Local knifemaker crafts functional art

WEYAUWEGA – Knifemaker and military veteran Tyler Hackbarth recently became the first and only American Bladesmith Society (ABS) Master Bladesmith in Wisconsin.

Hackbarth, 39, owns and operates Wolf River Forge in Weyauwega, where he creates custom knives by hand. He is now one of just 117 people in the world to hold the Master Bladesmith title, an achievement that represents one of the highest levels of skill in the craft.

The path to becoming a Master Bladesmith is challenging. After holding an ABS journeyman status for at least one year, smiths must pass a performance test.

Hackbarth was required to forge a minimum 300-layer Damascus steel blade and use it to slice through a 1-inch free-hanging rope in one swing. To prove the blade’s edge retention and heat treatment, he then had to chop completely through a single 2x4 twice, use that same edge to shave hair, and finally bend the blade 90 degrees in a vise without it breaking.

Following the performance test, the smith must have held their journeyman membership for at least two continuous years before presenting five flawless knives to a panel of expert judges.

“It’s essentially the five nicest knives I’ve ever made to that point,” Hackbarth said.

Among the five knives was a traditional European quillion dagger, a design with strict requirements. Hackbarth’s version features eight pure silver wires inlaid into the handle without glue.

“It’s all mechanical precision connection,” he said, adding that the wires are folded and pressed into grooves so they lock into place.

Hackbarth estimated that if he compressed it all into one block of time, he spent about three months creating the five presentation knives, each with a unique Damascus pattern.

“Every one of my blades has a different pattern, and some of the patterns take a week to make,” he said.

A passion forged on television
Hackbarth’s journey into bladesmithing began relatively recently. A former machinist, plant manager, and six-year Army veteran, he first became interested in the craft in 2018 after watching the History Channel television show “Forged in Fire.”

His wife Ellen encouraged the interest by buying him a blacksmithing class at Milwaukee Blacksmith that year. Although Hackbarth said blacksmithing and bladesmithing are “two completely different things,” the introductory class lit a spark.

From there, Hackbarth built a forge in his backyard and began experimenting with knives made from scrap steel. He even converted a log splitter into a 40-ton forging press as he worked to develop his skills and equipment.

Just 10 months after making his first knives, Hackbarth competed on Forged in Fire in 2019 and won the $50,000 grand prize.

Hackbarth said he used the winnings to invest back into his craft. He paid off debt and upgraded his equipment, purchasing his first power hammer, a high-end grinder, a heat-treat oven and a leather sewing machine.

During the competition, one of the show’s judges, a two-time Forged in Fire champion, offered Hackbarth advice that he said stuck with him: establish a limited liability company and begin thinking of his craft as a business.

Hackbarth later returned to Forged in Fire for a 2020 “Beat the Judges” episode, where he narrowly lost to the same judge who had encouraged him to build his business.

The episode aired July 8, 2020. Twenty-three days later, Hackbarth left his day job to pursue bladesmithing full time.

Functional art

Hackbarth works to blend durability with visual design by strategically manipulating different types of steel. He said he will often combine steels with different properties, including nickel-containing steel that resists acid etching. When the blade is etched and polished, the contrasting layers create intricate patterns that resemble wood grain.

“If I’m going to make knives, I’m going to make art – highly functioning art,” he said.

For high-end commissions, Hackbarth incorporates unique materials such as fossil walrus ivory. He creates every component of each custom knife himself, from forging the steel to crafting the handle and sheath and completing the final finish work.

Hackbarth said what sets his knives apart from most commercially available blades is the steel itself. He said mass-produced knives are made to survive dishwashers, not last generations. Traditional high-carbon steels, like the “old rusty knife” many grandfathers swear by, can hold a superior edge, he said.

A craft that gives back
Hackbarth’s work extends beyond his own forge. Since 2019, he has raised more than $90,000 for the Infinite Hero Foundation by auctioning custom knives made with distinctive materials, including steel recovered from battlefields. The national nonprofit supports programs that assist veterans and their families.

For Hackbarth, bladesmithing is also a way to share the craft with others. At his Weyauwega shop, he offers classes for beginners including a two-day introductory bladesmithing course and a three-day Damascus class that introduces beginners to layered steel patterns.

Looking ahead, Hackbarth said his goal is to keep improving and exploring new artistic techniques

“The big thing for me is to just continue to push the envelope,” he said. “There’s also so many more arts and aspects that you can tie into knife making, engraving being one of them. I would like to learn to engrave.”

Although his work has earned international recognition, Hackbarth said he has no plans to turn Wolf River Forge into a large-scale operation. His business is a one-man shop by design, allowing him to remain involved in every step of the process.

While his custom Damascus knives start at around $800, Hackbarth said they are not meant to sit untouched as display pieces. Many customers use his knives for their intended purpose, including taking them to hunting camps.

At the same time, Hackbarth said his customers are looking for something beyond a standard cutting tool.

“But really, people are paying for a work of art,” he said. “It’s not just a knife, right?”

Customers looking for Hackbarth’s work can find Wolf River Forge on Facebook and Instagram.