Commission Your One-of-a-Kind Knife

 Commission a Custom Knife

Whether you want an existing Doberman Forge model with your choice of handle or an original piece built around your ideas, I’ll work with you to create something that suits your needs.

I’m Gabe Mabry—former professional chef, U.S. Marine veteran, and Forged in Fire champion. I make each knife by hand in my North Carolina workshop, with careful attention to performance, materials, and finish.

An Existing Model, Made Yours

Like a current Doberman Forge model but prefer a different handle material or color? These requests are normally priced at the model’s standard price, plus any additional cost for premium materials.

There’s no extra design charge simply for choosing a different handle material. Changes to blade shape, dimensions, or construction may require a custom quote.

Original Designs

Original commissions generally start around $450 for a small, straightforward knife, with pricing determined by the materials, construction, and work involved. Larger and more elaborate commissions are welcome, from kitchen and field knives to swords and collector pieces.

Please include an approximate budget with your inquiry. You don’t need to know what every detail costs—your budget helps me suggest a practical direction. We’ll establish an expected price range before moving into drawings and detailed design.

In-House Damascus

I make my Damascus steel in-house, starting with individual layers of steel and developing the pattern through forge welding, drawing out, cutting, and further forging.

Pattern complexity has a substantial effect on price. More involved patterns require additional stages of work and can consume considerably more steel than ends up in the finished blade. With some complex patterns, the usable yield can be as low as 10% of the starting material.

Depending on the pattern and construction, Damascus can double the price of a comparable monosteel knife—or increase it further. For that reason, Damascus is quoted as part of the complete design rather than offered at a fixed upgrade price.

Share the patterns you like and your approximate budget, and I’ll help you explore suitable options.

How It Works

1. Share your idea.
Tell me what the knife will be used for, your approximate budget, and any preferences for size, materials, or style. You don’t need to arrive with a finished design.

2. Work out the details.
We’ll discuss what’s practical, establish the design direction, and review pricing and estimated timing. Your quote will specify any included sheath, guard, storage, or engraving.

3. Approve the design.
For original commissions, I generally create a full-scale CAD drawing for approval before building. Maker’s-choice commissions are also welcome—we’ll agree on the budget, intended use, and any essential preferences, then you can leave the design details to me.

4. Begin the build.
Once the design is approved and any required deposit is arranged, your project joins my build schedule. Changes requested after approval may affect the price and completion estimate; we’ll discuss those effects before proceeding.

Reference Photos & Inspiration

Reference photos are welcome. They help communicate the shapes, features, and overall style you like.

I don’t clone or replicate another maker’s work. I can draw inspiration from individual design elements while developing an original piece with my own design and craftsmanship.

Deposits & Special Materials

Most commissions do not require a deposit.

A deposit may be required for expensive materials I need to order or personalization that makes the piece difficult to sell to anyone else, such as a name or personal dedication. Any deposit requirement will be discussed before you commit.

Timing & Availability

Custom work takes time, especially when a design involves complex construction or special materials. Lead times vary with the project and my existing commitments, and some builds require additional time to get the details right.

We’ll discuss an estimated completion window before confirming your commission. That window is an estimate rather than a guaranteed delivery date; if it changes, I’ll keep you informed.

If you have a specific occasion or deadline in mind, please mention it when you inquire so I can assess whether it’s realistic.

Support After the Sale

Every custom knife is backed by my lifetime workmanship warranty.

I also offer one free professional sharpening per customer each year, with the customer covering shipping both ways. See the warranty and sharpening page for full details.

Start Your Commission

Copy the outline below into the inquiry form or email it to Sales@DobermanForge.com.Replies may come from DobermanForge@gmail.com

 Fill in what you know—there’s no need to decide every detail before getting in touch.

  • Request: Existing model with different materials / Original design / Maker’s choice
  • Intended use:
  • Approximate blade size:
  • Comfortable budget or range:
  • Steel preference: Monosteel / Damascus / Open to suggestions
  • Handle materials, colors, or other preferences:
  • Reference links or photos: Tell me which features you like.
  • Sheath, storage, or engraving needs:
  • Requested deadline, if any:

Please include your approximate budget, even if the other details are still undecided. It helps me assess the project and suggest suitable options before we move into detailed design work.