Guinea Hog Forge

Sunday, December 15, 2024

Happy Holidays 2024

2024 was a busy year at Guinea Hog Forge. After making the big move from southeastern NC to the middle of the state in 2022, we finally completed the new shop by firing up the forge in late January of this year. It was really nice to put the hot side of our operations back to work and see Scott forging on his home turf again. To celebrate, we invited friends and family out for an event on the property and had a blast forging, grinding, eating, sitting around the fire, and simply enjoying each other's company.

We plan hold another hammer-in in 2025 so stay-tuned for details.

While Scott continues to teach at various schools around the country (the Virginia Institute of Blacksmithing in Waynesboro VA, Arc and Flame in Rochester NY, and at Shop Space in Raleigh NC), he also started teaching 1-2 person classes at our shop in Franklinton, NC this year, so check our website for class descriptions and dates. If you don't see a class that works for you, email us and we can design a class to meet your needs and works with your schedule.

To end the year, Scott recently finished two knives. A Rover Blackout was made alongside a student during a custom class at our home shop in December. This stock removal version of our popular Rover design was ground out of 1075. Scott tapered the tang to better balance the knife, Parkerized the steel to protect it from corrosion, marked in with our McGhee Knives stock removal mark, and then dressed it in a vintage Micarta handle which contrasts nicely against the black blade.

Rover Elite Blackout

Earlier this year, Scott forged an all-steel Giblet Knife in an offsite class and then finished in the shop this month. Scott hand-forges knives out of steel giblets to show students that you are not limited by the amount of steel you have, but only by your forging skills and imagination. This wicked little all steel blade was hand-forged out of 80CRv2, has a rustic hammer-marked steel handle, and is a cutting machine.

All Steel Giblet Knife

Both knives come with leather pocket sheaths with Discreet Carry Concept hip-clips and a wooden display box with our logo. They were available on the website when this blog was written. To view all available items and there specifications please go HERE.

We hope you had a wonderful 2024. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours, and we hope to see or hear from you in 2025. Thanks!

Lydia & Scott McGhee

Guinea Hog Forge

guineahogforge@gmail.com

Tuesday, October 8, 2024

2024 NC STATE FAIR

Fall is in the air and that means Scott is busy making knives for the NC State Fair in Raleigh, NC - October 17-27th. We've been selling knives and talking about the art of the forged blade in the Village of Yesteryear (an artist village on the traditional side of the fairgrounds) since 2016. It's always a good time, but this year Scott will also be demonstrating his skills live at Heritage Forge (just down from the VOY building) where talented blacksmiths forge all day long. Scott will demonstrate his knife forging skills at Heritage Forge from 1-3pm on Tuesday & Thursday, Oct 22nd & 24th. We plan to video and hopefully live-stream during those times, so stay tuned for content from that opportunity.

Below are examples of some of the knives we'll have available at the fairgrounds - Damascus Piranhas and XOs. These blades will be available to fair attendees ONLY from Oct 17-22nd. Any knives NOT purchased by fair-goers by Tuesday evening (Oct 22nd) will be made available online to the general public on Wednesday, Oct 23rd.

DAMASCUS PIRANHA

Steel: 1095/15n20 Pattern Welded

Finish: Hand-sanded/hammer-marked

Overall Length: 6.125 inches

Blade Length: 2.75 inches

Sheath: Leather front pocket

We will have several hand-forged Damascus Piranhas available at the NC State Fair. The Piranha above is dressed in vintage Micarta and the one below has an African Blackwood handle. All Piranhas come with a leather front pocket sheath and wooden display box.

DAMASCUS XO (Executive Officer)

Steel: 1095/15n20 Pattern Welded

Finish: Hand-sanded/Hammer Marked

Overall Length: 8.5 inches

Blade Length: 3.5 inches

Sheath: Leather Hip

The XO (executive officer) is a bit larger than the Piranha but is also a great everyday carry that can handle a wide variety of jobs. The XO above is dressed in curly Koa, while the one below has an English walnut handle with black Micarta bolsters and black Micarta liners. All XOs come with a leather hip sheath and wooden display box.

We'll post more pictures and videos as we get closer to the start of the NC State Fair. Scott has a couple of kitchen knives in the works, as well as one spectacular Damascus fighter. If you can, please come visit us and our fellow artisans in the Village of Yesteryear. The Village is full of talented folks that do a wide variety of crafts at a very high level. Some of our members were impacted by Hurricane Helene so please come and show those folks some extra special love. And if you can't make it to the NC State Fair, stay tuned for available knives to post online Wednesday the 23rd. You can also email us if you see something you like as Scott will have some time after the fair to make a few more blades prior to Christmas.

Thanks for looking.

Guinea Hog Forge

guineahogforge@gmail.com

Saturday, March 12, 2022

Brut de Forge in a Brand New Box

This Brut de Forge fighter was forged by hand in Scott's January Intro to Bladesmithing Class at the Virginia Institute of Blacksmithing. This week (in between working on the F350 engine rebuild) he marked it, made a sheath for it, placed it in one of our new Guinea Hog Forge presentation boxes, and asked me to find a home for it.

Brut de Forge Fighter

Steel: 1075

Finish: Rustic

Overall Length: 14.375 inches

Blade Length: 8.5 inches

Handle: Maroon Micarta

Sheath: Leather with IWB strap

This knife features a fully sharpened clip and tapered tang.

It's light, fast and wicked sharp - like a fighter should be.

The knife comes with an E. Scott McGhee handmade leather sheath featuring an inside the waistband strap for crossdraw or backside carry.

This package is SOLD.

Thanks for looking.

Guinea Hog Forge

guineahogforge@gmail.com

Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Kitchen Knives - NC State Fair 2021

For the last several Octobers (except the last one, as the fair was cancelled due to Covid), we've promoted the art of knife making in the Village of Yesteryear at the NC State Fair. We've been telling fair goers for several years that we would eventually bring some kitchen knives. Well, 2021 is the year and we've got 8.5-Inch French Chefs and 3.5-inch Paring knives to sell.

African Blackwood Set

Curly Maple Set

Vintage Micarta Set

Curly Koa 8-Inch Chef

The 8.5-inch French Chefs all have frame handles. Instead of the traditional full tang found on most kitchen knives, the tang in these beauties is surrounded and protected by a frame (Black Micarta frame with Vintage Micarta slabs pictured below). The frame prevents water intrusion and protects the tang from corrosion, lightens the knife, and makes the handle feel really amazing in your hand. The two tone look is also very aesthetically pleasing.

The paring knives have the more traditional full tang but are no less beautiful and come pin stock to match the French Chef of the same handle material. Below is a Curly Maple paring knife featuring carbon fiber pins. French Chefs and Paring knives can be purchased as a set or individually.

All our kitchen knives are made from O1 tool steel and will patina over time (or rust if you don't care for them properly). Don't put our knives in the dishwasher or leave them in the sink. Use them with care (as they are wicked sharp), rinse and dry after use, and then put them on a wall magnet to keep the edge and tip from being damaged.

If you love to cook and appreciate a really nice kitchen knife as much as Scott does, these are some of the finest you will ever use. Take care of them and they will take care of you.

Thanks for looking. Any knives on display at the fair that are not snagged by Monday evening (Oct 18th) will be made available on our website Tuesday the 19th. We can also make additional ones, so reach out if you are interested but can't attend the NC State Fair.

Guinea Hog Forge

guineahogforge@gmail.com

Saturday, October 2, 2021

Damascus Blades for the NC State Fair

For the last several years, we've promoted the art of knife making in the Village of Yesteryear at the NC State Fair. Last year, (due to Covid-19) the NC State Fair was cancelled. This year, the NC State Fair is on track to run from October 14-24, and Scott plans be in the Village of Yesteryear (an artist group focused on traditional crafts) with his knives and his knowledge.

Pattern Welded Steel (aka Damascus) is an art all its own, and knives crafted from well-made Damascus are artful tools well worth the investment. Scott is an ABS-certified Master Bladesmith (only 115 in the world), and as such he is required by the American Bladesmith Society to personally craft the pattern welded steel he uses for his blades. Our hand-crafted Damascus is a marriage of 1095 and 15n20 steels. Both are high quality tool steels that once forge-welded and etched create a beautiful pattern that is absolutely unique. Thus, while each Guinea Hog Forge knife crafted from the same billet of Damascus has a similar look, no two are exactly the same.

Scott plans to have a few Damascus Piranhas and XOs with him in the Village this October. Here's a sampling of the Damascus Blades he's crafted so far.

Damascus XO - Figured Walnut

Damascus XO - Curly Koa

Damascus XO - Ringed Gidgee

Damascus Piranha - Curly Koa

Damascus Piranha - Vintage Micarta

Damascus Piranha - Jigged Black Micarta

Come see us at the NC State Fair this year, but only if you feel safe. If you don't, we understand. Take care, and if we don't see you this year, we look forward to seeing you in 2022.

Guinea Hog Forge

guineahogforge@gmail.com

Monday, July 19, 2021

REGAL BRUT DE FORGE FIGHTER

ABS Master Bladesmith, E. Scott McGhee teaches several classes each year at various locations in the US. Last month, Scott taught ABS Intro to Bladesmithing at the Virginia Institute of Blacksmithing. Every time he teaches Intro, he forges and grinds a demonstration knife during the first few days and then handles it a few days later. These blades are completely hand-forged, always get some level of rustic hammer-marked finish, and are generally belt ground for a high-utility finish. To the delight of several students, the Summer 2021 VIB Demo Knife got the regal treatment (i.e. was hand-sanded). It's now maker-marked, has a beautiful leather sheath, and is ready for purchase.

VIB Brute De Forge Fighter - Summer 2021
Steel: 1075
Finish: Rustic/Regal
OAL: 15 inches
Blade Length: 9.5 inches
Handle: Vintage Micarta
Sheath: Leather drop with IWB strap

Scott's preferred steel for Intro classes is 1075 because it heat treats in a manner that promotes student success. It's also a great high carbon steel for choppers and fighters. Most of Scott's demo blades get dressed in Micarta because it's tough yet beautiful and doesn't cost new knife makers an arm and a leg. This is Scott's first knife handled with Vintage Micarta, which has a rich brown finish.

After Scott returns home from class, he etches his maker mark on the blade and crafts a leather sheath. This beautiful package just sold and will be headed to Michigan tomorrow.

Scott will be teaching Intro to Bladesmithing again in a couple of weeks at Haywood Community College in Clyde, NC: July 26 - August 6. There may be a few spaces open, so contact the school if you are interested.