A self-taught blacksmith who began shaping metal with a charcoal forge and hand tools at the age of twenty, Salem Straub of Promethean Knives has evolved in to a supremely talented and creative artisan with a keen focus on bladesmithing and the creation of custom chef knives. Working from his one-man studio in Tonasket, Washington in the US Northwest, Salem creates functional art in the form of high-performance kitchen cutlery one knife at a time, making his own damascus, forging integral bolsters and designing unique and stunning handles among his many talents. A History Channel's Forged in Fire winner, Salem's varied metalworking experience and attention to detail produce extraordinary cutting tools in which 'sole authorship' is an important attribute of each finished piece, providing opportunity for attention to the subtlest details, frequently resulting in objects that blend the line between art and function.