ABOUT
maker, shapeR, creator;
sculpting force of nature.
a bit about me
My name is Yilmaz Antonio Sazak Calderon. You can call me Yil. I’m a Turkish Colombian American and a proud Bi guy 🌈. I’m a sculptor, knife maker, jewelry crafter, and DIY enthusiast.
Ever since I was little, I couldn’t stop sculpting things and working with my hands. So I ended up attending and graduating from the Ringling College of Art and Design. I mainly focused on traditional Fine Arts, and specialized in bronze and glass casting along with metal fabrication. Thanks to a self-guided project in an Anthropology class, I learned about the history of weapon smithing and blacksmithing around the world. I learned about the various processes practiced in different cultures. Needless to say, I loved the subject. I think this was when I gained my appreciation for bladed tools/weapons.
After graduating, I moved to Philly where I picked up knife throwing as a hobby. But I quickly learned that the knives I had purchased were terrible. So one day I thought to myself “Hey, I have a background in metal work. I’ve been trained to work with power tools and metals at dangerously high temperatures. I bet I can make a better knife.” I started researching, watching YouTube tutorials, and I joined online forums because I had SO many questions. I think my drive came from me wanting to prove to myself that I could do it, that I could utilize the skills I’ve acquired and teach myself something new. But also because I was unemployed and needed to find new purpose and drive. I had a lot of trial and error pieces in the beginning. Looking back, my first blade was laughable. But after the first 6 months of self teaching I was finally able to make a blade I was proud of. Finally, all that hard work paid off and it was then that I started to consider pursuing knife making as a career path.
It’s been about five years now of crazy knife making. I’ve had some wild projects over the years. I’ve had axes featured on a network television show called “The Good Fight”. I’ve worked with exhibiting artists and have made knives over six feet tall that were displayed in multiple galleries. Thanks to Instagram and social media, I’ve made friends and connections in the knife making community. All these experiences and opportunities have allowed me to upgrade my skills, my workspace, and my equipment so that I can create higher quality blades. But there’s still so much for me to learn and more knives to make. I love what I do because I get to work with my hands and I get to do it my way.
A BIT ABOUT MY PROCESS
I forge, cut, grind, sand, and shape everything myself! I am a one-man shop, so it takes me a bit longer than a factory would to complete your order. I like to take my time to make sure I give every knife the care it deserves. Like many knife makers, I source most of my materials through other artisans. I have a select variety of suppliers that I frequently work with, but I am always open to working or collaborating with other makers. I love working with stabilized dyed woods, Micarta, and my personal favorite G-Carta.
When it comes to steel, I have three types that I like to work with. This includes 440C stainless, 1090 high carbon, and 5160 steel. Depending on the knife and its purpose, the process in execution is slightly different. I forge out most of my smaller knives, but when I make a larger knife, I do a half and half process (half stalk removal and half forged process). My knives are full tang, so I grind out the shape of the handles. This is because I have certain specifications that need to stay consistent. Once the tang is shaped, I then forge out the blade tips, flatten the bevels, and texture the surface.
I’m very good at using up all of my materials; nothing is wasted. For example, all the pendants are made from the scraps of the wood blocks I use for the knife handles. All the mini knife pendants are made from the metal scraps.
Q&A
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET MY KNIFE ONCE I ORDER IT?
All blades are made as ordered and our wait times can vary depending on time of year and our workload. I’ll send an email with a tracking number when your knife is complete.
HOW DO I CARE FOR MY KNIFE AND HOW TO SHARPEN IT?
Regularly keep the blade oiled and dry. For basic sharpening I recommend using a honing rod, leather strop, and/or wet stone. I also include a care card with every order that contains more detailed care instructions.
DOES MY KNIFE COME WITH A SHEATH?
Yes, every knife comes with a leather sheath.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE KNIFE IS DAMAGED?
It depends really. If you ever have any problems with a knife, say it was damaged during transit let me know, and I’ll work with you. All I ask is just pay for shipping both ways and I’ll fix or replace the knife. But if the problem results from you doing something stupid or being careless or abusive with your knife, I may charge you full price for the repair work.
DO YOU DO ANY CUSTOM KNIFE DESIGNS?
Yes. I am always open to some custom designs if my workload allows for it. But that doesn’t mean I take on every custom order.
WERE YOU TRADITIONALLY TRAINED?
No, for the most part I’m self taught and have been picking up useful knowledge here and there. As a result there is still so much for me to learn and I plan on going to a blade smithing program once I’ve saved up enough money for some legit classes.