Frequently Asked Questions

High-carbon steel is prized for its edge retention and sharpness, but requires a little more attention than stainless. During use, keep a damp cloth on hand and wipe the blade down every few minutes when working with acidic foods. Immediately after use, hand wash with warm water and mild soap, never a dishwasher, and dry the blade entirely with a clean towel. For long-term storage, apply a single drop of food-safe oil (mineral or camellia) across the blade to block moisture. Over time, your blade will develop a dark grey or blue patina — a protective oxidation layer, not a defect, that helps shield the steel from destructive rust.

No — never. The dishwasher's heat, humidity, and harsh detergents will strip the protective oil from the blade, dull the edge, and can permanently damage natural handle materials like wood, bone, and antler. Always hand wash and dry immediately.

Natural handle materials — wood, burl, antler, bone, and horn — benefit from occasional conditioning. Apply a small amount of food-grade mineral oil, beeswax finish, or linseed oil with a soft cloth. Allow it to soak in for a few minutes, then wipe off any excess. Do this every couple of months, or whenever the handle looks dry. Avoid soaking natural handles in water.

Yes. Every Hearth-Fire blade leaves the forge sharpened and ready to use. We finish each edge on whetstones and a leather strop before it ships.

Regular honing on a leather strop will keep your edge aligned and razor-sharp between full sharpenings. Avoid honing steels (the rod type) on high-carbon blades — they can chip the edge. For a full resharpen, use a whetstone progressing through grits, or bring it to one of our markets for on-the-spot sharpening.

Start by submitting a Custom Order Request through the website. Describe your vision — blade style, handle preference, intended use, and any reference images. We'll review your request and get back to you to discuss details, materials, and pricing — allow up to 7 days for a reply, most are answered within 48 hours. Once agreed, a deposit is taken to begin work. You'll receive personal progress updates as your piece moves through the forge.

Custom orders currently have a lead time of 4–6 weeks, depending on the complexity of the design, materials required, and current workshop load. For bespoke pieces involving rare handle materials or complex Damascus patterns, this may extend slightly. You'll receive a personal update at each stage of your knife's creation.

Absolutely. Handle material is one of the most personal choices in a custom knife. We work with a wide range of options including native Australian timbers, stabilised burl, resin, antler, bone, and horn. If you have a specific material in mind — or even a piece of timber with sentimental value — get in touch and we'll discuss whether it can be incorporated.

Yes, in many cases. If you have a piece of timber, antler, or other material with sentimental value, contact us before submitting your order and we'll let you know if it's suitable for handle work. Materials must be appropriately sized and dry.

Custom commissions generally start from $100 AUD depending on design complexity, blade length, and materials. Contact us to discuss your project and we'll provide a quote with no obligation.

Most sharpening is done on the spot using a combination of Japanese water stones, sandpaper, and leather strops, finished to a shaving-sharp edge. Before we start, we'll talk through the condition of your knife with you so you know exactly what to expect. If a blade has a large chip or significant damage, we'll sometimes take it home instead — our machines handle that kind of repair better than a whetstone can on-site — and it's typically ready the following week. Serrated blades and heavily damaged edges are almost always handled this way rather than sharpened at the market.

We recommend dropping your knives off first, then heading off to shop, grab lunch, or explore the market — turnaround is usually 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on how busy we are. We don't use a ticket system; we simply remember faces and which knives belong to whom. Payment is taken once the job is complete, not upfront — that way, if we run out of time to reach your knives, we can simply hand them back or arrange to finish the job during the week, with no refund needed.

We sharpen most kitchen knives, hunting and outdoor knives, pocket knives, and chisels. We also sharpen axes and hatchets. We can work on most blade steels including high-carbon, stainless, and Damascus. Heavily chipped or broken tips may require additional restoration work.

Sharpening is free for any authentic Hearth-Fire Forge blade (return shipping at cost if mailed in). For knives from other makers: prices start at $6 each for smaller, pocket-sized knives, and from $12 each for kitchen knives. We offer discounted rates when three or more knives are handed in together by the same person. Turnaround is 5–10 business days for mail-in orders.

Yes. If you can't make it to a market, you can mail your knives to us. Hearth-Fire blades are resharpened free of charge (you cover return shipping). For other makers' knives, standard pricing applies. Use a tracked and insured method and contact us first for the current mailing address.

Damascus (also called pattern-welded steel) is made by forge-welding multiple layers of different steels together, then manipulating them to create flowing, wave-like patterns. It combines the properties of different steels throughout the blade. San-Mai ('three layers' in Japanese) is a construction where a hard, high-carbon steel core is clad between two outer layers of softer steel — giving you a razor-sharp edge with a tougher, more forgiving body.

Cu-Mai is our signature construction — a twist on San-Mai where copper (Cu is the chemical symbol for copper) is used as one of the cladding layers. The result is a visually stunning blade with copper accents visible along the bevels and spine, combined with a hard steel core for an exceptional edge. It's a Hearth-Fire Forge speciality.

Yes. We frequently collaborate with Dane Standen of Standen Knives to forge our custom steel billets right here in New South Wales, ensuring complete control over the pattern and steel composition from billet to blade.

Yes. All blade steels we use are food-safe, and handle materials are sealed and finished appropriately for food contact. High-carbon steel blades should be kept dry and oiled — they are not ideal for prolonged contact with highly acidic foods (like citrus or onions) without cleaning and drying promptly after.

We accept all major credit and debit cards and Afterpay at checkout. We also offer personal payment plans and PayPal on request — just contact us directly to arrange either.

For larger custom commissions, we can discuss a deposit-and-balance arrangement. Contact us to talk through options before submitting your order.

In-stock items are usually dispatched within 2–4 business days. Custom commissions ship once complete — you'll be notified of the shipping date during the process.

Yes — we ship worldwide via Australia Post and express couriers. Estimated delivery times: New Zealand 5–8 business days, North America 10–15, UK & Europe 10–18, Asia Pacific 10–15, Rest of World 14–25 business days. International customers are responsible for any import duties or customs fees. Please ensure knives are legal to import in your country before ordering.

We strictly follow Australia Post's Dangerous Goods guidelines. All knives are secured with heavy-duty tip guards, wrapped in reinforced cardboard, and firmly taped so they cannot pierce the outer packaging even if dropped or crushed in transit. Every order includes a tracking number sent to your email when it leaves the forge. High-value blades require a signature on delivery.

We don't have a shopfront, but you're welcome to collect at any of our upcoming markets. You can also arrange a local pickup in the Lake Macquarie area by contacting us first.

Adding an item to your cart does not reserve it. Because most Hearth-Fire pieces are one-of-a-kind, the piece stays available to everyone until someone actually starts checkout. Once you begin checkout, that piece is held for you for 15 minutes while you complete payment. If payment isn't completed in that window, the hold lapses and the piece returns to available stock. Complete your checkout to secure it.

If an item arrives with a maker's fault, we'll exchange it — contact us with photos so we can see what's happened. For change-of-mind returns, the item must come back unused and in perfect condition, and we'll issue store credit. As a small, family-run business we're unable to offer cash refunds, and return shipping is the customer's responsibility. Custom commissions, used items, sale items, gift cards, and services already commenced are final sale.

Yes — Hearth-Fire Forge provides a Limited Lifetime Warranty to the original purchaser covering defects in materials and craftsmanship for the usable life of the product. This covers cracked blades, failed heat-treatment, loose pinning, handle failure under normal use, and finish defects present at delivery. It does not cover damage from misuse, neglect, or using the tool outside its intended purpose.

Any authentic Hearth-Fire Forge knife can be professionally resharpened at no labour cost for the life of the product — forever. You're responsible for shipping to and from the forge. Use a tracked and insured method. This is part of our commitment to building tools meant to last a lifetime.

Hearth-Fire Forge is created, owned, and operated entirely by Mason Becker, based in Lake Macquarie, New South Wales.

The forge is based in Lake Macquarie, NSW. We frequently attend artisan events and markets — check the Markets page for upcoming dates and locations.

You can reach Mason by SMS or email. SMS: 0411 392 942. Email: hearthfireforge@outlook.com. If there's no answer by phone, it's likely because the forge is loud — a message or email will always get a response.

No permanent shopfront — everything is made to order or sold through the website and at markets. You can handle the blades in person at any of our upcoming popup markets.

The Huscarls is Mason's historical reenactment group, rooted in the New South Wales Anglo-Saxon reenactment community. It's separate from Hearth-Fire Forge as a business — though it's where Mason's blacksmithing journey first began.

The Guild (also known as the Hearth Keepers Guild) is our subscription-based membership, similar to Patreon. It's a way for customers to support Hearth-Fire Forge on an ongoing basis — even without buying a knife — in exchange for perks and closer access to the workshop.