It’s 5 from the Grinder time Boys and Girls! 5ftG is KNIFE Magazine’s short format interview series where we share both interesting knives, but the stories and thoughts that went into making them. Today we bring you Masoud Hashemabadi, an Iranian knifemaker who also goes by the moniker “Apurak” on his social media.
He has been making knives since 2020, and has even been featured in print in a profile in a competitor’s pages. I am pretty sure that his work has shown up in “Artistry in Knives” as well, as there are some SharpbyCoop and Jocelyn Frasier photos of his work, and this are some of the sources we draw from for each month’s feature.
If you are a maker yourself and would like to be featured in a future edition of 5ftG, click this link.
And with that out of the way, I bring you Masoud Hashemabadi. Take it away Apurak…
Please introduce yourself and let us know what led you to making/designing knives
Back in 2020, I decided to step into the world of knifemaking, mainly because I wanted to fulfill my urge to forge.
I started by making some tools, then moved on to full-tang and hidden-tang designs.
Shortly after, I came across the X-Rhea design by Master Smith Lin Rhea. Since then, I have devoted myself deeply to that design—not just because it looked different, but because it resonated with my initial motivation, and because the process of making it was totally different from any knife I had ever seen. After a very short time, I realized that creating different variations of it satisfies me like nothing else.
What knifemaker(s) or designer(s) have had the biggest influence on you? Do you have any mentors?
I’m drawn to the work of masters like Lin Rhea, David Lisch, Tim Foster, Jerry Fisk, Jason Knight, and J.R. Cook, among others. But my mentor and biggest influence is definitely Lin Rhea.
What is your favorite knife pattern or style from history?
Of course, the X-Rhea style.
Since it is contemporary, I can’t say it comes from history, but it is definitely inspired by some older designs.
What is the next big thing in knifemaking? / What direction do you see the industry going?
I don’t have a solid opinion about where the knife industry is headed, but I can speak about my own work.
I focus on one-piece knife designs (sometimes two or three pieces), but the main factor is that they are all-steel knives. Despite what their names might suggest, they are not heavy or uncomfortable to use. My goal is to make them as comfortable and practical as possible.
Is there a knife from your lineup that you feel best exhibits who you are as a knifemaker/designer in terms of design elements, aesthetic or techniques used?
Full Damascus X-Rhea with handle scale inserts. I’ve been making them in different shapes, styles, and even sizes, yet all of them share the same characteristics in terms of technique and aesthetics. But this one is much more complicated than others.
I personally value the process over the results, and making one-piece, all-steel knives has changed how I see handmade knives, because it involves so much problem-solving and opens new eras in knife making for me.
What is your EDC and why?
Primitive Frame Folder
It’s a slip joint that I developed from an early design by Master Smith Lin Rhea.
It has only two pieces of steel: one is the blade, and the other simultaneously serves as the handle body, the notch, and the spring. A small pin connects the two pieces, and it functions like a standard slip joint.
I chose this design because it is small, light, durable, functional, simple to operate, and uniquely constructed.
Find out More:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apurak.co?igsh=MWxqdmpkOTB6eGp5cQ==
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/181LdYroDu/
Email: apurak.co(at)gmail.com
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