Michael Shannon is always looking for the cutting edge in blacksmith forged metal products.
The owner of Bevelled Edge Blade and Blacksmith, located in the hamlet of Drew on Wellington County Road 2 between Mount Forest and Harriston, opened his shop in 2003 working with a coal-fired forge, anvil, hammer and wrenches of various sizes.
The tools are used to create his art, which includes chef knives and swords. He has also branched out his portfolio creating candelabras, indoor and outdoor accent pieces, light armor and detailed iron work like pergolas.
It’s work that requires hours of meticulous effort and a true understanding of blacksmithing from its ancient origins. It also requires a keen understanding of just how metal works under different conditions and heating processes known as metallurgy. And it’s a process the artist continually works with and evolves.
A former drywall taper, Shannon decided in 2003 to turn a hobby into a full-time passion, following blacksmithing techniques honed over centuries. He and his wife Janice Tuck-Shannon live in a farmhouse in Drew they rent from the blacksmith’s parents Bruce and Marg Shannon in exchange for doing farm chores. The arrangement has allowed him to devote more time to creating forged metal pieces, many of which are ordered by customers.
His passion for metal work started when he was 12 years old when he made his first knife. That passion was fostered after watching the popular Crocodile Dundee movies in which Australian outback adventurer Crocodile Dundee, played by Paul Hogan relied on his trusted knife during his outdoor encounters.
“I’ve always been one of those guys mesmerized by knives,” he said while working on a Damascus knife in his studio.
Damascus knife making can be traced back to its origin over 2,000 years ago. The name comes from Damascus, Syria which was a major trading center in the Middle East around 300 BC and known as a “trading hub” for its intricate, patterned silk, according to Shannon. The patterns were integrated into the production of knives and swords.
The process involves forging layers of steel and iron, heating and twisting the metal again and again. The end result is a highly durable steel due to its high carbon content.
Pieces, which are continuously heated at about 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit, are turned known as folding and hammered, a process that is repeated and can take hours or days to work into a finished product.
“You fold it to get the carbon to the middle,” Shannon said of the process. “When you forge something you’re working with many pieces of steel until it’s one piece of steel.”
Shannon prefers using chainsaw or bandsaw steel as part of the mix because of its high carbon content.
“I just mix it with mild steel,” he said. “Chainsaw steel gives the most beautiful pattern.”
The knife is then heat treated, a process used by heating the steel in a stove, and ground to polish it before it goes to the etching stage.
Etching the intricate patterns on the blade is done by treating the blades with a diluted acid.
The etchings can be shallow or deep with deeper etching prized by chefs working with foods such as sushi.
“The nice thing about a nice, deep etch is you get a cleaner cut,” said Shannon.
The blacksmith has shied away from becoming a member of blacksmith associations in Canada or the United States. With reference books on metallurgy and continually forging works and learning from mistakes he has made in his own shop, Shannon doesn’t feel it is necessary to have a full-fledged certificate from an affiliated association.
Part of the learning process, according to him, comes when he can discuss techniques with other forge blacksmiths practicing the fundamentals.
“It’s gotten to the point where I’m going to have to spend a day with other blacksmiths,” he said of furthering his own knowledge of the craft. “If somebody finds something new you share it.”
He added, “It’s all about ethics. I’m just going to let the work speak for itself. I’m focussing on being creative rather than having certification.”
Each piece is tested for durability and sharpness to satisfy the blacksmith’s rigid standards. Testing includes cutting a two-by-four with the knife or cutting hemp rope.
“Nothing leaves my shop unless it’s been tested and of top quality,” he said.
To contact Shannon call his shop at 519-338-5989 or check out his website: bevellededge.110mb.com.
