SHOP DUMP

Two gifted bladesmiths reveal their machine and tool MVPs

SALEM STRAUB 

Simply put, Salem Straub makes art and culinary knives of the highest order. He began forging in 2003 when a previous project introduced him to blacksmithing and, like so many knifemakers, once the bug bit there was no turning back. Twenty years later Salem is at the top of his game and all his work is sole authorship. What's more, he delighted many knife lovers competing and winning in the second season of the History Channel's popular reality show, Forged in Fire.

Salem operates his custom cutlery business under the name Promethean Knives after a passage from noted British writer Zia Haider Rahman: "Is that not the Promethean fable, that the fire stolen from the gods will light men their way even while it burns their hands?" Salem built his reputation for making fine art folders and fixed blades, including swords, but he added culinary knives out of his passion for cooking, which in turn led to his winning the Best Integral Award at the 2019 Damasteel Chef Invitational. His forging specialty is extremely fine patterned damascus.

IDEAL SAW

Salem leads off his list of top tools with his bandsaw. "The Marvel Model 81 Hydraulic Vertical Band-saw is the ideal saw for a dedicated pattern welder," he begins. "It will easily handle all the normal operations that either a horizontal or vertical bandsaw can, but also affords the additional capability of ripping lengthwise with power feed, miter cuts, compound miter cuts and rips. Everything from the table vise to the saw feed and drive wheel is hydraulically powered, and a flood coolant system is integral to the design."