This week’s interview takes us into the mind of someone who I have absolutely loved getting to know better. He’s a funny one, but absolutely serious when it comes to his craft. His creations definitely carry his fingerprint; every handmade knife should have character and his do in spades.
To start off, please tell us a little about yourself.
My names Jack Clarke, I’m 31 years old and first started blacksmithing back in 2012. I went on to complete a BA(hons) degree in blacksmithing at Hereford College of Art, accumulating in a masters degree in contemporary art (specialising in blacksmithing) in 2018. Safe to say I’m completely overqualified when it comes to swinging a hammer.
What sparked your interest in knives?
I’ve been interested in cooking for almost as long as I can remember. One of my first proper dreams as a kid was to run a restaurant called Tuck Inn. Restaurants and knives kinda go hand in hand right… Being a naughty little kid though meant it wasn’t just chef’s knives I was interested in. I spent a solid 3 years of my pre-teen career convincing my mum that it was a good idea to let me have a pen knife, just so I could sharpen sticks with it of course. I must have been pretty convincing, or relentless, because she finally gave in and I guess you could say the rest is history.
What inspired you to do this and how did you learn?
I didn’t ever actually think I’d get into making knives, it was more of an accident, or at least a great amalgamation of the things that I’m interested in – blacksmithing and cooking. I was working in catering, while studying my blacksmithing degree and MA, but it wasn’t actually until I finished the degree that I made my first knife. I learnt most of what I know about making knives specifically from my good friend and knife maker extraordinaire, Joel Black.
When did you start making knives?
2017, the year I finished the blacksmithing degree at Hereford College of Arts.
What did you make your first knife with?
Damascus clad stainless steel! It was a big old billet, that only had enough usable material for a petty in the end, but I gifted it to my now wife (then girlfriend) and we still use the blade in our kitchen at home to this day.
Do you have a favorite knife you made, tell me about it?
Probably a Nakiri that got used for a pass around on Kitchen Knife Forums. It wasn’t really a Nakiri at all, more of a Nakleavor. Big tall wrought iron clad chunky thing with a forged hollow S grind behind the edge that helped me keep the bevels super straight and crispy. I think the taper on it was like 6mm – 2.5mm or something, but the forged hollow meant I was able to still keep it pretty thin on and behind the edge, so that the food release, in my own words, was pretty tight. A super fun build that, at the time, achieved everything I wanted to show off in my knives. (author note: sad I missed this one)
What is the most important aspect of a well-made knife?
That’s a tough one. It’s so personal, to the maker and the user. From a maker’s perspective, I’d probably say evidence of process – I really feel that the knife should tell the story of how it has been made. A lot of the value of a handmade knife is in the process of forging itself, that’s where the story is, so there’s no point in trying to hide the fact that it’s been in a fire if it’s been in a fire. But as a user, I’d say comfort above all else. It’s probably sacrilege to say, but I can work with a blunt knife if it’s still comfy. I am biased to a good bit of blunt force trauma though, being a blacksmith and all.
What keeps you going?
Money.
Biggest struggle?
Apart from keeping my own household knives sharp, having no money.
What kinds of knives do you make?
All sorts really. I think that stepping outside your comfort zone and trying lots of different knife builds is how you grow as a maker. You miss every shot you don’t take, after all. That said, I still get asked to make a good gyuto more than any other knife.
How did your background affect your approach to knives?
I’m definitely still a blacksmith first and a knife maker second. I don’t ever really want to make a knife that I haven’t at least forged myself, so I’ll always strive to have some obvious aspect of that forging process visible in my knives.
Who helped you early on?
There really have been countless people who have been huge supports in my journey along the way, but I have to shout out my first blacksmithing tutor, Michele J Parker. I was the worst blacksmith I’ve ever seen, but she kept believing in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. Now here we are, 13 years later, and I’m still going strong. Special mention to Joel Black too (again), dude really is a legend.
Who are your influences/inspirations?
A great question, and I could reel off loads of knife makers here, but I’m gonna have to go for the cheesy one and say my wife, Lee Clarke. She’s very much a one knife woman, she’s always had strong favourites, and I guess that’s had the biggest influence on my making to date. Outside of some of the more specialist builds, I want my knives to be the ones you reach for before anything else. Versatility, comfort, winning.
How do you think that inspiration translates into your work?
I jumped the gun on this question a little bit but I think that I have a tendency to try to produce a one knife fits all kind of thing, if I’m not working on commissions. That said, it is an extremely personal thing, everyone is different and everyone has their preferences. Especially when it comes to the tools we use, but weirdly, I think that makes us all the same. I don’t know if there is one knife to rule them all, but it’s not gonna stop me from trying to make it, and if I ever do, then no doubt I will have been thinking of my wife.
Any specific breakthroughs or revelations in your knife making journey?
I’m not talented enough to have had a eureka moment as it were. The steady accumulation of the 1% is the only way I know how to make “breakthroughs”, and the way you do that is by getting lots of things wrong. Try it, get it wrong, and then hopefully you’ve learnt something at the end.
What is the perfect knife?
If you’ve ever read the “his dark materials” series, then you’ll know what’s coming – the subtle knife (spoilers, so long as it doesn’t break!). The point is though, that it wants to be dangerously easy to use, and in a more whimsical way, the knife should choose you as much as you choose it.
How do you approach a new concept and that concept’s implementation?
I approach a new concept by diving in head-first, otherwise the theory and the practice become too separated. Then to refine the concept you need repetition. Lay all the repeated knives out in front of you, and pick elements that you like from each one, then combine those elements and start the process all over again. It’s actually easier to work out what you don’t like, as opposed to what you do (in my opinion), and repeating things is a great way of working out whether you like something or not.
How do you approach knife testing?
By feel, a lot of the time. If it feels good to me, then fingers crossed, it’ll feel good to other people as well. As I’ve mentioned though, it’s a properly personal thing. I know from my own experience, I’ve had knives in the past that by rights should tick all the boxes for me in terms of what I like, but then I end up using them and just don’t get on with them. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still plenty of science involved, like if you ruin the heat treat then the knife is always gonna feel bad for example, but ultimately the knife is right when it feels right, and knowing when to stop or how far to take things is a proper skill.
How do you develop a design, select a steel, and fine-tune a heat treatment?
Repetition, repetition, repetition when it comes to design. Steel selection, to be brutally honest, often comes down to availability. I’m not the type of guy that’s happy to rip a bit of metal off the underside of a car and call it a day. You’re only as good as your suppliers after all, and if you’ve got good suppliers, which I like to think I do, then they should also tell you how to heat treat the steel properly when you buy it. Then it mainly comes down to reducing variables in your own equipment in regard to heat treating. You’re always going to get a more refined heat treat from a fluidized sand bed over a pottery kiln for example. Knife steel nerds is a great resource if you want to dive deep into metallurgy and the science of heat treating.
What are your favorite steels?
Apex Ultra is a beautiful steel. Probably has the best edge retention out of any non-powered low alloy knife making tool steel that I’ve used. Shoutout to 52100 as well, a tried and tested baddie. Seems to be happy anywhere from 61-66 HRC which is crazy range. Have to say as well, If you can buy a powder steel knife then you absolutely should. Powder steels are nuts. I use some really premium abrasives when it comes to grinding the knives (namely BND cubitron 2’s if you’re interested), and generally speaking, I’m thinking about how many knives can I get out of this one belt before it’s finished. With powder steels, it’s more like how many belts am I gonna use on this one knife before it’s finished. The steel is haaaaard!
How has the knife world changed since you started?
Maybe it’s just because I’m in it, but it feels like it’s gotten a lot bigger in terms of its popularity, a lot more accessible at the entry level, but also in the UK in particular, a lot harder to turn into a viable profession if your plan is solely to make knives. You have to do knife making courses (which are great fun by the way) and give aways and raffles and craft shows and food shows and instagramming and photography and all the while regulation and the algorithym are squeezing you to change because your art, your craft, might also fall into the category of “zombie knives”, whatever that actually means. As a bit of context, I can’t even post a photo of a knife handle on Instagram without it being flagged as an “offensive weapon” by the algorithm, which in turn means the post can only be viewed by your direct followers. It’s madness. That said, and for the record, I’m not against the regulation of knives at all, but the law at the moment is too vague. A bit of specification would make everyone’s lives easier, because there is a big discrepancy between a knife designed for food, and a knife designed for killing, in my opinion.
What’s up next for you? Any exciting new projects to tell us about?
I’ll be exhibiting has part of the “15 collection” hosted by Steve at the Rockchop Knife Co (quick shoutout to him) – really looking forward to that one. You can also find us at the Ludlow Food Festival in September, where we’ll be showing off all of our culinary goodness surrounded by the stunning Ludlow castle, as well as at the Discover Gather Give Art show in November located in Startford upon Avon town hall. Spoilt for choice when it comes to good days out.
To keep up to date with what he has going on head over to his website https://www.nojokeknives.com/ and follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackclarkeartistblacksmith/
If you would like to see more check out this documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV7HIaKm7ls
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