Fri, March 29, 2024

North Augusta entrepreneur discovers he’s cut out to create knives

Charles Cypress enjoys turning steel into useful multipurpose tools.

As the owner of Cypress Custom Knives, he creates and sells knives for a variety of purposes, such as hunting, fishing, cooking, and collecting. Cypress has a shop in his backyard and a forge near his home in North Augusta. He launched the business about four years ago following his retirement from the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

“I start with designs I thought up in my head, and I draw out a knife,” Cypress said. “The forging process is putting the paper to the metal, so to speak.”

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Creating a knife is a complex process that typically takes him eight hours to complete. The process has many steps, including heating the steel at 2,500 degrees, grinding the metal, and attaching the blade to the handle. He also stamps his name into the blade.

To forge a knife, the metal has to be heated to 2,500 degrees.

While most of his customers are local, he has shipped knives to various states, including Colorado, Texas, and Massachusetts. Prices vary based on the type of knife a customer orders and the materials they select but typically range from $100 to $600. Cypress said most collectors are willing to buy a knife they want regardless of the price.

“I’ve done a set of 13 knives for a wedding party,” he said. “The groom wanted to give each of his groomsmen a knife.”

Cypress credits his late father with sparking his interest in knives. Unlike his father, he isn’t a collector. Cypress spends much of his time creating knives for others, but he eventually plans to make one for himself.

“Everything I’ve made is gone,” Cypress said.

For more information or to place an order, visit the Cypress Custom Knives Facebook page or contact him on Facebook Messenger.

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