Mercer ToolsForged Knives Forging is a steel shaping method that has been used for hundreds of years. The process begins with a metal bar, also called a billet or blank. The bar is heated to near melting point and hammered into the desired shape. Modern forges use a hydraulic hammer press to pound the steel into a die or mold. Once shaped, the knife goes through up to 40 additional steps to create the final product. The main features of forged knives: • More expensive than stamped knives • Blade is thicker and heavier than stamped • Has a bolster between the heel and handle • Considered superior in both strength and balance Stamped Knives Stamped knives are created by passing a steel sheet under a hydraulic press. The press cuts the desired shape out of the metal, similar to how a cookie cutter cuts shapes in dough. The main features of stamped knives: • Do not have a bolster • Less expensive than forged knives • Blades are thinner and lighter than forged • Full tang blades tend to be less balanced We offer both FORGED (Genesis series) and STAMPED (Millennia series) cutlery. |