Although Chang-sih Kuo is a respected master sword maker, he also forges kitchen knives and farm implements for his clients. No piece is too small for Kuo, who makes all his pieces himself. A sword maker for eight years, he got his start as a blacksmith. In instructing his students, Kuo always reminds them that their craftsmanship will be judged on its detail, and that this is where the difficulty lies. He compares this to the difference between forging a knife and sharpening it while both are necessary, it is the sharpening, the detail work, where the hand of the master can best be seen.