as a video.