Keith Ouye
ABOUT
I was born and raised on the island of Hawaii but currently reside in Hawaii Kai on the island of Oahu. I spend most of my day working on my knives. In my earlier life, I worked for Verizon (Hawaiian Telephone Company) for 32 years and retired in December 2001.
With assistance and guidance from Stan Fujisaka, I started to make fixed blades in early 2004. By the end of 2004, I also started making folders. I began making knives full time in 2005. The first knife show I participated in was the OKCA show in April 2005. My knives are primarily directed towards the tactical market but I also make hunting knives to sell at the local gun shows.
I currently utilize ATS 34, S30V, and CPM 154 stainless steel for my folder and fixed blades. Folder handles are made of titanium. Handle materials for fixed blades are micarta, G10, and stabilized woods. I also plan on utilizing VG-10 and ZDP 189 steel that I purchased during a recent visit to Seki City, Japan.
My folders are about 9 inches overall and blades are made from .125 inch stock. I recently started making a few smaller folders to expand my market. These smaller knives are about 7.5 inches overall. My folding knives are all flippers and have a pocket clip that allows the knife to sit low in the pocket. Engravings on my knives are primarily done by C.J. Cai (cjcaiengraving.com) who conveniently lives in my neighborhood. Recently, I have also utilized the services of Bruce Shaw to engrave some of my folders. My fixed blades are made of 5/32 and 3/16 stock.
I work out of my garage with just the basic tools to make my knives. I have a Hardcore grinder, Jet milling machine, 14” band saw, two disc sanders, a buffer and several drill presses. Heat treating of my blades is done by Paul Bos. Except for the screws, dowels, standoffs, and pivots, I fabricate the rest of the knife myself.
The challenge of making a knife, from putting an idea down on paper to the manual labor of fabricating each piece, keeps me interested in knife making. Also, knife making provides me with an opportunity to express myself in creating a tool that hopefully will be around for a very long time. Being selected for the Blade Magazine, March 2006 issue, as one of five “Makers to Watch in 2006” was an honor that I hope to justify.
The price of my knives will vary with the embellishment. Please contact me regarding the style you may be interested in and I will be happy to provide you with pricing information. I currently do not take orders but will respond to your inquiries regarding the availability of specific styles. Each folder is sold with a storage case and fixed blades are sold with a leather sheath and Sack-up sleeve.