A Man on a Mission: An Interview with Eric Downing of New Edge Tool

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Eric Downing is the bladesmith behind New Edge Tool in Toledo, Oregon. Since he was a young boy, Eric was a collector of knives and all things sharp. He decided to start crafting his own edged tools and has not stopped since. Bladesmithing has become a creative outlet for this bladesmith as he finds the balance between beauty and function.

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Eric took time out of his busy schedule to do a Q&A with BRUTE de FORGE. He talked about his inspirations, plans for the future, and what he has been up to lately.

Eric’s bladesmithing origin story

BRUTE de FORGE: How did you get into forging/bladesmithing?

Eric Downing: Ever since I received my first folding knife as a young kid, I have been obsessed with knives. I think the combination of this obsession and my constant need to create things with my hands paved the road to knifemaking for me. My mind is constantly spinning with design ideas, and forging knives lets me express those ideas. There is just something special about turning pieces of steel into highly functional art!

BDF: What is the name of your forge? What is the story behind the name?

ED: My forge name is New Edge Tool. The name originated back before I got into knifemaking. My original foray into working with bladed tools was restoring antique axes. I figured "New Edge" had a double meaning, as I was giving old tools a new life and literally putting a new edge on them. The axe work really helped me to get the tools I needed to start knifemaking, which was always a goal for me. As I moved into knifemaking, the name stuck.

Eric’s bladesmithing inspirations

BDF: Are there any bladesmiths that you are inspired by?

ED: I look up to so many incredible bladesmiths and knifemakers that it's genuinely difficult to name specific people. I always appreciate seeing the incredible, high-end work from some of the famous bladesmiths, and I strive to have my work meet their level someday. Surprisingly to some, what inspires me a lot of the time, is seeing what some of the newer up-and-coming makers are creating. I firmly believe it's not about follower counts on social media or TV time. I see some of the absolute most unique ideas and designs from makers that most people don't even know about yet, and I think that's awesome. It takes a lot of creativity to get your work noticed initially (I'm still in that stage myself), so I appreciate the struggle!

“I see some of the absolute most unique ideas and designs from makers that most people don’t even know about yet, and I think that’s awesome.”

BDF: Do you have a signature style or favorite blade style you like to forge?

ED: I am still trying to develop a signature style in a way. I believe it may take many years to develop. I incorporate some consistent details into each of my knives that may help people recognize my work, but I also enjoy making every knife different. It's hard because I know having a signature style can help sales, but I love making unique blades with an individual feel. I suppose time will tell.

BDF: Do you do your own leatherwork as well?

ED: Yes, I currently do all of my leatherwork. I try to provide nice-looking, functional sheaths that do the knives justice, but I still have a lot of learning to do in the leatherwork department. Leather is definitely a whole different ballgame than making the knives themselves, but it is a lot of fun. I almost always prefer leather sheaths over Kydex. Kydex has its place, but I enjoy the warmth and classic looks of a nice leather sheath, especially once it starts to take on a character from years of use and wear.

Eric’s sources of inspiration

BDF: Where do you draw your inspiration from when crafting pieces? Like any artist, I imagine it isn’t easy to develop fresh ideas after a while.

ED: I draw some of my inspiration from all the other knifemakers out there, but my biggest inspiration is nature. Living in the Pacific Northwest, I am all about being outdoors. I spend nearly all my free time exploring and taking photos in the woods or on the beach. It's hard not to be inspired by the scenery around here.

“Going out in the woods for a hike with my dog and just taking in the fresh air and the views can absolutely help spark a plausible idea for me.”

Sometimes, I feel like I'm stuck in a rut design-wise. It's hard to come up with new ideas sometimes, or I can't create something new I see in my head with my current tooling, and that can be really frustrating! Going out in the woods for a hike with my dog and just taking in the fresh air and the views can absolutely help spark a plausible idea for me.

BDF: Are you a full-time bladesmith? If not, what do you do for a living, and do the skills translate into your smithing?

ED: I'm currently working towards hopefully making bladesmithing a full-time gig. Work I've done in the past has definitely helped me gain the skills I use in bladesmithing. Previously, I was a welder/fabricator of commercial fishing gear for our local fishing fleet. I gained a lot of welding/fab experience from that job. That definitely helped me not only in making the knives themselves but also gave me the skills to build a lot of the equipment I use to make them.

BDF: What is it that you love about forging? Why do you think it is so addictive?

ED: What I love most about bladesmithing is seeing a blade's progression as it goes through the many stages of creation. Even after making quite a few knives, I am still in awe that a dirty, rusty piece of steel can become something so incredibly cool and literally last for generations! The other thing that drives me is that I still consider myself a newer bladesmith, and I truly feel like I learn something new with every blade I make. Whether it's an entirely new skill or just making a previous process more efficient, it's very rewarding!

Eric’s unique creations

BDF: I saw slingshots on your page. Those aren’t something many other smiths offer. What’s the story behind them?

ED: The slingshots came about as a way to practice some more basic forging skills. They are also just plain fun to make and use! I do a lot of backcountry camping, so they are a blast to have along for entertainment. I will definitely be making more in the future! I have some plans for some pretty unique versions I want to create.

BDF: Do you have a favorite project you have completed?

ED: Some of my favorite projects I have done to date have been gifts for family members. They have been extremely supportive of me, and it's a good feeling to make a knife for a family member that knows how much work I put into them. It's a cool feeling knowing that the knives I have made for my family will hopefully be passed down to future generations. I made my brother and dad several knives earlier on in my knifemaking career, and the knives weren't perfect, but I know they really appreciated them.

BDF: What have you been up to lately?

ED: Lately, I have been working on being more efficient in my work. I have always been adamant about working on only one or two knives at a time, but I really need to up my production to make this whole endeavor feasible. I'm working on getting the tools needed to speed up the whole process and organizing my shop in a manner that will allow for better efficiency. I'm not interested in cutting corners, but I feel that a better process is key to increasing productivity.

BDF: Is there anything you have coming up that we should watch for?

ED: In the near future, I plan on doing smaller runs of more budget-friendly blades to make them more accessible to more people. I realize a large percentage of knife lovers can't necessarily drop tons of money on a high-end Damascus or San-Mai blade, but they still want a beautiful, functional knife that they can depend on. I'm really looking forward to making some designs to accomplish that task. Also, some people choose not to beat up a high-priced knife and want something budget-friendly to use as an everyday carry workhorse. I will still be creating higher-end knives, but I want to add some budget designs to my workload.

Eric’s bladesmithing advice

BDF: Do you have any advice for aspiring bladesmithing?

ED: My advice to any aspiring bladesmith is to go for it! You can absolutely get started with extremely basic tools. I've seen guys turn out amazing work that is made only with hand tools! I have massive respect for anyone with the patience and drive to do that. DO NOT compare your work to other smith's work. Only compare it to your own! It's amazing how fast you will see growth in your skills. When I look back at some of my first knives, I see personal growth in every aspect of the game, and it feels good! Just keep at it.

“DO NOT compare your work to other smith’s work. Only compare it to your own! It’s amazing how fast you will see growth in your skills.”

If there are other bladesmiths in your area, reach out to them. This community is incredible, and most of us love to help each other learn. I have received lots of advice from smith's way more experienced than me, and it's incredibly helpful!

Additionally, I would like to say that something I have noticed in the knifemaking world is that there is a little bit of a divide between bladesmiths and stock removal knifemakers. I want to say that I have respect for both since I started off doing stock removal knives in the beginning. It was a great way to get some basics down before I started forging. To this day, I still use stock removal practices on certain San Mai billets. I absolutely love forged carbon steel—and I always will—but I see the application for some of the high-end stainless "super steel" knives that aren't forged. As long as it's done well, I have no qualms about either type coming out of my shop in the future. That said, it's hard to beat a beautiful carbon steel knife with a forged finish and some gorgeous patina that tells its story for years to come.

To see more from Eric Downing, follow his Instagram @newedgetool and visit his website New Edge Tool.