P.J. Tomes, MS

P.J. Tomes began making knives as a young boy over 50 years ago. He began making knives full time in 1976 and joined the Knifemaker's Guild in 1978. He is self-taught except for learning steel making and tempering from Alfred Pendray in the early 1980's. The steel of choice for P.J.'s forged blades is 52100. His Stainless knives are made from Sandvik 12C27.

P.J. is known for how thin his knives are and for his flat grinds all the way to the edge. P.J. primarily uses natural handle materials including India Stag, Pearl and Mammoth Ivory. His primary handle material is jigged bone that he produces in his own shop, and jigged bone is what is quoted in the base price for most of his knives.

Tomes is the first person in the United States to successfully create a double lockblade folder with a single spring. This design won the Most Innovative Award at the 2000 Blade Show. The following year P. J. won the same award with his design of the 109X again using a single spring.

P.J. Tomes, MS