When “Enough” Is Not

Science fiction, headbanging, woodturning inspire chaos control

- Jonathan Kilburn

“If this were in gold, it would be Liberace’s knife,” I thought when I first laid eyes on Josh Navarrete’s Chaos Control. I’d been intrigued by Josh Navarrete’s work for a while because of the way he incorporates his woodturning experience into his creations, mixing specialty woods into his scales and handles. I’m not a woodworker myself, but years spent in the wood shop in the back of my grandfather’s suburban garage makes me admire someone who can make something from what looks like practically nothing.

I’ve long thought, “If I were asking anyone for custom scales, it would be Josh.”

Forged In California, then Forged In Fire Josh Navarrete is a recent History Channel “Forged In Fire” winner.

Surprisingly, he began making knives only seven years ago, and has forged for only two of those seven years. Navarrete says he draws inspiration from his California upbringing, science fiction, 20 years of woodturning, headbanging, and sheer will.

“At some point in time, every maker faces writer’s block,” says Josh, describing the period that led to him designing Chaos Control.

“I knew I had to snap out of it, and I looked for inspiration. I went back and watched other makers’ old videos, makers I’ve been following for a long time. One of those was Peter Kohler. I really paid attention to his own evolution — not just on knifemaking, but in the way he was looking at his own skills and where he wanted to take them.

“I told myself, ‘I don’t want to be Peter Kohler. I want to follow his same thought process and evolution and become me.’”

The Knife