Dirty Bird Knives

Dirty Bird Knives is a knife brand based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was founded in the summer of 2016 by John Orr and Luke Fraser, who are also best friends. The two share a passion for working with their hands, especially with wood and metal, which led them to knifemaking. Through their experiences as laborers and their military service, they have developed a deep appreciation for well-made tools that are reliable and consistently perform.

Dirty Bird Knives is run part-time by its two founders, as they have full-time jobs and families, and they aim to turn their business into a full-time endeavor. The brand is supported and loved by the local community, the knife community, their families, and customers.

All processes at Dirty Bird Knives are done in-house and by hand, including hand-grinding the blades, heat treating, cryogenic treatment, hardening, and Rockwell hardness testing. The brand starts by profiling the knife, whether it's a waterjet blank or cut from flat stock. Each model is ground to the correct size according to a hand-drawn design, which is then duplicated in the CAD system so that size and profile are consistent. The blade is then surface ground to make it perfectly flat, and the handles and weight reduction holes are drilled, reamed, and chamfered.

The blade undergoes multiple heat treatment steps, reaching temperatures of up to 2000 degrees depending on the steel type, to optimize its properties. Subsequently, the blades are quenched, cooled with compressed air, and immersed in liquid nitrogen. After two tempering cycles, the steel should be within perfect specifications and is subjected to a Rockwell hardness test. The final steps include post-heat treatment cleaning, descaling and grinding, rough contouring, finishing, and quality inspection.

Dirty Bird Knives aims to produce durable, quality tools that proudly represent their brand. Each knife is meticulously handcrafted and undergoes thorough quality inspection before leaving the brand's workshop.