Bridgetown Forge Store

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Bridgetown Forge Knives…

Bridgetown Forge creates culinary knives based on the principles of simplicity, directness, practicality, and performance. The company’s founder’s many years of studying smithing in Japan have heavily influenced his approach to knife—making: we firmly believe in form following function, so our esthetics stem from the dictates of balance, cutting ability, edge retention, and ease of sharpening. There are five steps in making a forged product: good design, proper selection of steel, thoughtful forging process, appropriate heat treatment, and a good finish. Thus, Bridgetown Forge uses either domestic, Swedish or Japanese carbon steels, designs all knives for maximum performance, balance, and true ergonomics, follows strict forging procedures to maximize the potential of steels, and a careful heat-treating sequence for best combined edge retention and toughness. All knives come with a satin finish, as we find mirror-polished finishes to be scratch-prone and thus impractical. The textured appearance is the result of the forging process, and is left in place where it doesn’t interfere with the cutting function, as proof that the blade was truly hand-forged. Each blade thus carries its own pattern of hammer blows, unrepeatable and unique.

Our goal is to create a “go-to” knife, one that your hand will naturally reach for when you are preparing a meal, as your hand can’t be deceived and knows which tool can be relied upon to do the job, day in, day out, year after year.

All our knives are backed up by our lifetime warranty — we will repair, sharpen or replace any blade damaged in normal use. However, please keep in mind that if a chef’s knife has been used for rock-climbing or a bramble-hacking expedition, we might want to have a little chat as to the proper knife usage. Please feel free to get in touch at any time to discuss knife usage and maintenance.

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8-inch Kitchen Cleaver —

Also known as the “Clever Cleaver”

This double-bevel cleaver is forged from 1/4″ high-carbon tool steel, and is differentially hardened for a tough spine and a hard, long-lasting edge. Features a polished scorched hickory handle and a forged stainless ferrule. A progressive grind, with a thicker blade at the heel and a fine, thin edge closer to the tip makes this into a very versatile tools in the kitchen: tough enough at the heel to cut through chicken or pork bones, fine enough further up the blade to slice through a ripe tomato. This aggressive, no-nonsense knife will chop, cut, and slice through meat, fish, vegetables, dried herbs, and bones.

Bridgetown Forge Hammers and Tools…

A hammer is the most fundamental, iconic and important tool of the the blacksmith, who typically will have dozens in their shop. The craft of the smith is very fluid and varied, and different tasks demand a different tool. Moreover, forging hot steel is physically demanding, and as the hot metal cools rapidly on the anvil, maximum efficiency is a must. With that in mind, Bridgetown Forge has developed a variety of hammers to suit the many tasks of the smith. The flagship is our version of the Hofi hammer — a versatile and reliable tool, and a must for Hofi’s Ergonimic Forging Method. Hofi has been exceedingly kind in teaching me both the making of the hammer and the proper forging technique that goes with it, and I have been faithfully following his principles in making the former and teaching the latter.

Other hammers include the Japanese knife-maker’s hammer, which excels in forming blades, and raising hammers for copper work and delicate steel jobs.

All Bridgetown Forge hammers are forged from the tough and reliable 1045 carbon steel, and heat-treated to be tough enough to handle any job, yet not so hard as to damage the anvil in case of a missed blow — it’s much easier to polish out a hammer than to repair a dinged anvil.

The hammer handles are usually made from scorched hickory, which is very tough, long-lasting, and polishes to a very pleasant texture. Occasionally, a different wood of comparable quality might be used.

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REGISTER FOR CLASSES

Bridgetown Forge offers a variety of smithing classes, based on 35 years of training and work in Japan, Israel and the USA. Having trained under Uri Hofi in Israel and Ashi Hiroshi in Japan, we offer classes that reflect the experience in both architectural and sculptural smithing, as well as in tool-making and knife-making. The essence of Bridgetown Forge approach is directness, focused observation, maximum efficiency, true ergonomics in tooling and motion, a scientific approach to shaping and heat-treating steel, and a cultivation of a relaxed, joyous and curious mind. The latter is essential to expanding one’s skills in an open and exploratory fashion.

We also tend to teach principles of forging rather than the making of a single object — once a principle is understood, it can be applied to anything the student wishes to make in future, rather than just one object.

With that in mind, Bridgetown Forge offers a variety of classes for both the beginner and the more experienced smith wishing to improve their skills in a given area. Classes cover knife-making, tool-making, fundamentals of forging, and power hammer techniques, with more classes being constantly developed and added.

Each student is provided with safety equipment, an anvil and a work station with a full set of tools, a constant access to a forge, and an unlimited amount of steel to forge.

The instruction is conducted in stages, with each stage explained, modeled in plasticine, drawn on a board, and forged, before students go on to emulate it. We always start with the simple and proceed to the more complex. Thus, even a complicated forging sequence can be easily understood, executed, and assimilated.

Throughout the class, the Uri Hofi Ergonomics Forging Technique, which called for intelligent use of the body rather then brute strength, is demonstrated, practiced and reinforced.

It is a common misconception that blacksmithing requires great physical strength. While it’s true that a modicum of fitness helps, the heart of smithing is focus, determination, playfulness, and gumption. These qualities transcend gender, size, strength, and age, as evidenced by the great diversity of graduating students.

Click on the class below to reserve your spot.

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JOIN OPEN FORGE

Bridgetown Forge offers OPEN FORGE!

Bridgetown Forge offers open forge in December, January and February, two Thursdays each month.

Students with previous class experience can work on their own projects in Bridgetown Forges Forge, practicing their craft, and forging elements, tools, and utensils of their choosing.

Members of Open Forge will have access to a whole slew of professional smithing equipment, their own anvil and work station, a constant access to a forge, and any hand tool they might need for their project. If we don’t have a tool you need, we’ll make it on the spot.

Click to learn more and select the month of membership.

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Worldwide delivery

Bridgetown Forge offers flat-rate shipping of our custom made knives and tools throughout the United States … and we also ship internationally. Contact us for info on international shipping.

Lifetime Sharpening

Bridgetown Forge offers free, professional, lifetime sharpening of any of our custom made knives. Please contact us to schedule your sharpening.

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Bridgetown Forge Store

Bridgetown Forge Knives…

Bunka Chef Knife8-inch blade

Kitchen all-task Cleaver8-inch blade

Paring/Deboning Knife3.5-inch Blade (the vlb)

Santoku Chef’s Knife8-inch blade

Western Chef’s Knife8-inch blade

Western Chef’s Knife9-inch blade

Featured Product…

8-inch Kitchen Cleaver —

Also known as the “Clever Cleaver”

Bridgetown Forge Hammers and Tools…

Hofi-style Hammer3.25 lb.

Japanese Knifemakers Hammer2.5 lb.

Raising Hammer1.5 lb.

Rounding Hammer3.5 lb.

The Axe Maker

REGISTER FOR CLASSES

Click on the class below to reserve your spot.

CLASS: Forging a Cable Damascus Knife

CLASS: Forging a Camping/Utility Knife

CLASS: Forging a Chef Knife

CLASS: Forging a Cleaver

CLASS: Forging a Rocker Knife

CLASS: Forging a Sushi Knife

CLASS: Forging an Axe

CLASS: Tool Making

JOIN OPEN FORGE

Bridgetown Forge offers OPEN FORGE!

Bridgetown Forge offers open forge in December, January and February, two Thursdays each month.

Battle Axe

Bunka Chef Knife8-inch blade

Hofi-style Hammer3.25 lb.

Japanese Knifemakers Hammer2.5 lb.

Kitchen all-task Cleaver8-inch blade

Paring/Deboning Knife3.5-inch Blade (the vlb)

Raising Hammer1.5 lb.

Rounding Hammer3.5 lb.

Want to stay up to date?Sign up to review info on special product deals and classes.

Bunka Chef Knife
8-inch blade

Kitchen all-task Cleaver
8-inch blade

Paring/Deboning Knife
3.5-inch Blade (the vlb)

Santoku Chef’s Knife
8-inch blade

Western Chef’s Knife
8-inch blade

Western Chef’s Knife
9-inch blade

Hofi-style Hammer
3.25 lb.

Japanese Knifemakers Hammer
2.5 lb.

Raising Hammer
1.5 lb.

Rounding Hammer
3.5 lb.