Each Knife I make is the result of a long, thoughtful process designed to produce the best knife I know how to make for the intended purpose.  Every knife I make is tested before leaving my shop with regard to that purpose.  
My Philosophy is Simple - I let the cutting edge tell me when it is properly heat-treated.
Tests I employ include:
• After edge-quenching, I run a file across the blade edge - if the file does not "bite" into the metal, but glides over like glass, then it passes the hardness test.
• Next, I do an immediate tempering cycle (before the steel drops below 150 degrees) at the lower end of the temperature range for the respective type of blade steel I am using, I set the edge, and then chop-test on material harder than the type of material it will be used on by the customer.  If the edge "chips" at this stage, then I retemper at a slightly higher temperature and restest, repeating this cycle until the edge no longer chips.
• Once the right temperature is achieved, I temper the blade two-more cycles at that temperature to ensure a thorough temper.
• The final test to the blade includes cutting trials to determine proper edge geometry and edge retention.  These tests include cutting packing "peanuts" (edge geometry), cutting through sisal rope (edge retention), cutting leather, and cutting some cardboard.
• And, finally after all these tests, I finish the blade to final appearance and fit the handle.  However, the ultimate test comes when the customer puts my knife to use - I hope that each customer contacts me and tells me how the blade performed.  
All guard and tang regions of the blade are fully annealed as well to provide maximum shock absorption and flexibility. 
 
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• Here I am chop-testing a camp knife.

I find the real fun in constructing a durable knife is the variety of materials available.  I use a variety of high carbon blade steels, including 1084, 1095, 5160, and the classic O-1 tool steel, depending on end-use and customer preference.  As a practicing forester for 20 years, I've discovered lots of unique burls and figurative wood in my travels among the trees.  Every year, I bring back from the woods unique pieces of big-leaf maple burl, southwest oak burl, black ash burl, sycamore, birch bark, and a variety of antlers, including white-tail, mule deer and elk.  After seasoning for at least a year, I cut each burl into handle-sized blocks and send to River Ridge Products (www.rrpwhite.com) to be dyed and stabilized.  My other favorite woods include lignum vitae, cocobolo, walnut, osage orange, and mesquite; all naturally stable woods.  All antler and bone material is either stabilized as well, or dyed and hardened in my shop.  Micarta gets used quite a bit in my shop as well.
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• Here are a few of the woods I use, on top are blocks of Big-Leaf Maple burl I hand selected on a trip to northern California, then dyed & stabilized.

Here are some close-up photos of my Prairie Son so you can see the fit and finish - no matter which knife I make for you, I promise the fit and finish to be as good as what you see in these photos.