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

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

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

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

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. 

Thanks for looking. 

Guinea Hog Forge

guineahogforge@gmail.com

Damascus Blades

Scott knocked out some Damascus blades over the past few weeks. 

While many were sold before they were finished, a few are still available. 

Damascus XOs - above in Curly Maple, below in Desert Ironwood. 

Damascus XO

Steel: 1095/15n20

Finish: Hand Sanded

Overall Length: 8.5 inches

Blade Length: 3.5 inches

Sheath: Leather hip

Damascus Goshawk

Steel: 1095/15n20

Finish: Hand-Sanded

Overall Length: 7.75 inches

Blade Length: 3.5 inches

Handle: Turkish Walnut

Sheath: Leather hip

Damascus Piranha 

Steel: 1095/15n20

Finish: Hand-Sanded

Overall Length: 6.125 inches

Blade Length: 2.75 inches

Handle: Curly Maple

Sheath: Leather front pocket

All pattern welded steel is made in house by Master Bladesmith E. Scott McGhee.

To purchase any of the above, go to AVAILABLE KNIVES. 

GUINEA HOG FORGE

guineahogforge@gmail.com

3V Goshawk vs American Guinea Hog

Covid-19 makes me very grateful that Scott and I live in rural part North Carolina (away from the worst of it) and have the time and knowledge necessary to process our own food. This weekend we put another hog in the freezer and, while doing so, put a 3V Goshawk to the test.

The following videos are not for everyone, so proceed with caution. They are included to show what a small, well-designed knife made of a quality steel, heat treated properly, and ground with a superior edge can do in the hands of a skilled individual. Scott is an ABS Master Bladesmith, and he is as talented at using knives as he is at making them. 

3V Goshawk

Steel: CPM 3V

Finish: Belt

Overall Length: 7.70 inches

Blade Length: 3.50 inches

Handle: Wood or Micarta

Sheath: Leather

CPM 3V is a rust resistant high carbon steel that makes excellent user knives because it holds an edge well and is extremely tough. The 3V Goshawk in the lead picture sat on a table covered in blood for over an hour while we scalded and scraped the hog, but it cleaned up easily with a little Dawn dish soap and Cleanse Oil. The scalloped Micarta handle used in the videos has a texture that works well when things get messy, but we also offer the Goshawk in shaped wood and shaped Micarta for a more elegant look - shaped Maroon Micarta on the left and scalloped Green Micarta on the right.

A client familiar with some of our other designs asked for a size comparison so here it is - 

3V Goshawk in the middle with 3V Piranha below and XO Tactical Blackout above. 

All three models are AVAILABLE on our website while supplies last. 

We're hopeful that Covid-19 will soon be nothing more than a bad memory. We're looking forward to sharing homemade country ham with friends and family this fall, and we know you all have things you're looking forward to as well. Stay safe out there. 

Thanks for looking.  

Guinea Hog Forge

guineahogforge@gmail.com