Mats Thureson has been a member at Generator for over 8 year now, but you may not see him working if you stop by during the day. Mats is one of our night owl members, working through the dark hours of the night! We were lucky to connect with him this past week to learn more about his passion for blacksmithing and take a look into how he designs his custom kitchen knives.
Name: Mats Thureson
Current Location: Burlington, VT
Hometown: Hingham, MA
Website: https://www.thorssonblades.com/
Instagram: @thorssonblades
Facebook: Thorsson Blades
Did you grow up in Vermont? If not… What brought you here and why did you stay?
I grew up in Massachusetts. My best friend, Marcus Bretto, moved to Vermont after being offered a job here. I missed my friend and the music we used to write together, so we devised I move up to Vermont so we could continue jamming! We now have a band, Rose Asteroid, and have shared a Generator studio for 7 years!
How did you get interested in bladesmithing, and how did you first start?
I was one of those kids that felt like he was born in the wrong century. When I was 13 or 14, Marcus invited me over to try forging at his house, and I excitedly joined. We constructed a forge out of reclaimed fire bricks and a hair dryer, and had a great day forging out some rudimentary objects!
When did you know that bladesmithing was something you wanted to pursue more seriously?
I was hooked from the start, and frankly, I think I saw an avenue to self-worth. I was forging after school and researching metallurgy and history instead of doing homework. In the years after graduation I took classes with master smiths in pattern welding and advanced heat treating, and everything I learned cemented in me the desire to be a legitimate bladesmith in my own eyes. The traditional nature of bladesmithing, the refined creativity I could chase and express, and the idea of the freedom provided by self employment drove me to try to make it as a bladesmith.
What types of knives do you make, and what’s your favorite kind to work on?
I make many different types of blades, but edged tools for luthiers (stringed instrument makers) and kitchen knives have been my main focus. A constant favorite for me has been pattern welded (Damascus) knives. Making the patterns from nothing, forging them into blades and revealing them at the end of the process is consistently rewarding!
What materials do you like working with, and why?
I work with a number of high carbon steels. My particular favorites are simple carbon steels like 1095, Japanese white steel #2, and 1084/15n20 for Damascus blades.
Can you walk us through your knife-making process from start to finish?
I always start with the purpose of the knife, as everything that follows is based on what its job is intended to be. I think about basic dimension parameters like length, height, and thickness. I very seldom draft, because I like to let creativity and natural occurrence guide me as the blade takes form in the forging process. I keep my forge at a separate metal shop where I use heat, hammer, anvil, and the occasional power hammer to shape my blades.
After the basic shape has been forged and straightened, I return to Generator for the rest of the process. I refine the blade profile on the 2×72 belt sander, stopping often to identify high/low spots, kinks in the profile, anything not pleasing to the eye or potentially detrimental to the function of the knife. Once the profile grind is complete, I heat treat the blade in my kiln. Three normalization cycles, quench (usually oil), and a temper cycle. With a properly hardened blade, I go back to the 2×72 and grind the edge bevels in by hand with careful attention to geometry (this determines how well it cuts!).
Once the bevels are ground in, and the weight/symmetry are optimal, I bring it into my studio where the most tedious yet most rewarding part, hand sanding, begins. I sand from 220 grit up to 4000 grit, depending on what texture the knife calls for. That’s a blade completed!
It is then ready to be dressed with a handle, which I will usually co-design and then hand off to Marcus for the extreme high-end blades. Our collaborations present the best we can provide from both disciplines. The blades are given their final sharpening via flattened waterstones after they are mounted in the completed handles.
What are some of the more challenging parts of making a knife?
The heat treatment can be an anxious moment. I’ve got the process dialed pretty well for the types of steel I use, but there’s always a chance a blade can crack from the stress and then all my previous progress is lost! Oh, and hand sanding. Put on a podcast, because you’re going to be here a while.
What are aspects of the process you really enjoy, or find most rewarding?
This is a bit contradictory, but hand sanding! Mainly when you get to the end after being extra diligent to get every single previous grit scratch out. Dunking that blade in the etchant (acid used to etch blade) and seeing the Damascus pattern jump out at you, it proves to be worth the effort!
What’s one tool in the shop you couldn’t live without?
The 2×72 belt grinder is an invaluable tool for the modern knife maker. But for the bladesmith, it’s the forge!
How did you hear about Generator?
I first came to Generator in 2018, because I was looking on google for places to put some flyers up for bladesmithing classes I wanted to teach. I didn’t know what Generator was, but I was greeted at the door with enthusiasm and given a tour on the spot. I was enchanted!
Was there anything in particular about this space that drew you in?
A well-kitted metal shop, like-minded innovators and handcraft oriented people, and a 24/7 access studio membership made me sign up immediately. It provided me a way for me to hit the ground running after my move to VT with the little resources I had.
What has your experience been like as a Generator Member?
Being a member at Generator has been invaluable to my business journey, but also in meeting new friends and learning about new crafts and tools. Things I otherwise would never be exposed to were one conversation or tool training class away, and that kind of exposure is incredibly conducive to broadening one’s horizons.
Are there things about the community or the tools available that allowed you to grow in ways that might not have been possible otherwise?
As far as the business, Generator has provided ways for me to scale my production in ways that would not be possible on my own without extensive loans. However far more than a means to an end, Generator is a place that you go to share ideas and make friends with people you may otherwise have never met if not for being such an excellent gathering place for makers and creatives. There is always something cool happening!
Have you had any unexpected learning moments from other members here?
I have! Mainly tricks about CAD modeling and laser engraving. I learned how to use the laser to etch my logo into my knives from a member! There are so many people here eager to share their knowledge if you just ask.
Do you have any advice for anyone thinking about becoming a Generator Member? Any information or tips/tricks that you wish someone would have shared with you?
If you feel like you want to start a business but it feels too far out of reach, or you need a place to practice your art/craft, or even just want to break out of the standard routine and learn something new, it’s a great idea to be a Generator member. For new members, do not ever be afraid to ask questions! The staff are always happy to work with you to find ways to make something work out, even if it doesn’t initially. Talking to Generator staff, and their dedication and willingness to help their members, has done so much for me. Being an active community member at Generator provides more opportunity the more you participate!
What’s something you haven’t yet explored that you’d really like to learn more about or try?
Since I became the owner of a computerized temp-controlled heat treating kiln, I’ve been researching high carbon stainless steels and I’m preparing to make blades from those alloys. That’s my current focus, but there are so many other things I want to learn. It will never end, but it’s better that way.
Where do you hope your craft will take you? Do you have any upcoming goals you are hoping to achieve? A dream project you’d like to accomplish?
I hope to be seen not just as a maker of practical tools, but as an artist as well. My obsession is the marriage of form and function, and I aspire to have the means of exploring the artistic side of bladesmithing.
Any advice for aspiring knife makers?
To paraphrase Tchaikovsky; you must create, even when you don’t feel like it! Always be moving, and don’t get caught up on small mistakes. Even if you hate how they come out at first, use every piece as a learning experience and just make another, and another, and another. Finally, admit to yourself you will always be a student of your art. It is freeing. Mastery is an egotistical fallacy.
Where can people find or purchase your work?
www.thorssonblades.com is where I put all finished products, and I post about them on my instagram @thorssonblades!
