Anderson, Nick (Nanda Custom Knives)
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Bladesmith Nick Anderson (b. 1985), calls his company Nanda Custom Knives. He is a full-time knife-maker who makes a living doing what he loves. A lifelong artist, he is driven to create with a fascination with fire and the culinary world. He combines these passions in his bladesmithing to craft visually stunning and highly functional culinary knives. Nick’s knives seamlessly blend function with artistic sculptural elements, finished with immaculate precision. They are ergonomically designed for everything from professional chefs working on the line to passionate home cooks making memories one meal at a time. Anderson creates knives with the intention that they will be used for generations; each piece is meant to become a treasured heirloom and a favorite tool in the kitchen. <click to read more...>
Bladesmith Nick Anderson (b. 1985), calls his company Nanda Custom Knives. He is a full-time knife-maker who makes a living doing what he loves. A lifelong artist, he is driven to create with a fascination with fire and the culinary world. He combines these passions in his bladesmithing to craft visually stunning and highly functional culinary knives. Nick’s knives seamlessly blend function with artistic sculptural elements, finished with immaculate precision. They are ergonomically designed for everything from professional chefs working on the line to passionate home cooks making memories one meal at a time. Anderson creates knives with the intention that they will be used for generations; each piece is meant to become a treasured heirloom and a favorite tool in the kitchen.
Nick grew up in Redding, California, and studied art & design at San Jose State University and Cabrillo College. He explored many mediums — painting, glassblowing, jewelry-making, bronze casting, and digital design — before discovering his true calling in bladesmithing. His love for food and global cuisine ignited at age 21 after reading Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. In 2012, he traveled throughout Vietnam, Thailand, and Southeast Asia, exploring local cuisines and cultures. He considers this one of the greatest experiences of his life. In 2013, he left California and returned to Thailand with the plan to stay for six months to a year, but this turned into five years. It was during this time that Nick’s obsession with knifemaking blossomed.
Thailand proved a fertile ground for creativity and innovation. Nick became involved with a local maker space, where he experimented with laser cutting for packaging and Arduino programming to build a heat control device. Although none of this was directly related to knives, it fueled his creative process and his drive to make them. He began converting a 300-square-foot space at his house into a forge, but there was a problem: Nick couldn’t simply go out and buy bladesmithing tools like in the US, so he had to make his own. Before forging his first blade, he taught himself to weld and used CNC Fusion to machine parts needed to build a 2×72 belt grinder, a forge, and eventually a heat treatment setup. His first grinder was quirky but functional — It produced his early knives. This required ingenuity, tenacity, and creativity — hallmarks of Nick’s bladesmithing.
Once his shop was ready, he focused on gathering materials. Nick teamed up with a fellow aspiring knifemaker. They spent countless days crisscrossing Chiang Mai on motorbikes, attaching steel bars or aluminum stock to the back of their bikes as they shopped for bearings, fasteners, and other supplies. What started as frustrating scavenger hunts eventually became some of his fondest memories: riding through the city with eight feet of steel precariously balanced on a scooter, building machines from scratch, and gradually developing the skills that would define his bladesmithing career. It was also here that he began collaborating with knifemaker Che Americano and started selling his blades through social media.
When Nick returned to the U.S. in 2018, he discovered a vibrant community of makers and metalworkers in Oakland, CA. He spent five years at Alchemy Metalworks, honing his skills alongside talented artisans like Salem Straub, James Austin, Sean Monaghan, and Karen Christians. This period of collaborative learning and constant practice cemented his craft. In 2022, he relocated to Arcata in Humboldt County, where he established his own shop, complete with a powerful hydraulic forging press — ideal for creating the distinctive damascus patterns he has become known for.
At the heart of Nick’s process is fire, which infuses his forged blades with energy. Each knife is carefully designed to feel balanced and comfortable, finished to the tightest tolerances. While his annual output is modest — about thirty knives — this is intentional. Every piece receives the attention and care it deserves. A member of the American Bladesmith Society, Nick also enjoys teaching, sharing knowledge with other makers, and continually improving his skills. For him, making something truly excellent matters more than recognition.
Outside the forge, Nick stays connected to the arts and culinary worlds. He continues to draw, paint, and experiment with materials like glass and bronze, drawing inspiration from travel — especially to Thailand, where his knifemaking journey began. His work reflects these influences: the heat of the forge, studio creativity, and the curiosity of a traveler. The result is a collection of knives, each a blend of heirloom quality and everyday utility — functional works of art carrying his story and precision in every cut.
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