Frequently Asked Questions

1. Rock cutting: All rock and shell are bought in their raw form and cut to the desired shape on a bank of diamond saws ranging from 6 to 10 inches in diameter. Choosing the prettiest stone or shell is very important at this stage, because “if a stone is ugly, you can do everything right, but it is still ugly. If it is beautiful, you can do everything wrong, but it is still beautiful.” The best, of course, is what we strive for: beautiful stone executed beautifully!
2. Assembly: Here is where the real art is. All stone and shell are hand-sanded and hand-fit onto a panel. The panel is then sanded and fitted for the particular knife and clamped down on the knife with a proprietary adhesive. Designs are pre-planned and executed by craftsmen who have worked here, some for over 28 years.
3. Hafting: Hafting is the process of shaping the handle to conform to the shape of the knife. The handle and knife are actually finished at the same time. We use many different types of grinders and flat sanders to achieve this. It is very satisfying to take a knife blank with a bunch of stone and shell glued to it and bring it to life through the hafting process.
4. Finish: After the knife has been hafted, we do a quality check for chips, cracks, or flaws in the stone. Repairs are made, and the knife is then made ready for polishing on several Scotch-Brite machines. The polishers are 30-inch muslin wheels with jeweler’s rouge for the finish polish. The knife is then steam-cleaned to remove any debris left from the process. Finally, in quality control, the knife is inspected and oiled, made to “walk and talk” (open and shut correctly), and bagged for shipping.

All returns must be made within 30 days of purchase. The knife must be unused and in its original packaging. A refund minus credit card fees and shipping cost is issued once we receive it. We offer a lifetime warranty to the original owner on all of our knives, tableware, and accessories, and will repair any item that is defective in material or workmanship.

Covered items are any parts proven to be defective in material or workmanship. The warranty term is as long as you own the product! Specifically excluded are problems due to misuse or abuse. To return defective cutlery, send it prepaid and insured to:

Santa Fe Stoneworks
3790 Cerrillos Road
Santa Fe, NM 87507
Attn: Customer Service

Please include $12 for return shipping and insurance, along with your contact information: name, return address, phone number, and email.

No. For affordability, all handles are one-sided unless otherwise specified. Most models can be made double-sided for a reasonable 30 to 50% per-unit markup. Remember that our handles are painstakingly made by hand with the human touch, never created by machines in large factories.

1. Use a good medium/fine stone or steel, moistened with light oil.
2. Be sure to maintain the same angle for each stroke (we recommend a 20° angle for a good, general-purpose edge).
3. Count your honing strokes, then turn the blade over and hone with an equal number of strokes.
4. Start strokes with heavy pressure, then ease off to lighter pressure and finish with a light stroke on both sides.

Note: Never use a power-driven grinding wheel to sharpen your knife. This can heat the blade to the point where its temper (a hardening process accomplished by heating and quenching) is damaged.

Serrated models: To sharpen a serrated blade (such as those found on our Spyderco® knives), you will need a sharpener designed specifically for this purpose. You can buy one through us or through any reputable cutlery shop. Be sure to ask for a sharpener made specifically for serrated blades!

No. We do not encourage subjecting your cutlery to extremes of heat or long-term exposure to agitated water. Don’t leave any pieces soaking in dishwater for extended periods of time. Don’t use scouring pads, cleansers, or any other abrasive product, as they may permanently mar the finish.

An occasional drop of oil on the moving parts of a knife will ensure easier opening and closing, prevent rust, and lessen wear. Avoid getting sand, grit, lint, or other foreign particles in the mechanism. Keep blades clean and dry, and wipe them with an oil-moistened cloth to prevent rust.

When not in use, keep your cutlery in the gift box in which it came. After use, wash the blade with soap and water, wipe down the handle with a soft cloth, and dry the piece before putting it away. Occasionally, wipe down the handle with a good-quality liquid furniture polish to maintain its luster. Never soak your cutlery or put it in a dishwasher.

With the thumb of your right hand, press down on the lock lever. With your left hand, press the blade down slightly. Remove your thumb from the lock and grasp the handle on both sides, making certain your fingers are not curled around the bottom of the knife handle. Press the blade down the remainder of the way to its closed position.

Your knife was designed to cut and not to be used as a heavy-duty tool. Do not use your knife as a hammer, pry bar, screwdriver, or for any task other than that intended (or you may void the warranty!).