My name is Steven A. Shipley. I make knives under the name of S.A.Shipley. My knife making came about in an unusual manner. A good friend, R.D.Miller of Garland Texas has been making knives for many years. I would photograph them for him in exchange for a knife every once in a while. When R.D. decided to retire, he took me under his wing and showed me the ropes. I use the stock removal method. Currently I am making fixed blade hunting and tactical blades. Materials are ATS-34, 440-c, and Damascus blades. Handle materials are of the finest and most exotic woods, ivory, Mammoth Ivory, and Walrus tusk. Most have bolsters of 416 Stainless or of Damascus. I like simple smooth lines that blend well into working class blades. I also use a checkering file for added grip on the back of most blades, with 20 lines per inch. I can do file work for those that prefer it. Each blade is designed to fit well in the hand. I sketch the blade on paper, then transfer it to ? inch white Plexiglas. This gives me a chance to see how it feels in the hand before cutting the blade out. All blades are hollow ground on an eight-inch wheel. The bolsters are designed after the blade is shaped to compliment the design. Most have a serpentine curve with perfect metal to handle material fit. I only make two to three knives per month. Each is cut, shaped, and fitted like it was being made for a foreign dignitary. Each knife is then polished and finished with TLC. My son, Dan then makes a leather sheath to fit that blade. The end results are knives that are for the discriminating hunter/collector.