As with most things WyattLouisJane, the need for quality tools and equipment, on a limited budget, has led to the creation of a few different projects to meet my needs.  Fly tying vices for example led to the creation of the Twister MK III, a high quality addition to anybody’s fly tying equipment at a relatively low cost.

And so too, did the need for a good quality knife, give rise to the WyattLouisJane Custom Knives I make today.

However, the subtle difference is between the making of the fly tying vises, where the fishing fly is ultimately what I need, more so than the vise.  Not to say for a second, that I don’t put the same amount of care and attention to detail into every vice I make, as I do with every knife.  On a personal level, the making of custom knives is driven more by a passion for the craft of knife making, a pure love of the process.  This being the case, countless years of research and learning have led me to where I am with the craft today.

Thirty-nine years a sheetmetal worker has given me skill in working with metal and an understanding of the materials used in creating a quality knife.  Each part of the process I do myself, from the grinding, heat treating, to the making of the sheaths.  Meaning each knife is truly hand crafted.

I always strive to use high quality materials in the knives I make to produce the best blade I possibly can every time. Functionality and durability are important qualities to me resulting in every knife I make being a proper functioning tool as well as to some degree a work of art, of course the art part is in the eye of the beholder. Blade steel, handle material and the like tend to change depending on availability or what I have at hand, and recycling is a big part of what I do.  For example, old leaf springs from long wrecked cars have been transformed into some very high quality blades.  On occasion I also refurbish old knives, thought to be no longer useful, into something of value again.

Each knife is individually hand crafted, as I’ve said, meaning no two knives will ever really be the same.  This being the case if you are lucky enough to own a WyattLouisJane custom knife it will be a one of a kind.  There may be some similar, but each one will be unique.  With the proper care and maintenance each blade should easily last the test of time to be handed down through the generations.

Again the limited budget has lead to related projects and given rise to equipment I’ve made in house.  In short, if I need it and can make it I probably will.  Some of which I’ll feature on the site.

In conclusion it’s my hope that if you own a WyattLouisJane custom knife, it gives you as much pleasure owning it as I get from crafting it.