“Extraordinary knives that span a diverse array of heritage bladesmith skills”
Design and Crafts Council Ireland – Future Makers.
Making hand-made knives is about an understanding of materials – their behaviour, their strengths and weaknesses, their beauty and flaws. It’s about becoming comfortable with elemental forces;
Earth for the ores that will give rise to the steels
Air that will fuel the embers or oxidise a unique patina on the blade over a lifetime
Fire that will forge and temper the billet
Water that will quench hardness into the steel transforming it from a piece of metal into a blade
It is about finding meditation in the hours of hand sanding or the powerful calm in remembering to let the hammer do the work at the anvil.
A handmade knife is a culmination of many craft disciplines where pattern tells the story of creation – the result; a beautiful, functional tool to be used every day; an equation that will help bring sustenance, joy and full bellies.
