Frequently Asked Questions Q - How Long Have you been making knives? A - I have been making knives since early 2005, and make about 2-3 knives per month.   I have not produced knives for some time, but have several in production currently.  Q - Do you sign your knives? A - I stamp my initials (BG) onto the blades.  Because the blades are typically damascus steel with a high-carbon content the initials are sometimes hard to see, but they are on each of my knives. Q - I thought ivory was illegal? A - I use various types of ivory for the knife handles or "scales".  I use only legal ivory that has been purchased and obtained from a reputable source.  There are different laws depending on the type of ivory it is.  For example, elephant ivory currently in the United States is considered "pre-ban" ivory and is mostly obtained from estate sales and other surplus.  It cannot be shipped outside the US.  Walrus ivory is more highly regulated, and should be fossilized. Q - Are your blades tempered? A - Yes, all the blades I have made are tempered (heat treated) to strengthen them.