Patrick Gerst
Social Media: Instagram
Well first I will start off with an introduction, My name is Patrick Gerst of Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA. Knives and edged weapons/tools have always been very interesting to me. As a young boy I often found myself reaching for pocket knives when my dad and his best friend would take me to antique stores. We visited them alot due to their interest in old films and film equipment but I don't think those visits are what piqed my interest perse, to me it almost feels natural or second nature. I have been buying, selling and trading knives ever since I was old enough to do so, I didn't get into modding,sharpening and making knives until I was about 25 though, I am now 32, so about 7-8 years. I have recently started my own modification and knife design company, soon to be knife MAKING business once I move into a house that has space available for all of the necessary equipment. My companies name is GerstBladeworks, named after my last name of course :) I am an electrician by trade but it is my lifelong dream to be a Bladesmith and for knife making /designing to be my full-time job but of course, it wouldn't be a job then because it is the only thing I am super passionate about and that to me is the best gift I could ever ask for, to be able to do something I love and provide for my family at the same time would just be the most beautiful thing I could ever imagine. This sharpening system would mean the world to me because I have been down, all the way down to rock bottom and back (almost) ;-). For the last year I have been homeless, living in my car and for a long time, even in a tent. I could go into all of the gory details but that is another story for another time. The point is that I have pulled myself back up by my bootstraps and am now about to move into a house for the first time in over a year on May 6! 2023 and can resume production on my custom fixed blades and I even have my first folder design in the works with an overseas OEM! Stay tuned for that! Having a professional sharpening system like one of the TSPROF's would allow me to take my modification and sharpening services to the next level and allow me to provide nothing but the very best for my clients. Reputation is everything in this business and I only want the absolute very best for all of them. The best advice I could give to someone just getting into sharpening is to have patience and learn as much as you can, learn about alloys, abrasives, heat treatments & familiarize yourself with both guided sharpening and freehand sharpening, they both have their place and no one method is more important than the other, however freehand sharpening, on a professional, meticulous level is now fastly becoming a dying art and I would love to see more young people getting involved. To summarize the advice, have patience and soak it all up, experience is key in this game and you can never learn too much.Thank you TSPROF for giving me this opportunity. I'm sending out positivity and good vibes to all of my fellow brethren of the blade. One love, -Patrick Gerst
Sometimes admirers of kitchen, hunting and camping knives, as well as edged weapons, confuse the terms «whetstone» and «wet (water) stone». They do not know the difference between these concepts, and not everyone knows how to use the whetstone or...
1. Abrasive stropping compound purpose and function To comprehend the function and significance of the abrasive stropping compound, it is imperative to have a clear understanding of the stropping process and its objectives. Stropping serves as the concluding stage in...
How often should you sharpen a knife? The answer is not too often: during the sharpening process, the abrasive stone removes some of the metal from the blade, which accelerates blade wear. You can use techniques such as honing or stropping...
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