touched by excellence

by Nancy Olson

A William Henry pocket knife appears to be birthed whole, so perfect is the assemblage of materials. Metals, wood, stone and fossil ivories, among other ingredients, coagulate seamlessly to create something that is as much intuitive as it is utilitarian, as much a piece of art as it is an award-winning product known to be among the best. And after my visit to the company’s headquarters, this comes as no surprise. The stark exterior of the studio belies what goes on inside: a constant whir of creative thought, concentrated attention and manufacturing machinery. It is here where the folding knives, money clips and, as of last year, rollerball pens are designed and produced. Last fall, a fountain pen was added to the list, and it is informed by the same qualities as its forebears.
Matt Conable, president and co-founder of William Henry, has been making knives since he was a teen, so he modeled his McMinnville, Oregon, studio after a custom knife shop, which is where he first crafted his art. Thus, while the 6,400-square-foot manufactory is well appointed and well staffed, it feels more like an artisan’s workshop rather than a state-of-the-art facility that produces about 800 knives per month for over 300 retail stores. No modern manufacturing stone is left unturned. CNC machines, laser cutters, blanking presses, vacuum chamber ovens and other specialized tools each crank out their best, creating many of the more-than 35 parts for each knife. But the recurring theme is the craftsmen and women who literally feel their way along each piece, as if blindfolded, making sure it fits the company’s motto of, “Superlative function deserves to be elevated to superlative art.” The smallest imperfection can detain any piece from its final destiny. 
Since the company’s introduction of products other than knives, Conable has expanded the definition of William Henry, which was founded in 1997, to include, “functional art for men. I like stuff that works,” he says. As the brand’s sole designer (and, incidentally, sole knife sharpener—a singular art), he is intrigued by the sensuous intersection of form and function, warm and cold, hard and soft. This is evident in the subtle juxtaposition of patterns and materials in a range of products that not only work well and look spectacular, but also feel as if they grew right out of your own hand. As examples, the earthy warmth of Central American cocobolo is the perfect counterpoint to cool Wave Damascus steel. The totemic DNA of fossil ivory beautifully opposes state-of-the-art heat-colored mokume gane. Pearl set in titanium offers a confluence in texture.     
William Henry uses about 20 studios and 30 artisans from three countries to get exactly what it is looking for in metalworkers, engravers, pearl experts and other craftsmen at the top of their game who help actualize Conable’s sketches. As a result, many of the knives are the conclusion of hundreds of miles on an approximately eight-month-long, 800-step journey from design to fruition. Add to this the fact that the pearl hails from Asia, the wood from such reaches as Morocco and Mexico, the woolly mammoth bone from Russia or Alaska—every piece is truly a long-distance affair that eventually converges in the Northwest U.S.A. Some parts production and all assembly, stone setting and multiple polishings are conducted at the studio, which accounts for the organic quality of the work.
The pen shop, adjacent to the knife manufactory, has a buzz all its own. At the helm is Dan Heins, whose years of experience in woodworking and manufacturing make him a perfect fit. Each pen is turned, meticulously assembled and polished as a whole to a glass-like finish, rendering every piece unique. And here, too, it seems that human touch accounts for more than the most technologically advanced machinery. After each polishing the pens are examined by eye and felt by hand for any imperfections. All metal parts are pressure fit or threaded (there are five separate thread joints), which means that dimensional tolerances are of utmost importance. The exceptional balance of the new fountain pen collection impressed me, particularly when taking the diversity of materials from which they are crafted into account.