About Us

Discover Syndicate Knives, your destination for small-batch and one-of-a-kind artisan knives crafted in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. We pride ourselves on using only the finest steels and materials, meticulously overseeing each step of the production process in-house to uphold the highest standards of quality. Explore our website to learn more about our meticulous process, browse through a gallery showcasing our past creations, peruse our current selection of available knives for purchase, and don’t hesitate to reach out via our contact form for any inquiries or special requests.

Thank you for visiting Syndicate Knives, Made. For. Life.

Syndicate Knives

Artisan Handmade knives
Made. For. Life.

Handmade in the USA

Hereโ€™s the process:

Computer Designed
All designs are created on the computer first, with state-of-the-art modeling software. Once the design is finalized, it is printed and then cut out in plastic. This allows me to feel the shape and functionality of each knife design, before it is cut out in steel.

Cutting the Shape
Depending on the knife, small batches are cut with a water jet, whereas custom orders are cut by bandsaws in house. The tolerances with a water jet are much tighter, material losses are minimal, and the time savings vs. custom one-off knives.

Flat and Smooth
Once the outline or profile has been achieved, the next step is to surface grind the blade. This ensures a flat, smooth finish, especially important when working with folding knives. This step is usually repeated after heat treat, notably common with high carbon steels that are prone to mill scale.

Main Bevels
Now that the blade is flat and profiled its is ready for the main grinding of the bevels. There are several ways to grind in the bevels depending upon the blade style and design. Hollow and flat grinding are the two common types, the first using a contact wheel which puts a contoured grind on the flats, while a standard flat platen leaves a flat finish as implied. (Shown is a flat platen for a flat grind)

Heat Treating
The next step is heat treating the blade, which includes cryogenic process at subjecting some steels to temps between 2200* to Neg -200*. Heat treating is now handled in-house in a state of the art heat treat oven by Evenheat Kilns, ensuring direct supervision of your Syndicate Knife.

Handle Shaping
Scales as theyโ€™re called, are created from a variety of natural and synthetic handle types. Scales bring a knife to life, a great set of scales are both aesthetically and ergonomically pleasing. Each one of our scales is built in a 3D program, then cut and shaped by an in-house CNC Router.ย 

Final step – blade finishing
There are a variety of finishes available for your custom knife: Stonewash – knife is submerged in a special solution of acid, then tumbled in ceramic media. Cerakote – a baked on teflon finish that protects the blade surface from rust and contaminants. The other two are satin and polished, both are hand sanded and buffed to respective finishes.

Laser Engraving

A 50watt Fiber laser in-house offers unlimited design options. Every SK logo is “branded” etched into each blade. Additionally, we can engrave names, dates, logos, anything really that will fit onto the blade. Be sure to contact us, as most engravings are included at no extra cost.ย 

Handmade in the USA

Hereโ€™s the process:

Computer Designed
Every design begins its journey in the digital realm, crafted using state-of-the-art modeling software. Once the design reaches its final form, it’s translated into a tangible prototype by utilizing advanced 3D printing technology. This step enables me to physically interact with the shape and functionality of each knife design, ensuring optimal performance and ergonomics before it’s transformed into steel.

Cutting the Shape
Depending on the knife, small batches are either cut with a water jet or by bandsaws in-house for custom orders. Utilizing a water jet ensures tighter tolerances, minimal material losses, and significant time savings compared to crafting custom one-off knives.

Flat and Smooth
Once the outline or profile is established, the next phase involves surface grinding the blade to attain a flat, smooth finish. This step is typically reiterated after heat treatment, depending on the desired final appearance.

Main Bevels
With the blade now flat and profiled, it’s prepared for the primary grinding of the bevels. Various methods are employed for grinding in the bevels, contingent upon the blade style and design. The two common types are hollow and flat grinding. Hollow grinding utilizes a contact wheel, resulting in contoured grinds on the flats, while a standard flat platen yields a flat finish, as the name suggests.

Heat-Treating
The crucial step of heat-treating the blade involves subjecting it to specific temperatures, including cryogenic processes for certain steels ranging from 2200ยฐF to as low as -200ยฐF. While custom builds undergo heat treatment in-house, our main line of knives is entrusted to Buck Knives USA. Their state-of-the-art facility ensures guaranteed consistency in heat treatment, providing exceptional quality and performance.

Handle Shaping
Scales as theyโ€™re called, are created from a variety of natural and synthetic handle types. Scales bring a knife to life, a great set of scales are both aesthetically and ergonomically pleasing. Each one of our scales is built in a 3D program, then cut and shaped by an in-house CNC Router.

Final step – blade finishing
There are a variety of finishes available for your custom knife: Stonewash – knife is submerged in a special solution of acid, then tumbled in ceramic media. Cerakote – a baked on teflon finish that protects the blade surface from rust and contaminants. The other two are satin and polished, both are hand sanded and buffed to respective finishes.

Laser Engraving

A 50watt Fiber laser in-house offers unlimited design options. Every SK logo is “branded” etched into each blade. Additionally, we can engrave names, dates, logos, anything really that will fit onto the blade. Be sure to contact us, as most engravings are included at no extra cost.ย 

Syndicate Knives

Artisan Handmade knives
Made. For. Life.

Get In Touch

Address: Syndicate Knives, LLC
Battle Ground, WA USA

E-mail: info@syndicateknives.com

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