Who we are
Dean Boyd and Joel Andreas, who met in the Royal Engineers, and the people who build, finish and sheath every knife alongside them in Petworth.
Founders
Dean “Boydie” Boyd
Co-Founder · Managing Director · Bladesmith · Leather Worker
Dean joined the army at sixteen and trained as a welder/blacksmith with the Royal Engineers. He served multiple tours of duty all over the world and spent many months honing his survival skills in the jungles of Central America.
He left the army in 2010 and took a senior bushcraft and survival instructor role for the next twelve months. All the while, Dean continued making knives in partnership with Joel — giving them away as gifts to fellow instructors and friends. The first commissions were generated here.
In January 2011 Dean left the bushcraft school to follow his true passion as a bladesmith, knife maker and leather worker. As Managing Director and Production Manager he runs the workshop, makes every leather sheath himself, and is the in-house laser engraving specialist.
Joel Andreas
Co-Founder · Director · Bladesmith · CNC & CAD Specialist
Joel built his first knife at fourteen and a passion for the craft was born. At nineteen he joined the British army as a Royal Engineer, eventually becoming a bomb disposal specialist on a high-risk search team, serving all over the world.
He left the army in 2009 and helped build what is now recognised as a leading UK-based survival and bushcraft school. Dean joined him a year later. Together they spent their free time making knives, and Joel learned traditional skills in woodworking — sawmilling, chainsaw carving and timber framing.
In recent years Joel has become a CNC and CAD specialist, heading up Emberleaf's sideline in rapid prototyping — born from the need for high-precision parts in folding knives.
The team
Teagan Smith
Bladesmith (in training)
Before joining Emberleaf, Teagan trained as a coppersmith crafting high-end custom lamps. Her background as a skilled welder and metalworker gave her a strong foundation in precision and metal shaping — essential skills for bladesmithing.
Since joining she has progressed quickly, mastering heat-treating and blade profiling, and developing a keen eye for balance and edge geometry. Her dedication to craftsmanship and attention to detail are evident in every knife she helps create.
Kalista Mertens
CNC / Laser Operator · Hand Sharpening Specialist
Kalista is the latest addition to the Emberleaf team. She has quickly become an integral part of the workshop, mastering CNC machining and laser operations to support the production of Emberleaf's high-performance blades.
She also demonstrates exceptional skill in hand sharpening — a critical and often underestimated art in bladesmithing. Her steady hands and attention to detail make her a natural in the finishing stages of knife making, and she's carving out a promising path toward becoming a key Emberleaf bladesmith.
Will Geylin
Wood Specialist · Lathe Master · Rapid Prototyping
Will is Emberleaf's resident wood specialist and a master of the lathe. With years of experience in fine woodworking and precision turning, he brings a deep understanding of grain, texture and form to every project.
He is also the backbone of Emberleaf's rapid prototyping for B2B clients, translating complex ideas into tangible prototypes with speed, accuracy and creative problem-solving. Whether working with exotic hardwoods or engineering custom components, Will's craftsmanship anchors the workshop in quality and innovation.
By appointment, in Petworth.
The showroom holds at least one of every model we make. Book a visit and meet the people who will build yours.