Sharp Edge
Ten years ago, Aris Geesaman never thought that being the primary cook in his household would eventually lead to a thriving business endeavor. The job of meal prep was a constant need with a third baby on the way.
His search for local knife sharpening uncovered a lack of quality services in his area. Forging his own path, he decided to learn to sharpen his own knives to get a more optimal edge for his blades. A decade later, you can find Geesaman doing the same thing at his business, Ash Blaeds.
“I tried store-bought gizmos that you’d drag through to sharpen them, but I just was never satisfied with how they performed, so I figured I ought to learn how to sharpen them by hand on whetstones. That’s how my grandfather did it, and I figured it’d probably work for me too,” he says.
After a few years honing his craft, Geesaman decided to take a pass at forging his own knives. Without a mentor to guide him, he dove in and learned what he could from books and knife-forging classes around town. His first forge was made from a paint can, furnace cement, ceramic wool and a MAP torch. Although that one left something to be desired, he continued to shape new creations, now crafting highly sought-after pieces.
Ash Blaeds offers knife-sharpening services along with custom, handcrafted blades for everyone from enthusiasts to chefs, hunters, hikers, fishermen and anyone looking for a unique, quality knife. You can find him doing pop-up blade sharpening at C
orridor or in his shop located at 5883 W. Falling Waters Drive in McCordsville.
Geesaman’s blades are truly one-of-a-kind and handcrafted from start to finish. If you commission a blade, this even includes a watercolor painting of your design. Each knife is handmade every step of the way, with Geesaman swinging the hammer, grinding the bevels, doing the heat treatment, hand-sanding and handle shaping every single knife he offers.
“This truly is a labor of love and creation for me. It’s a lot of hard, detailed work, and I want people to use them and love them for a lifetime and then pass them on to the next generation. Secondly, when I say ‘handmade’ or ‘handcrafted,’ I mean it,” says Geesaman.
Many of his knives also incorporate materials from around Indianapolis, from the wood at Newfields to recycled bourbon barrels and repurposed IndyCar parts. He pushes the aesthetics of every single creation, honing a bespoke piece of art and function.
Geesaman ensures quality in each and every piece, with a guarantee to fix any of his original creations should they break. Each purchase also includes free knife sharpening for the life of the knife.
“There are certain compromises I don’t have to make because I’m not a billion-dollar company with a factory and shareholders, so I can focus on super-high-quality steel with expert heat treatment, geometry that emphasizes the fact that knives are precision cutting tools, and beautifully unique handles that set them apart from what folks around here normally see. Plus, I can often incorporate very personal materials into custom pieces like wood from a family farm, or a T-shirt from a loved one,” he says.
If you’re looking for a truly unique creation, check out Geesaman’s work at ashblaeds.com, stop by his pop-up at Corridor, or schedule your knife sharpening at his McCordsville shop.
