Behind the Sentinel Set

Behind the Sentinel Set

Arik Miller's 4pc Damascus Chef Set

Arik Miller's 4pc Damascus Chef Set

Arik Miller's Sentinel Set and stand is finished, and it's the most time he has ever poured into a single project. Featuring a vibrant Koa wood handle, hand-engraved 1084/15N20 Damascus steel blade, and finished with a sculpted walnut stand, it's a true piece of functional art.

"I've never spent this much time on a project in my life and so it's kind of a crazy feeling that it's done, but I'm super happy with how they turned out and very proud."

Here's a look at how the set came together, from the tools Arik had to build himself to his long days at the bench.

Making the Tools

Before Arik could inlay or engrave a single knife, he had to make the tools to do it. That meant learning three new skills at once, then proving them out on practice work before touching the real set.

"I had no idea how to do inlay. I didn't know how to engrave. I didn't know how to make the tools, and so that took a long time."

The path there ran through a lot of trial pieces, with Arik slowly fitting the techniques together until they were ready for the final knives.

Making the Stand

The stand almost didn't happen. The original plan was a traditional knife block, until a conversation with a coworker changed the direction.

"He was like, you know what would be cooler than a block? A stand."

The two designed it together, and Arik built it. The base started as a single piece that he split into four arms, which he describes as looking almost like octopus tentacles or roots. Two pieces of walnut frame the top and bottom.

At the top of each slot sits a small cap that matches the butt cap of its knife, so you always know where each one belongs. 

"Functional art, that's what I like making."

A Day at the Bench

Arik logged at least 100 hours at his engraving desk alone, working with a pitch bowl, a vise, and magnifying lenses. Some stretches meant 12-hour days, several days in a row.

"You're just sitting here and looking through little magnifying glasses and tapping."

The work could swing between two very different moods.

"Sometimes it's really peaceful and meditative, and other times it's like crawling out of my skin and just trying to get it done."

Rising to the Challenge

For Arik, the hardest part wasn't any single cut or engraving. It was the learning curve, followed closely by the design itself.

Deciding between a block and a stand added more time, since the stand only came together late in the project. Above everything, though, the set demanded patience.

"The hardest part is the patience that it took, for sure."

See the Sentinel Set

The Sentinel Set is available online and will be on display at our Jackson store later this week. Arik's advice: see it in person if you can.

"I'm pretty proud of it, so I hope you like it as well, and it's much better in person than on video."

Shop The Set

New West Manufacturing

Arik Miller/NWKW | The Sentinel Set - 4pc Custom Damascus Chef Set #050

$10,000.00
$10,000.00
Sale Sold Out
Available on backorder. Ships in 4-6 weeks.
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