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Ray Johnson
Master Bladesmith |
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Bladesmith, historian and poet are among the talents attributed to Ray.
A Craftsman In The Making
Master Bladesmith Ray Johnson of West Plains, Mo., has been making knives as a living since 1983, but did it as a hobby since his 20s. He worked for 26 years in the welding industry before taking up knife making full time. He has worked in steel a total of 44 years.
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The Silver Dollar City Years
If you want to know anything about knives… from their history, to their uses, or the materials used, just ask Ray Johnson. He’s been demonstrating his craft at the forge in front of Silver Dollar City’s Mountain Outfitters Shop since 1988. The knife is man’s oldest tool, an extension of the hand, he says, and knives have been made out of all kinds of materials from stone to bone to metal.
He makes knives out of carbon steel, chainsaw chains, motorcycle chains, and his favorite, Damascus steel. "The soul of the blade is in the hammering and the quench and the temper," he explains. Word of mouth and reputation and consistency are important to Johnson. "What sells knives is one person telling another person telling another person," he says.
His knives range in price from $180 to $5,000. Most are $400. Damascus steel knives (starting at $500) have as many as 640 layers and take between 40 and 100 hours to build. Some knives take days and some take weeks. Johnson crafts about 200 knives per year. "I’d build knives even if I never sold one," Ray says. "I’m the luckiest man in the world. Today I’m doing exactly what I want to do and making a living at it. Most people can’t say that."
Interesting Extras
Ray is also a poet with a published collection, and he often talks in poetic lines as he explains the knife-making process.
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Helpful Handouts:
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Silver Dollar City Map
Print out a copy of this full color map to help you plan your visit to Silver Dollar City ahead of time!
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