Tribal Edge - Blades By Chuck

09/01/2026

🔥 Talk About It Tuesday: Quenching!

We talked about the basics of heat treatment last week, so let's dive a little deeper into the quench.
When that hot blade comes out of the forge, what you cool it in matters. Water, oil, brine, air, and even slower methods like sand can produce very different results—and the right choice depends heavily on the steel and what you're trying to achieve.

So we're curious...
If you were choosing a quench, which would you pick—and why? 👇

💧 Water
🛢️ Oil
🧂 Brine
🏖️ Sand
🌬️ Something else?

And for our experienced smiths: what's your go-to quench and what makes you choose it?
Let's hear it from our fellow knife nerds! 🖤🔥
You ask. We answer. You help. We all learn.

As always,
Stay bladed!!!

09/01/2026

⚔️ Talk About It Tuesday: Back to the Basics

Why Do We Temper a Blade?

🔥 Last week, we talked about heat treatment. This week, let's follow the blade through the next steps.
So you've heated your blade to the proper temperature... now what?

1️⃣ HEAT
The steel is heated to the appropriate temperature so its internal structure can be changed.

2️⃣ QUENCH
The blade is rapidly cooled in the appropriate quenching medium for that particular steel.
This is where we create the hardness we're looking for. The exact quench method depends on the steel—there's no one-size-fits-all recipe!

3️⃣ TEMPER
Now comes the part that sometimes seems a little backwards...
We heat the blade AGAIN. 🌡️

But this time, we're using a much lower temperature and a controlled amount of time.
Why?

Because after quenching, the blade can be very hard—but also too brittle for practical use.
Tempering allows us to reduce that brittleness and increase toughness, giving us a better balance of properties for the job the blade is meant to do.

And that's the important part:
We're not simply trying to make the hardest blade possible.
We're trying to create the right combination of hardness, toughness, and performance for the intended use.
An EDC, hunting knife, outdoor blade, and kitchen knife may all have different priorities—and their heat treatment needs to reflect that.

What would you like to see next?
Drop a comment below!

As always,
Stay bladed!!!

08/31/2026

08/31/2026

Hey all, still looking for more shows in november and december!!! Reach out if you have any suggestions!

08/31/2026

We're going to be there again!!

🎄✨ Holiday Shopping Magic Is Almost Here! ✨🎄
Get ready, West Michigan! The festive season is about to shine a little brighter!

THIS HOLIDAY EVENT brings together 57 incredible artists, crafters, makers, bakers, and vendors all under one roof. It’s your chance to discover unique, handmade treasures while supporting the local talent that makes our community special.

☕ Enjoy hot coffee as you browse
🍪 Indulge in fresh baked goods
🎁 Find one‑of‑a‑kind gifts for everyone on your list

From artisan décor and handcrafted jewelry to cozy goods, sweet treats, and creative surprises, you’ll find something that feels just right for the season.

Bring your friends, sip, shop, and celebrate the creativity of West Michigan - this is the holiday shopping experience you don’t want to miss.

🥳SAVE the DATE and SHARE this with your FRIENDS!

08/30/2026

Today was a great day to spemd some time in the Mines creatimg amaxing sharps and share bladesmithing with some amazing peeps! Dave and Jacob, great work today! Yall designed and created some beautiful blades! Thsnk you for coming and spending the day with Dennis Kaufman and I! Denny, thsnk you SO mucj forvhelpimg me guide the workshop and helping me with the initial htimfimg on my production blades! CHexk out our day below!And as always....Stay Blafed!

08/28/2026

Summer coming to an end, school is starting - and before you know it, the Holiday season will be here. Perhaps you have a birthday or anniversary coming up or just curious and want to try something new!? Have we got an experience for you!

Take one of Tribal Edge's Blade-smithing workshops! A day long experience where you can design and create your very own blade working with our bladesmiths. Start with a piece of steel and leave with a day full of memories and your custom blade!

DM Tribal Edge for more information

And as always,
Stay bladed!!!

08/28/2026

We'll be there!! Looking forward to our first time at the !