Gray, Robb (Graycloud)

"I've been making knives since 2006. I make then all by hand, one at a time, selecting the perfect combination of materials to bring each into being as an art object. I rely on my instinct related to my favorite past-time, hunting, to bring in the needed utility in every piece. Although they are beautiful, they are also 100% functional and I hope that even those with fully engraved blades and inlaid gemstones will be used in the field. The materials I use range from stabilized wood to exotic fossilized mammoth ivory. My favorite steel is 440c stainless, as it holds a bright polish, which is the perfect background for the part of my work I most enjoy, engraving. The Sheridan style of leather tooling inspired me to develop unique methods to replicate it into metal. I am the first engraver to do this, the result is a deeper relief in my patterns than what is possible with traditional engraving practices."