About
I'm John Newland, and I make knives by hand in Austin, Texas.
I've always had a knife in my hand: cooking with my mom, working on construction projects with my dad, hunting and fishing with my friends.
The first knife I made came out of a charcoal forge a friend and I built by digging a hole in the ground and lining it with concrete block. Ever since, I've been thinking about how to get better, and how to keep making knives for the rest of my life.
Where I'm learning
The forge in the ground turned into this: a shed, a belt grinder and a workbench, where I've been learning the craft. The shop keeps growing along with my skills, and every blade is still ground and finished by hand.
Each knife tells a story through what it's made of, chosen for the person who'll carry it. Then it keeps telling one. The steel develops a natural patina with every meal cooked, every fish cleaned and every job done, so the longer it's used, the more it becomes theirs.
Commission a batch
Email me at john@nuevatierraknives.com, or send a message here.