Looking for knife makers near Napa, CA

[smokeyrojito]

Not sure if I am breaking any rules here. But I am flustered. I am a busy line cook with two kids. I have been trying to find someone to volunteer apprentice with locally by asking the sharpening services and googling my butt off with no luck. Anybody have any ideas where to look?

 

[MontezumaBoy]

Hi Smokey!

What are you looking for exactly? Are you trying to apprentice FOR one of the knife makers?

I am not aware of any smiths/master smiths in that area but could easily be wrong - there are normally knife shows/etc. around and SF would probably be the closest city that might have one - you will find all the local makers there to talk to but most are scattered around and I doubt anyone would consume the necessary propery in Napa to have a forge and work site but hey you never know ...

Try emailing Ian Haburn (great guy and always helpful but located in Washington he may know of someone) - go to www.haburnknives.com for his email as I don't think you can PM yet with only 8 posts ... or if you can PM him ...

Try all the others as they all are in the 'know' good luck!

Tom

 

[smokeyrojito]

Why does it all come back to Washington!?!?!? When i was living in my car after my divorce going to welding school, long before I was interested in making knives, I was sleeping around the corner from Bob Kramer. But yeah, I am actually just hoping to get to know someone local, even a hobbyist, to talk shop with, maybe trade work for help/ideas/tool access. I have a stock removal dream shop but cant forge on the property. Seems like if your main interest is kitchen knives, finding a mentor is even more impossible.

 

[LeperoftheFaith]

Aaron Wilburn is in Redding, closest Mastersmith I believe. Galen at Town Cutler in SF gets all his knife blanks heat treated from Aaron and then does all the grinding and handle work at his little shop in the city. Might be your only option for kitchen knives.

 

[Burl Source]

Here is a link for the California Knife Makers Association.

 

[smokeyrojito]

I ran across that before. Very SoCal focused but thanks for the reminder. I should join anyways just to contribute what I can.