This knife was challenging.
I had a deadline to meet with this project and only a 2.5 lb hammer at my disposal. Forging out a 480 layer billet with enough material to make a 9” blade left me sore and tired many nights. Now, I could of easily bought a pre made piece of Damascus and have made the knife in no time with a lot less physical demand, but where’s the fun in that? Plus I like a challenge so I found my resolve and decided to go all in.
Now even though the process of making it kicked my ass, it was a pleasure from the very start of the project to the moment it left the shop. The feeling of meeting a challenge head on and pushing through to its completion was worth every new callous and muscle ache.
Moral of the story: challenge yourself, in whatever capacity you can. Find a worthy battle, and fight to win. Even though it may be exhausting, trying, demanding, or uncomfortable, the positive feelings and lessons on the other side are absolutely worth it.
