About

My name is David Russell and I live in Owego, NY, located in Tioga County in the  Southern Tier region of NY state.  I started making knives in 2014.  In 2016 I retired from my day job and began spending more time making knives.  

      In 2014 when I first started making knives, I stamped my knives with an "R" on it's side (rotated counter clockwise) and was doing business as Lazy R Knives.  In that same time frame a few of my knives were signed using a rotary tool and diamond bit. I began using my current maker's mark (D J Russell Owego, NY) in April of 2017, and in February of 2019 I started  Tioga Knife Works.    Currently I operate as Tioga Knife Works and my maker's mark is D J Russell Owego NY.  Any knives with a lazy R stamped on them are likely mine, and represents some of my earliest work.

About my knives:

All of my knives are handmade start to finish by me in my workshop in Owego, NY.  I do everything myself from choosing the materials to heat treating to sharpening.   All of my forged blades are hand forged using hammers and an anvil.

     My goal is to make knives that are functional, and also pleasing to the eye.  I make knives for the field, stream, and kitchen, and display shelf.  I make knives using the stock removal method and by forging.  

     For my blades I use high carbon blade steel such as 5160, 1075, 1084, 15N20, O1, and 80CrV2.  The final properties of the blade is a trade off between hardness, toughness, and edge retention.  I do all of my own heat treating and test most blades for hardness to ensure it has the right properties for it's intended use.  Note that carbon steels are not stainless, and will tarnish or corrode if not cared for.  

     For my handles, mostly I use local hardwoods, but also use some  exotic hardwoods as well.  I really appreciate a nice piece of wood, and enjoy matching the wood and grain pattern to the knife I am making.  Even though exotic woods originate from around the globe, I obtain them from local sources.

     Feel free to browse the Hunting, Fishing, and Kitchen pages,  and the Gallery, to see examples of knives I have made.

About my sheaths:

All knives for the field and stream come with a custom leather sheath.  I make each sheath by hand start to finish from  good quality leather.   Each sheath is molded to it's knife to insure a good fit, and hand stitched.  All of my sheaths will fit a 2" wide belt, and most will fit a wider belt.

About knife safety:

Knives are designed for cutting.  Using a knife for any other purpose is not recommended; it may damage the knife and can also be potentially dangerous.  My knives are sharp, so please be careful!

About knife care:

All carbon steel knives should be washed by hand, and never put in a dishwasher.  After washing and rinsing, the knives should be dried immediately.  A light application of oil or wax after they dry will help keep the blades looking their best.  If they do tarnish, there are products, such as Flitz, which does a very good job removing tarnish and protecting the blade.  Please follow the manufacturers recommendations, and be sure to wash your knives before using them on food.

      Also note that many finished leather products are acidic in nature.  Never store your knife in a leather sheath for an extended period of time, especially when wet or in humid conditions.