THE MAN BEHIND THE KNIVES

BORDERTOWN BLADES, INC. is a small custom knife manufacturer without a custom price tag. BORDERTOWN BLADES® was born in Blaine, WA near the Canadian border. Because life is an adventure, you never know where you’ll end up. Chris Shires, owner, and head bladesmith, now handcrafts all of his knives in sunny Jupiter, Florida.

I believe in the story a knife can tell after years of use; I hope one of my knives will become a part of your story.

I have been making knives professionally for over a dozen years and have been fortunate enough to put knives in the hands of professional hunters, fishermen, and some incredible chefs. I believe in quality products made by hand, in America, at a price-point people can afford.

Each knife begins as a hand-cut high carbon blade that I hand grind and polish, then heat treat and temper or high-quality stainless steel that I cryo treat. Then finally, assemble and shape by hand. I primarily use premium-grade exotic hardwoods and burls. I am also known to use Micarta and G-10. All handles are pinned in place using a variety of pin materials such as stainless steel, brass, and high-end mosaic pins.

I stabilize some of my wood handles with resin to make them harder and more resistant to shrinking and warping. Occasionally, I will dye the resin to create an even more unique piece.

I often post pictures of knives without sheaths. When the knife is ordered, I can select the sheath for left- or right-handed individuals. Custom sheaths and personalized engraving are available by request.

While attending Blade Show 2023, I submitted my final four knives to The Knifemakers’ Guild for full membership.

My Videos tab has a short reel where you can see my submissions.