ENDORSED BY THE INDIANA KNIFE COLLECTORS

I first started making knives in 1976, joining the Knifemakers Guild in 1978. I am very honored to hold membership in the Corporazione Italia Coltllinai in Milan.I love the creative process, challenges, and the feeling of accomplishment knowing my product will stand the test of time. I very much enjoy the kinship of fellow knifemakers and collectors. There are so many facets in this business; it is always new and exciting.

I have been approached several times through the years about teaching classes. To further my involvement in the knife industry, I have decided to offer classes for the knife enthusiast that has a desire to learn the art of knifemaking. It has been said that a hands on class can reduce your learning curve by as much as five years, I agree with that statement 100%.

Style of knife you will be making in class

Liner Lock Class

One-on-One knifemaking instructions

Shop safety

How to - hallow grind a blade free hand

Procedures - for blade and bolsters  i.e. bead blast, satin finish, highly polished, or a combination.

Fit and finish - Basic file work will be taught for the liners

We will be using - 440c satinless for the blades 416 stainless for the bolsters

Titanium liners - Anodizing will be taught.

Handle - material of your choice.

The class - will include discussion on pricing and marketing.

You will be given - a binder to take home with you listing the suppliers I use.  Including steel, belts and handle materials.

Basic Liner Lock Folder Class

Each class will be limited to two students. The four day class will be from 9:00 AM till 5:00 PM with a one hour break for lunch. 

We will go through all of the steps involved during the four days and you will take home a finished knife with your name  engraved on the blade. All materials will be furnished.

For further information on the class, you can email me at jmjknives@aol.com  or phone me at 765-354-4108. I will send out your registration form. A packet will be mailed to you after registration. It will include a map from Indianapolis Airport (if you are flying), a map with directions showing where my shop is located, and lists of nearby hotel accommodations and nearby restaurants.

Endorsements

I have been collecting knives for 30 years now. I began collecting knives rather randomly but soon come to realize one important thing to me as a collector was to develop a relationship with the makers.  I developed a philosophy that if I was going to pay good money I was going to spend it with people I respected and made good quality cutlery.  Jim and Joyce personify everything that is right about this business.  Their work has always been at or near the top of the heap and stood behind their collaborative efforts to a fault.  The quality of their work is spoken to by the awards they have won and the invitational shows in which they have appeared including some in Europe.  Their skills have been praised in many of the industry publications and most recently in some of the books about  the knifemaking business which have been distributed around the world.  Jim’s skills as a craftsman are unquestioned, his fit and finish are on par with anyone in the industry and is all done without any computer controlled techniques.  His creations are truly handmade knives.  He is entering a new phase in his career and is excited about sharing his knowledge with a new generation of knifemakers.  If I were thirty years younger I would be very eager to learn from such a talented man.

I have probably embarrassed them both by the effusive praise because they are both people of great humility but I can’t think of two people more deserving of such praise.  Good luck to them both as they enter new phases of their careers.  Joyce Minnick, as a sculptor and multimedia artist and Jim as mentor to knife makers who choose to come under their tutelage.

Ron Stagnari

Veteran knife makers and artists Jim and Joyce Minnick need no introduction to discriminating knife collectors around the world. Long-time veterans of the Custom Knife Makers Guild, these folks are one of the premier knife making couples in the custom knife world today, with friends, fans and admirers from all parts of the globe. 

Featured in Dr. David Darom’ now classic volume “Art and Design in Modern Custom Folding Knives”, the Minnick’s have been recognized as elite in their craft for almost four decades. During this period, working in a variety of styles, they have produced a series of memorable knife designs of uncommon style and beauty, many rooted in timeless Art Nouveau and Art Deco traditions.
 
With engraving and design by Joyce and knife making by Jim, the Minnicks continue to produce attractive and nuanced knives appealing to serious collectors in spite of the constantly changing fads and flavor-of-the month styles common in the Art Knife World over the last several decades.
 
In other words, Jim and Joyce have achieved what few knife makers have; they remained relevant and vital in the Art knife world over a long period. 

Jim and Joyce Minnick Endorsement                                                                           
April 3rd, 2014

A knife maker since 1976 and a member of the Knife Makers Guild since 1978, Jim Minnick has been passionate about custom knives for a long time. Committed to high levels of fit and finish, Jim’s goal is to make each knife better than the last. 

He favors classic styles with simple flowing lines, but is always open to new design ideas and influences. Many Minnick knives featured complex Damascus blades along with carved frames and gold details which are sometimes accented by rich blued or French Grey finishes. But in the end Jim’s goals are always the same, to create something of lasting beauty and tangible quality for collectors that will stand the test of time. 

Paul Shindler
KnifeLegends

Knifemaker’s Recommendations

I have had the pleasure of knowing Jim and Joyce Minnick throughout my knifemaking career. I respect Jim’s high quality of excellence and this craftsmanship. His attention to fit and finish is of one of the top recognized folder makers in the knife world.

To have an opportunity to learn from one of the most respected makers in the industry, would be priceless.

Wolf Loerchner

Mary Jo and I have known Jim and Joyce Minnick for as long as I have been making knives. Their creativity and Jim’s attention to detail as a craftsman in his field is un-surpassed in quality. What a great opportunity to have a chance to take a class with one of the most respected men in the business.

Matthew Lerch

Reviews

This winter I participated in a class with Jim Minnick on the basics of making a folding knife. Jim is a very talented knifemaker who marries the skill of traditional knifemaking with a modern approach to folding knife design. I had a decent book knowledge of folding knives but it was Jim’s hands-on instruction that propelled me forward and allowed me to complete my first folding knife. Jim’s class included all areas of information and instruction, from where to buy drill bits to transforming raw sheets of material into a functioning folding knife.

After taking Jim’s class, I have been inspired with many new ideas, and now have the skills and knowledge to “see them through to reality.

Andy Davis Blacksmith

Just finished Jim’s folder class. Jim provided a comprehensive schedule with detailed instruction. I really had a great time and left the Minnick’s shop with a strong knowledge on how to make a folding knife.

Rob Blanton Owensboro, KY