Knifemaker DJ Urbanovsky
 

It is my privilege to introduce you all to DJ Urbanovsky, United States Army veteran and knifemaker.
I'd looked at DJ's work recently and some of his stuff made me jealous. :eek:

DJ, you have any pics to show the crew here?

Thanks for what you do and welcome aboard.
Bill

You're too kind sir, and the privilege is mine. It was a real pleasure speaking with you this afternoon. I really appreciate the compliment and the introduction, and it means a lot to me when a maker that I look up to and respect digs what I'm doing.

I little background on me for you guys: I'm out of Omaha Ne. I started out making kubatons on 01NOV2004, I made my first knife 19FEB2005, was instantly hooked on the craft, and took the plunge as a full time maker 23AUG2005. I've been at it ever since. Since the beginning, I've operated under the moniker of American Kami, and I'm a one man shop. It's just me. What's the deal with the name? I wanted something that embodied my ideas about what I wanted to do with knives. American, because that's what I am. Kami, that part gets a little more complicated. I chose that for two reasons:

1) Kamis are the guys in Nepal that make kukris. I have a thing for kuks, and the guys over there making the good ones do so with very little technology, by hand, one at a time. I like the idea of keeping it simple and true, while adding a little modern technology and knowhow.

2) In Japanese, Kami can mean a bunch of different things having to do with the spiritual world. In my case, I chose it because one of those meanings is something akin to "the spirit that lives within objects." Usually pertaining to the natural world. Iron and carbon come out of the earth, are combined to make steel, and thus each blade has a "soul" if you will. The job of the knife maker is to be the conduit to bring the knife into being. In my case, that's taking a bar of steel and grinding off everything that doesn't look like a knife. Maybe that sounds kinda new-agey, but that's my approach.

I prefer the chisel grind so that's predominantly what I make, and I work almost exclusively with 1095, 5160, and O1. Handle materials are G10 or carbon fiber.

Ok, enough about me. You guys probably wanna see some blades, yeah? :D

Here are the pics. Hope you guys like these as much as I do.

A few more:

Nice blades...

I especially like the center on in the upper post...

Finally, a couple of biguns and some 'knucks.

Thanks, man!

My screen formatting is a little hinky, but if it's the Karambit that you're referring to, that's my Type-C variant. I do three other flavors of K-bit, but people seem to like these little guys the best (myself included).

DJ,
Beautiful work. In the second set of photos, the last Tomahawk style hachet. I'd love to talk to you about one of those in a dark handle.

Buck

Smatchet! like.

Very nice. And you made a great friend. Well done.

I've liked your work since seeing some of it on TAD Gear, and have kept your website as one of my favorites.

I also prefer chisel grinds. I was wondering if there were any particular reason you preferred chisel grinds over other conventional grinds.

Your designs flow very well for me. Beautiful stuff!

Nice stuff. I have to agree with NDD smatchet good.

send mine care of Little Billy Harsey, he'll taske care of the invoice :D...

Nice.

I've always liked the looks of "Flint-knapped" handles. Keeps the blade from falling out of your hands when bloody.

Material?

WD

Thanks so much, guys. Really glad you all like these.

It's snowing like a mother here and I've got time, so I wrote you guys a novel.


Buck: It would be my pleasure to make you a hawk. That particular model is my Type-1. This design evolved from the first axe I ever built, and out of everything I make with an axe handle, it's my personal favorite. I keep trying to make one of these for myself, but every time I do somebody talks me into selling it. :D Shoot me over a PM, email, or give me a call and I'll take care of you.


NousDefionsDoc: Man, I about fell over when I answered the phone and heard "Hi DJ, this is Bill Harsey." If you're a knifemaker, that's like getting a call from the Pope. And he's one of the nicest guys ever. Really made my day. In regards to the knife, I like big fat blades too. You're probably talking about the last piece in the first set of pics, OD handles, compound ground. That's the MIGS-CS.


Claemore: Good people over there at TAD. The were my first dealer. Expecting to start some new stuff for them in February. On the chisel grind, you really opened a can of worms there! Fasten your seatbelt. :D There are I number of reasons why I personally prefer them:

1) They're easier for a lot of guys to sharpen. You only have to find that one edge angle (on the bevel side), sharpen that until you build up the burr at the edge, lightly kiss the edge on the flat side to break the burr, and then strop. Bang. You're done.

2) It's easier to do some superfine cutting tasks because you know right where the edge is in relation to the spine of the knife. Just follow the flat ground side all the way down to the edge. You can also get right up on stuff, and it's very apparent if your blade is canted to the side. Ok, honestly, I'm not sure I've ever needed to make a cut where the angle was that critical, but it's nice to know I could if I had to. Mostly something like that would apply if you were using the knife for woodworking or cutting sushi, but then you'd probably opt for a more appropriate cutting tool. Unless all you had was your knife, in which case, have at it.

3) Knife edges are a balancing act (really, the whole fabrication process is a balancing act). Thinner and/or more acute means the knife will be a more efficient cutter, but the edge isn't very durable. Conversely, thicker and/or more obtuse means it's more durable, but it's not going to cut like the devil. I try to strike a balance - I'm a clumsy bastard and I break stuff, so I tend to build my knives thicker at the edge, but I use a more acute edge angle to compensate for that. Edges on factory knives can run up to an inclusive angle of 45 degrees, but most seem to run around 40 degrees. I usually shoot for 30-35 degrees inclusive on knives (axes and larger pieces are closer to 40 degrees), but since my edges run thick they still maintain good durability. Again, it's a balancing act. And it also depends on the knife and person I'm building it for.

4) Finally and least importantly, it's about aesthetics. I think that the chisel grind is like the porterhouse of knife grinds. You've got your big 'ol fat flat. That's your NY strip. Then you've got your big juicy hollow grinds. That's your fillet. To me, it's like the coolest thing ever. Add to that this piece of advice that a number of makers I respect have shared with me: If you make the stuff that you like, you'll always do your best work.


x SF med: Fine, but YOU tell him! :D


wet dog: Again, we're talking about a balancing act. For a while I was going in the direction of more toothy, but I was fortunate enough to get some feedback from Kit Carson last year, and he advised me to knock those corners off. I took his advice, and the handles are now more comfortable, but still plenty grippy. My preferred handle material is G10. The only other handle material I use is carbon fiber. And the axe handles are G10 only. G10 is pretty much impervious to everything - acetone, sweat, blood, you name it. It's electrically non-conductive (a good thing to have in an axe). It's got good vibration dampening capabilities. And it's just tough as hell.

Beautiful knives there sir! Extremely unique and I love the G-10. Perfect choice for a handle.

DJ
Your an artist, great work..

:D:lifter:D

DJ-
My evil plan is to visit the Logger this weekend bearing gifts (ok, I'm late on Christmas) and possibly Colorado Pain Relief, since he is gearing up for SHOT... a short visit, but I will tell him, after an adult libation or three has been consumed.

Please send me a smatchet, c/o Harsey, knifemaker - any discount for Mr. Harsey paying the invoice would be appreciated. Um, maybe just the discount and send the invoice to me... I don't want Mrs. Harsey killing either of us, scenario 1 leaves that as a viable option for her...:eek:

DJ, I totally agree with JJ,...................:lifter:lifter:lifter

Big Teddy :munchin

Thanks for the compliments, guys. Very kind of you all, and I really appreciate it.


SF-TX: Thanks for the link postage. I didn't want to do it myself and breach protocol.

x SF med: I have this list of people not to fuck with, and lumberjacks and wives of lumberjacks are right up near the top. Also, guys with the intestinal fortitude to do what you do. So if you want me to make you something, don't worry - I'll take good care of you. :D

Mighty fine looking knives, DJ. Keep up the great work.

It is rare to see a maker with that wide a variety of blade shapes.

Smatchets, tantos, 'hawks, even bayonet profiles. Something there for everyone.

Nice work, DJ!

TR

ain't that the truth

I remember talking to Bill for the first time

it was like, "holy crap here's a guy that I've read about and admired for years and he's calling ME?"

then I realized that made him sound Old and we started having an argument about who was the biggest redneck :D

welcome to Professional Soldiers DJ

I need to remember to bring Junior his band-aids for SHOT ...hehehehe

We're not kind, we want free knives.
I'm more scared of MRS H than I am of Bill.

the first phone call I got from Mr Bill (Oh, NO!!!) was beer fueled and in the company of a machinist, on a Friday afternoon... It began: " Hey, we started early, grab a beer...." and went downhill from there... I know what you mean Ken, "why is Bill Harsey calling me?" Now he makes me load, unload and stack wood when I visit...:eek:

Thanks guys.



Kit: Well, you're one of the people I have to thank for that. I really appreciate the notes you gave me at Blade '09. Like I said, just that one detail you pointed out about breaking the corners on my handles has really improved them. Looking forward to seeing you again this year at the big show.



The Reaper: Thanks! I've found that always trying to do new and different stuff helps me push the envelope, improve my skills, and keeps things fresh and interesting. At current count, my design book must have something like 1500+ sketches in it, and there's still stuff in there that I'm not comfortable attempting even four years later. Also, doing 20 of the same knife all at once can get really tedious, so the variety helps break things up.



Ken: LOL! I feel ya. That's one of the coolest things about what we do - we actually get to talk with most of the superstars in our industry. It's extremely unlikely that I'd be operating at the level I'm at as a maker were it not for how approachable and generous the legendary guys were (and still are) with me when I was finding my feet. Oh, and I really dig your work, man. Your grinds are really clean.



x SF med: "We're not kind, we want free knives." The true picture emerges. :D

On Mrs. H, I suspect just like in the rest of nature, it's a case of the female being the deadlier of the species. :D And if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. At least that's how it works at my house!

You know, you can't walk into a knifemaker's shop without getting dirty. If you come over here, I'll probably put you to work too! But there will also be beer afterward. And we've got some excellent brew here. :D

DJ - honesty is the best policy, If you know what I want (free knives) we have a place to begin negotiating and you already know I'm a miser ... ask Bill, he makes me buy the beer (which I gladly oblige, as long as he scrathes on my knives with that whirly thingy ... the scratches look suspiciously kinda like his name, hard to really tell after a beer or two)

Next time I'm in the plains, I will look you up... possibly bearing barley pop.

Great looking knives. Definitely bookmarking for the future. :D

x SF med: I concur. You are welcome here anytime, buddy. And while offerings are always welcome in this house, I'll provide the barley pop! :D

gtcrispy: Thanks! Glad you like.

And now, some pics of the big stupid batch I'm working on. Click links to view pics, I'd rather you suck up my bandwidth than that of the forum. :)

Last pic, all heat treated, re-re-straightened, and ready for finishing.

Rest of pics, all ground, ready for tang hole drilling and then into the fire they go!

http://www.americankami.com/USNAKwip08jun11a.jpg

http://www.americankami.com/USNAK15jun11wip.jpg

http://www.americankami.com/USNAK17jun11wip.jpg

http://www.americankami.com/USNAKwip30jun11.jpg

http://www.americankami.com/bench1.jpg

Smatchet
 

DJ,

Love the MIGS-CS design, carried a smatchet for many years and think your design is a real update. Will you introduce a larger version more in line with the originals for those of us with the "little d**k, big knife" requirement?

MVP

Some nice jungle fighters, they look great!

WD

DJ... When you going to make some more folders?! If you have any pics of some of the ones you took to ... I think it was the SHOT show, post em.. some of the nicest folders I have ever seen! Cant wait to get my Migs OG! As a matter of fact you and I need to talk about one of those off line.

Other than liking them sharp I ain't much of a blade guy, but damn that is some good looking stuff! And the Hawks I dunno what to say, except I want one.

Tease....
I want to see finished knives......
Also, post the damn pics I'll take care of the bandwidth issue.;)

x 500
I can't do a damn thing aout bandwidth.

love that T1

Wow, beautiful knives. I love the long blades in your first post.

Me too. I could get daily use out of a good T1.

Too bad they don't also do email.

Thanks for the support, guys. Glad you like 'em!

MVP: I do believe that's a design that is well suited to being supersized. Should satisfy your requirements regardless is wiener size. :D

Wet Dog: The six on the left are wakis, made of 5160. I left the edges fairly thick, so they should be stupid tough when finished. The piece to the immediate left of the wakis is an RS3 blade, the last of those I'll be making in the foreseeable future. The piece on the far left was a waterjet screwup that's been sitting on my shelf for about two years. When they were cutting the blank, they ran the handle off the edge of the bar. It had a huge, upswept blade on it along the lines of my MBF design, but the handle ended up to skinny for that. So I modified the profile.

CRUSADERSTEEL: I had folders at two shows last year, but SHOT, unfortunately, wasn't one of them. I was going to try and have some for the USN show in Vegas in September, but I don't think they'll be finished. I've decided that I'm not going to spaz out trying to finish a bunch of technical pieces before the show. There will be some folders in the next batch that I do after I finish this one, however. And your OG is in this batch, heat treated, re-re-straightened, and ready for final finishing. I'll be changing gears and starting on that as soon as I've got these biguns heat treated and straight. Hit me up via email or give me a call anytime, bud.

TS: That makes TWO of us! When I woke up the morning after grinding the last tray of swords, I had to pry both of my fists open. Roger that on the pics. I'll get 'er done. :D

As promised, first sub-group of finished blades from this monster batch. Making sheaths today, booting these out the door, and then I start finishing the next sub-group and prepping for the Vegas show in two weeks. Speaking of which, if you're going to be in Vegas, stop by and say hi. Be great to see some of you. It's the USN Gathering 3 at Planet Hollyweird, 1-2 September. I'll be getting in Thursday afternoon. It's a more intimate show than Blade in Hotlanta.

DJ... some of those knives in the first pic are crooked or kinda broken :eek: ... send them here so I can see if Gary Melton can fix them for you :D:cool:

D... You dont let that rabble rouser rouse any rabble.... ( I dont even know what that means) lol...
Gonna send you a PM about coming by and getting some tips or just buying you a beer. Gonna be coming through your AO.

x SF med: What in the hell... But they were straight before I stuck 'em in the forge! ;)

Gary: PM received and responded - you are welcome here anytime, brother! When you come here, I buy the beer. There is a glorious IPA made right here in good 'ol NE. :D And I won't make you chop wood like Bill will. ;)