I'm Nicholas Nichols, but you can call me Nic. I'm a knifemaker from southeastern North Carolina where I live with my beautiful wife Amanda and our three children: Keller, Tucker, and Iris. Every knife I create is a fusion of my family heritage, culinary background, and deep appreciation for craftsmanship that stands the test of time.

My journey into knifemaking began with a profound family discovery. After my grandmother passed away, my family gathered to share stories and memories. During those conversations, I learned that my great great grandfather was a blacksmith in Columbus County, near my hometown of Leland, NC. That revelation ignited something in me. I went down a long rabbit hole, researching everything I could about him and about blacksmithing. Through exploring the ancient art of blacksmithing and ornamental metalwork, I eventually met a gentleman who introduced me to knifemaking. The moment I held that first blade I was working on, I knew I had found my calling. I began studying under other knifemakers, including a master bladesmith, absorbing their knowledge and techniques while developing my own distinctive style.

A Lifelong Fascination

My connection to knives runs deeper than my metalworking journey. From the time I was a Cub Scout all the way through culinary school at Johnson & Wales, I've been fascinated by knives. They've always been around me, always caught my eye, always sparked my curiosity. As a culinary student, I could never quite afford the quality knives I admired. Now, to have the ability to put handmade knives in people's hands that they can pass along for generations is an incredible thrill. It's come full circle in the most meaningful way.

Recognition & Credentials

My work has been honored with recognition that I'm deeply proud of. I won the Our State Magazine 2020 Made in NC Award in the Home & Garden category for my Battleship Teak Large Chef's Knife. I was also a contestant on Forged in Fire during Season 7, Episode 33, competing in the Japanese Ono challenge. I'm a member of the NC Custom Knifemaker's Guild, which connects me with a community of craftspeople who share my dedication to the art.

Design Philosophy

I've always been drawn to the art deco period and mid century modern aesthetics. I love things with swooping lines and curves and flow, whether it's an old ship, a car from the '40s or '50s, or a beautiful piece of furniture. When I design a knife, I want it to look like it's cutting while it's sitting still, the same way a ship or a vintage car looks like it's cutting through the wind. I figure if it looks like it's cutting through the wind, it's going to cut through a carrot.

Creating a knife is a transformative process. It starts as a design in my head, then becomes a woodblock pattern. From that pattern, I trace onto a piece of steel and cut it out. The real magic happens when I turn that piece of metal into hardened steel. A knife doesn't have a soul until it's hard and will hold an edge. Then comes the careful work of crafting the blade, shaping it, perfecting it. Finally, I attach the handle materials, bringing together metal and wood, form and function, into something that will serve someone for a lifetime.

Materials & Craftsmanship

In my former life as a chef, I learned that high quality ingredients are the foundation for great meals. The same principle applies to knifemaking. High quality materials make great knives. I try to use as much material that's made in the United States as I can, supporting American manufacturing and ensuring the best possible components.

I specialize in working with reclaimed handle wood materials, each with its own story to tell. One of my greatest privileges is working with reclaimed teak decking and steel from the hull of the USS North Carolina Battleship (BB 55). The most decorated battleship of World War II is permanently docked on the Cape Fear River, just over a mile from my home. The honor of transforming wood that once formed the deck where sailors stood, that weathered battles and history, into something beautiful and functional for modern kitchens is something I don't take lightly.

Beyond battleship teak, I work with wood from barrels that once held whiskey, lumber that was intended for Gibson guitars but didn't quite make the cut yet still carries incredible character, and wood that was used in famous stadiums and basketball courts. Every piece of reclaimed material brings history and meaning to the knives I create.

The Challenge and the Reward

I'll be honest about the biggest challenge I face as a knifemaker. We live in a throwaway society. It's incredibly easy to order something from a big box store online and have it delivered tomorrow. The wait time for something I make and the cost of what I create may be substantially more than that throwaway item. But here's what I believe: a knife that I'm going to give you can be passed on from generation to generation. It will be here long after you and I are gone. Why not have something you're going to be proud of, something you won't have to replace?

What Drives Me

What I love most about what I do is seeing the joy in people's faces and hearing the feedback from first time customers. When someone tells me it's the greatest knife they've ever had, that it performs better than anything they're used to, that makes everything worthwhile. A kitchen knife is something you're going to use every day. Why not have something that means something to you, something that feels really good in your hand, or something that has a story behind it?

Every knife I make carries a piece of history, whether it's the teak from a decorated battleship, the wood from a whiskey barrel, or the steel I've carefully forged and shaped. But more than that, every knife becomes part of someone's story. It becomes the tool they reach for to prepare family meals, the heirloom they pass to their children, the constant companion in their kitchen that serves them faithfully for decades.

That's why I do what I do. Not to make disposable tools, but to create lasting pieces of functional art that honor the past while serving the present and future.