“Stamp Making, Cu-Mai, and School Shop Stories with Pat Biggin”

Behind The Anvil with Guest Pat Biggin In this episode, Michael sits down with Wisconsin Tech Ed teacher and bladesmith Pat Biggin to dive deep into the art of Cu-Mai Damascus. Pat breaks down his process for forging copper-and-steel layered billets, shares the story behind his Cu-Mai knife featured in Blade Magazine’s 2025 Annual, and talks about his passion for folders, custom stamps, leatherwork, and metal shop education. Pat also opens up about refining stamp-making with a pantograph machine, teaching challenges, running seasonal knife-making classes, and balancing family life with craft. Michael and Pat get candid about social media restrictions on small makers, the rising cost of living, classroom safety, and the everyday realities of both teaching and knife-making. They wrap up with updates on current projects—from WWII knife reproductions to long-running builds—and offer practical tips for makers at every level.