GET TO KNOW THE MAKER

Hello! My name is Eric Hemker. Born and raised in Quincy, MI. I now live in the Detroit metropolitan area and work full time for General Motors as a design engineer.

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My blacksmithing adventure began the summer of 2016 on the back patio of a friend's apartment. We started with a sand plaster lined 12 quart bucket and a hair dryer for an air source with grilling charcoal as a fuel source. We got three uses out of that forge before it crumbled to bits, but that was plenty to get me hooked.

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Since then, I have taken dozens of road trips to various blacksmithing and bladesmithing events around Michigan and the US and taken and taught multiple classes. I've been a Michigan Artist Blacksmith Assoc. member since 2017 and the American Bladesmith Society  since 2018 with an apprentice smith rating. Most recently, I became a Forged in Fire champion on season 8 episode 22 "Fire and Water" where I built a Hwando in rounds one and two and a Woldo in the finale (seen below).

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All forging, heat treating, grinding, and finishing is done within the 4 walls of my shop. Only the best high carbon steels are used to make my knives to achieve the ultimate levels of sharpness and toughness. Handle materials range from exotic woods from around the world to premium durable synthetic materials. Aside from knives, I also produce decorative ironwork, tools, and small hatchets.