Knife maker mentioned in NY Times

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Wow. I really want to say something nice here, considering it's a woman at the helm.

But I just can't.
 
I don't know but seeing this just reminded me of the Egotarian Cuisine atricle discussed right now in the Back of the house section.

In two days we have two topics here about expensive knives that sacrifice basic usefulness for ... dunno uniqueness.

Do we have rise of the Egotarian Bladesmith - where knifemaking is about the smith and not about the person using the knife?
 
I do not find them aesthetically appealing what so ever
 
I take great pride in the tools I own & use. There is not one single kitchen knife I own that I wouldn't use on a daily basis. I WOULD NEVER USE ONE OF THOSE. Do not seem to have any practical attributes what so ever!
 
I think she might have brought her work to the public a little too early......
 
Look pretty unusable but the petty's ?? with the long handles look like old Roman knives.
 
I can see a lot of latitude in design of cheese knife and will pick up odd shaped ones occasionally. But I'm guessing those are the "starting at $100" offerings. I'll pass.
 
I don't know but seeing this just reminded me of the Egotarian Cuisine atricle discussed right now in the Back of the house section.

In two days we have two topics here about expensive knives that sacrifice basic usefulness for ... dunno uniqueness.

Do we have rise of the Egotarian Bladesmith - where knifemaking is about the smith and not about the person using the knife?

Hmmm....I've been thinking the same thing.
 
As an experienced knifemaker I often see knives like this. Newer knifemakers come to me for advice, so I may have a different perspective than most of you guys. In fact I had 2 people this week show me their knives and ask for advice.
These are not knives for you guys,(and gals), but this young lady is doing things I have seen from a hundred makers at least, including myself. The smaller knives are similar to many patch knives I have seen, and would function fine to that purpose. Knives made from ferries rasps, the first one I saw maybe 30 years ago, I thought was the coolest thing ever.
Please remember too that her mentor was a blacksmith, and they have a particular way of looking at knives.
I would say that she is doing just fine for a first year knifemaker, and if I had the opportunity to meet her I would tell her all the good things she is doing, and then point out the areas for improvement, and also explain how to make those improvements. It something I do with most newer knifemakers. Knifemaking is a male dominated craft and it is always encouraging to see the ladies coming to join the fun.
Now to the question of how she made it into the Times, I would very much like to know that little secret.
Thanks,
Del
 
As an experienced knifemaker I often see knives like this. Newer knifemakers come to me for advice, so I may have a different perspective than most of you guys. In fact I had 2 people this week show me their knives and ask for advice.
These are not knives for you guys,(and gals), but this young lady is doing things I have seen from a hundred makers at least, including myself. The smaller knives are similar to many patch knives I have seen, and would function fine to that purpose. Knives made from ferries rasps, the first one I saw maybe 30 years ago, I thought was the coolest thing ever.
Please remember too that her mentor was a blacksmith, and they have a particular way of looking at knives.
I would say that she is doing just fine for a first year knifemaker, and if I had the opportunity to meet her I would tell her all the good things she is doing, and then point out the areas for improvement, and also explain how to make those improvements. It something I do with most newer knifemakers. Knifemaking is a male dominated craft and it is always encouraging to see the ladies coming to join the fun.
Now to the question of how she made it into the Times, I would very much like to know that little secret.
Thanks,
Del

Agreed. I think it is extremely revealing of those individuals who are bashing her work just because it doesn't conform to "their" ideas of what make a good kitchen knife. My question to those folks would be, are they making "hand-forged" knives? And no, buying a blank and heat treating it is not the same. Likewise, stock removal is not as difficult and is, in my opinion, a step removed from the craft. She is, to a large extant, more of a knife maker than many of those purported here.

I think her knives are quite charming--in a rustic and historical way. They definitely remind me of the knives made by many blacksmiths in Europe based on medieval and renaissance patterns. I think they would make fantastic table or cheese knives, which, with the exception of the large one, is what I think they were designed for. I might even buy one for my cheese board.

She's gorgeous to boot!
 
you know what should be in the ny times. That san mai line knife. Now thats no joke.
 
Sometimes art and tools don't go hand in hand. Ok, it can work this way, first tool then art, not other way around.
 
If I'm not mistaken this young lady is one of two (ladies) who came (independently) from VT to Brooklyn and now they're both famous for knifemaking. The secret is to be hip(ster). :D
 
...
Now to the question of how she made it into the Times, I would very much like to know that little secret.
Thanks,
Del

It' s not really a secret, to be written about in the NY Time or any other reputable news paper, you pay. The price will depend on the size of the article, but if I remember it correctly, it was something like 5-7K for a medium size.
 
I agree with Marko. Anything with a sharp edge and a handle can be a knife. Just ask your local PD. No, I don't forge my own knives but I have enough experience using them to comment. Any practical object can be re-conceived as art; that's usually when it becomes useless as a tool. I really don't care about the back story. If you're going to produce something that is called a 'knife' it had better have function as well as form and should be priced based on its perceived value. Or just produce something for art's sake and market it as such.
 
These look like she is learning how to make knives yet trying to sell her practice pieces at full price.

Check out the pins on the obverse side of the chef's knife:
http://www.chelseamillerknives.com/shop-kitchen-knives/chef-knife-spalted-maple-boning

It looks like she used a hand drill for the first time to make the pin holes.

Forging is the easiest part of making a knife, and it doesn't look like she does much of it either. Her fit and finish still has a long way to go.

I get the rough and rustic aspect, there's a bunch of crap that's made to look weathered and "vintage" when brand new...but with knives that means it takes you less time with less expensive materials. It would be understandable if she was pumping out these rough knives in large volume at reasonable prices for her hipster friends to use.
 
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