We recently discovered the work of Blenheim Forge, three ernest dudes forging knives in a dark South London studio beneath a railway arch. The threesome, Richard Warner, Jon Warshawsky, and James Ross-Harris, were roommates in Peckham who got into knife-making by way of YouTube in 2012. Years of failed attempts, repetition, and refinement followed. Along the way, they became quite picky about their steel–a good thing–working with Japanese blue paper steel, a top-quality, low-impurity metal. Handles are handmade with hardwood foraged from customers’ gardens or by an agreement with the neighborhood cemetery.
Above: A selection of Blenheim Forge knives on a magnetic knife rack. Four kitchen knives are on offer online (they do custom orders as well).
Above: Cofounder James Ross-Harris at the forge.
Above: A detail of the hand-forged blue paper steel blade, a Japanese steel type with low impurities.
Above, L to R: The five-inch Petty paring knife is £90 ($137), the seven-inch Santoku chefs knife is £160 ($244), and the six-inch Nakiri vegetable knife is £160 ($244). Also on offer (not pictured) is the ultrathin Gyuto knife for slicing fish, meat, and vegetables; £400 ($610).
Above: Founders Richard Warner, Jon Warshawsky, and James Ross-Harris in their studio on Blenheim Grove. Photograph by David Harrison for Foodism.
We have a thing for good knives:
- Expert Advice: 15 Things to Know About Knives
- The Sharpest Knife in the Drawer?
- 6 Stylish Wood Knife Racks for the Kitchen
- 7 Ways to Corral Your Kitchen Knives
- DIY: White-Painted Knife Block
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