The Village of Knives event in Little Valley was an exceptionally educational experience. Walter Baranowski of Springville was the History Channel’s “Forged in Fire” champion just a couple of years ago. He and Case descendant John Burrell of Ellicottville crafted three knives together, which were the first knives made in Little Valley in 61 years.

The highlight of the event was watching the two master bladesmiths show off their incredible skills as they created exquisite knives. On Friday, Baranowski forged the blades by heating them to about 2,200 degrees, then shaped and pre-finished them before handing them off to Burrell Saturday for the final finishing. Burrell took on the arduous task of finishing the knives in the heat of the day. He created stunning leather handles with brass inlays and put them on the tang, which is the portion of the knife that extends into or through the handle.

I learned so much about the science behind forging knife blades. Baranowski, a fourth-generation metalworker, took the time to explain the process to me in great detail. His 10-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter are carrying on the family tradition and are already forging knives in their father’s metal shop, Baranowski Knife & Tool.