Meet Ed Storch, Master Cutler & Teacher
At 79 years old, Ed Storch is not planning to slow down. When he is not making knives he’s preparing for a horseback adventure in Mongolia, training to maintain his title as Canada’s fastest senior sprinter, hosting a Hammer-In, teaching knifemakers, supporting charities, entertaining grandchildren, traveling, and in the past, training top-level horses, and building and flying airplanes. He’s also made most of the equipment in his shop including grinders, salt bath heat treatment, and presses, to name only a few.
He calls himself a “Master Cutler” because he not only makes specialty knives of exacting workmanship, he also refurbishes, repairs, and sharpens cutlery. It all started in his early teens when he liked making tools. That led him to become a Blacksmith in the mid-1960s. Working with steel fascinated him, especially the transformation of the metal with heat treatment. He started making a few knives for family and friends but before long, people asked to buy his knives. He’s been a full-time knifemaker for over 20 years. He has a perfectionist streak, three words you will not find in Ed’s vocabulary are “it’s good enough”. Each knife he sells needs to be top quality and meet his high standards.
Ed began teaching knifemaking 30 years ago when one person asked if he would teach him how to make a knife. That led him to build a portable teaching shop that he would travel to various Alberta locations and set up in someone’s property for the weekend. He estimates he's taught about 2,000 people to make knives. Now he often teaches with his son, Jim, and other younger knifemakers.
He likes to use CPM 154 steel for its edge-holding ability and flexibility but depending on the knife’s use he will use a variety of steels. He likes G10 handle material for kitchen knives and hardwood/stabilized wood for other knives.
Tips: Always try new things and don’t just stick with what you first learn. It takes 10,000 hours to become an expert so don’t get discouraged if your knifemaking isn't the same quality as a longtime knifemaker.
If you would like to take a course or purchase one of Ed’s knives, you can contact him at these places: https://www.instagram.com/storchknives/ www.storchknives.com storchknives@gmail.com
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