Who, What, and Why

My name is Jonathan Hawk. I’m a husband to a beautiful and supportive wife with whom I share two terribly behaved but lovable shop dogs. With their help, I operate JH Forgeworks. I grew up with an entrepreneurial father who ran his own business and I learned early on the value of hard work and determination. I joined the United States Army as an Airborne Infantryman and served multiple tours in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. During my time in the military, I came to appreciate things that were made to last as nothing will test the strength and effectiveness of an item like a bunch of angry grunts. After a less than ideal landing during skydiving left me with a broken back, I began to evaluate other ways to spend my time instead of flinging myself out of aircraft. Eventually, this led to forging, which led to knives, which led to JH Forgeworks.

I make a variety of different knife styles but specialize primarily in kitchen cutlery and tools. By combining the best modern steels mixed with tried and tested historical processes, I strive to create beautiful yet functional blades that will last for generations. Using a variety of stainless, carbon, laminated, and pattern-welded steels, I aim to produce knives that will exceed expectations whether in a professional kitchen or at a backyard family BBQ. Everything I make is fully hand-built and finished here in house. This allows me to ensure the highest possible quality while maintaining the look and feel of a truly hand-made product.

It is my goal to provide you with the best performing and aesthetically pleasing tool you could desire. In a world filled with cheaply made, disposable, and ultimately disappointing products, JH Forgeworks exists to bring back the tradition of buying the right tool for the job and never having to replace it. I’m committed to creating truly one of a kind knives that will provide a lifetime of service.