My name is Jamie Boley and I am a bladesmith. (Sounds like a support group introduction, doesn't it?) This story starts about the same as most other bladesmiths. I liked knives from a young age and at one point wanted to learn to make them. A friend of my dad's made knives and was my first teacher. At that time, I spent a little time playing around with stock removal. When I went to college, I couldn't spend much time working on knives. I did spend time talking with knifemakers, learning the process, and working on ideas. Until getting a workspace setup, I didn't spend much time using this information. I also took several jewelry making courses that I also use while making my knives.

Once I had a reasonable amount of time and space, I once again started playing with stock removal. I used files and a cheap, little grinder to shape them and did almost all the work by hand. As time progressed, I expanded my shop. 

As I added tools, I discovered the joy of building tools. I now have the bad habit of saying that I could build it instead of buying it. There's nothing wrong with this philosophy as long as it's actually done. In the shop tour, there is more information on the equipment I've built, as well as some tips and tricks I learned along the way.

I have a strong computer background and have a degree in Computer Science. I ultimately went back to school to get a degree in Machine Tool Technology. I learned all sort of new skills that opened a whole new world of tool construction. I spent quite some time running sinker EDM machines. Currently, I program and operate a laser. 

My tastes in knives have changed over time. I started out with a larger number of bowies and have not made one for a few years now. Recently, utility knives and historically influenced reproductions have captured my interest. I an part of the SCA, and have found a large number of people with similar interests.

In addition to blades, I also sell laser cut lamellar plates and stoneware feastware. More information on those are in their respective webpages. There are three things that are always present in my house. Blades. When I decomission a knife or test an idea, the blade often ends up in the house to be used. Lamellar plates. I have little piles of them all over the house. If I always sat at the same spot to bundle them, this wouldn't happen. Feastware in it's various states. Some is greenware (unfired), some is bisque (fired once but not glazed), and some is complete. Ironically, when I go to SCA events, I'm normally the one who forgest my feastware.