Our Processes

Making the Knives

A number of DS&S knives after grinding, heat treat, tempering and initial polishing. Now ready for handles, sheaths, coating and engraving. A number of DS&S knives after grinding, heat treat, tempering and initial polishing. Now ready for handles, sheaths, coating and engraving.

All our knives are made by hand, one-at-a-time. All the parts are made by us, here. No two are ever completely alike.

 

At DS&S we only use the finest steels available. Others can use junk like 1095, other 10XX series carbon steels, or 420 / 440 stainless and similar clones. We use the rarest steels, with the most rigorous testing and treatments designed to maximize performance in the field.

 

Our current aerospace steels:

  • La Trobe Dura Tech 20CV
  • ELMAX
  • M390

We start with a steel slab. It goes to waterjet to cut it. When the blank returns, we grind it, engrave it, heat-treat it, polish it. Maybe we coat in-houise or maybe we send it out for coating, or maybe it doesn't get coated.

 

If you need an edge that will surgically remove a terrorist's foreskin, we can apply our premium sharpening service.

 

Then we build the handle and the sheath, assemble everything and ship it. Sounds easy - but it isn't.