One smith, one hammer, one blade at a time.
Stigall Bladeworks is Joshua Stigall's one-person shop in Colorado, established in 2026. Every knife that leaves it was forged, ground, heat treated, handled, and sharpened by the same pair of hands — no contract grinding, no outsourced heat treat, no production runs. Each one ships with a certificate of authenticity signed by the maker and numbered in the order it came off the bench.
Forging is slower than cutting a blade out of flat bar, and it is the whole point. Moving steel under a hammer puts the mass where the knife needs it and lets the grain follow the shape instead of being cut across. You can feel the difference in a knife that has been used hard.
The shop is veteran-owned. That mostly shows up in the standards: gear is either dependable or it's a liability, and nothing goes out that I would not carry myself.
About the American Bladesmith Society
The ABS is the standards body for forged blades in the United States. Apprentice is the first rung, and reaching the next one means putting work in front of Master Smiths who will fail it if it deserves to fail. It's a slow ladder on purpose.
I’m an avid wild game hunter in Florida, and wild hogs are the staple of my dogs’s diet. (I feed ten of them). Most people don’t realize hog hide is among the toughest to get through. All that wet muddy thick fur dulls blades fast….
So Josh and I talked specs, and he built me a skinner made for exactly that. It’s balanced well and thick enough for aggressive work. I was happy to see the blade held its edge through a full hog. His gut hook shape is is really good. It keeps the cut shallow so you don’t nick anything you shouldn’t. It’s definitely the best handling and most beautiful hog skinner I’ve ever had.
"I'm very happy with my purchase of the set of steak knives that I requested. They are absolutely everything I wanted and more. Very finely crafted."
If you appreciate real craftsmanship, handmade knives, and old-school bladesmithing, you need to check out Stigall Bladeworks. My friend runs this operation completely solo, and every knife is made by hand with an incredible amount of time, skill, and attention to detail. Watching him work the steel at the anvil and turn raw material into a finished blade is something you just don’t see much anymore. These aren’t mass-produced knives coming off an assembly line. Each piece has its own character and reflects the work of the person who actually forged, shaped, finished, and built it.
What really impresses me is that he’s doing all of this himself — from the forge and anvil work to the finishing touches. That kind of dedication deserves recognition.
If you’re into knives, bladesmithing, blacksmithing, or just appreciate seeing someone build something truly unique with their own hands, go check out STIGALL Blade Works on Facebook and Instagram. Follow the pages, watch the builds, and support a small independent maker who is keeping traditional craftsmanship alive.
Stigall Bladeworks — definitely a maker worth watching.
Come see the work
Most of what happens in the shop ends up on Instagram before it ends up here — forge shots, grinds in progress, and the occasional failure worth showing.