Lambert Kirby
Canadian Master of custom tactical knives Lambert Kirby
Kirby Lambert is a knifemaker from Canada, who specializes in producing custom folders with strong features of Tactical and Urban EDC knives, and also high-quality items in a traditional Japan style.
Lambert is into knife making for a bit more than 10 years. During this quiet short period for the knife world, the Canadian master managed to become a member of the Canadian Knifemakers Guild and opened his own knife shop. With the last one, Kirby got help from his eminent compatriots and mentors Greg Lightfoot and Brian Lyttle. Master is working and living in Regina, Canada. He is currently a vice president of the Guild.
Kirby’s knives were more than once noted by Blade Magazine and are extremely popular in the knife community. Their high reliability and smart design let them be used as EDC knives and outdoor helpers, depending on finishing and blade material.
In his custom folding knives, the author often uses the popular ceramic bearing system IKBS (Ikoma Korth Bearing System), which is resistant to dusting and lateral loads.
According to the knife maker, he is constantly challenging himself to seek the ideal balance of aesthetics and functionality of his works. That is why in Lambert Knives materials of the highest quality are used for every detail. High alloy and powder steel BG-42, CPM-154 CM, CPM S30V, stainless Damascus from Damasteel AB, and Chad Nichols’ patterns of Damascus steel go for the blades. In decoration, Lambert combines titanium, mammoth bone, carbon, Mokuti, Damascus, and pearl. Color compositions are harmonious and carefully thought through.
Kirby’s works in Japanese style are not just variations of popular Tanto, but also feature traditional blade’s hardening – hamon. This hamon has nothing to do with the Spanish ham. It is a Japanese term that denotes a visual effect created on the blade by the hardening process. Experienced collectors of Japanese swords and oriental culture connoisseurs might name the blacksmith school and even the Master’s name who produced the blade.
The idea of this technique is to increase the hardness of the blade’s edge, leaving the rest of the blade still quite flexible and load resistant. Before hardening, Japanese blacksmiths applied a blend of clay and coal powder on the blade. The edge was covered with a thinner layer than the main part of the blade, so it was heated more and got a solid structure. Blades of such type Lambert makes of instrumental steel L6, and also 1050, 1084 steel grades.
Kirby uses stingray skin and resin-impregnated cord for wrapping handles in a traditional manner.
The master has released a series of souvenir plectrums with the author's logo – a silhouette of a black widow spider. Lambert is a fan of classic heavy and glam metal: Motorhead, Guns & Roses, Metallica is the soundtrack of his life. In his spare time, Kirby loves to skate, play guitar, spend time with his son and wife. One real old-school rockin' roller. By the way, Kirby has a deck decorated by Chad Nichols, they are great friends. Chad, as Lambert does, loves metal and skateboarding.
The folding knife Augustus is one of the most popular and titled models from the Canadian master is. Kirby named it after his son – Augie. Folder Augustus won the prize in the “Tactical folder of the year” nomination at Blade Show 2016 and was exhibited at the Knife Show 2017 in California.
