Knife maker mentioned in NY Times

[JMJones]

As a knife maker, I just really like to see the spotlight on custom knives from any positive media. The vast majority of the population does not even know that they exist. "A rising tide, lifts all boats".

 

[Marko Tsourkan]

As an acquaintance of mine used to say, "there is a veal cutlet for every tomato". There are plenty of people who find look more important than function, and if the objects is backed up by a good story (a woman blacksmith!), it's guaranteed a winner. Hand-made objects have a huge appeal in the US. Just think of Etsy. The quality and function of some of those is all over the place.

As Del pointed out, folks who are after performance knives will likely find artsy knives just odd, but people who know nothing about knives, might find them pretty functional.

I also think grinding knives to a performance geometry is much harder than forging. A good study of the performance knives (geometry, profile, steel, handle) is also a must for an aspiring knife maker. I often wonder how can people jump into making knives without all the homework.

M

 

[orangehero]

I don't subscribe to the notion that all art is subjective.

Good luck to her, I think she might find success making full cheese sets if she sets her prices more realistically.

 

[Zerob]

I also think you can tell she's a non-chef making her first kitchen knives; quirky/gimmicky profiles. I can't speak on performance, but if you buy one, would you buy another? You see makers here that people will have 2+ knives from because they are performers. Her stuff as kitchen knives might fool you once, but not twice.

I hope the pros can chime in, but I don't think a blacksmith is the same as a blade smith. At 450, I'll take a DT or Marko any day.

It is a nice story and I hope her stuff evolves to be more functional.

 

[Erilyn75]

It amazes me what people spend money on, though I'm sure people wonder about me as well.

 

[Gravy Power]

If I didn't know what a functional kitchen knife looked like, I could be sold on these I guess (and stupidly at that price). But hell that artwork or whatever would never see the light of my work days.

 

[MrBoogs]

You could still use such knife as a rasp. Isn't it handy?

Pretty pricey rasp if you ask me.

 

[Delbert Ealy]

As an acquaintance of mine used to say, "there is a veal cutlet for every tomato". There are plenty of people who find look more important than function, and if the objects is backed up by a good story (a woman blacksmith!), it's guaranteed a winner. Hand-made objects have a huge appeal in the US. Just think of Etsy. The quality and function of some of those is all over the place.

As Del pointed out, folks who are after performance knives will likely find artsy knives just odd, but people who know nothing about knives, might find them pretty functional.

I also think grinding knives to a performance geometry is much harder than forging. A good study of the performance knives (geometry, profile, steel, handle) is also a must for an aspiring knife maker. I often wonder how can people jump into making knives without all the homework.

M

Marko,
Although I quoted all you wrote here, I'm going to address your last statement.
My answer to that question, given my 28 years of experience and having talked with hundreds if not thousands of knife makers, is almost every one. In this country there are no formal standards for knife making like there are for other professions. Sure there is the ABS and the Guild, but you don't have to be associated with either to be a knife maker, or to be a sucess at it. It is not taken seriously as a career path, and other than the ABS, schooling is hit and miss. A few good seminars, but not like other skills and trades. The other contributing factor is the general low quality of the production knives, even the ones made in our own country. Ask any whitetail hunter if they would be happy if they could field dress a deer and maybe cut out a steak or two without sharpening, and 99 out of a hundred will say yes. I know I used that as a selling point for my own hunters. Most people are unaware of how good even the simplest of steels can perform, when given the proper heat treatment, blade shape, and blade geometry. It is part of the reason for the popularity of such thick steel blades. A lot of knife makers get their start because of a related trade, machinist, blacksmith, jeweler, but a lot of them just jump into it. I know I did, without really having a clue. A lot of knives that are lurched become drawer queens, knives that are never used, and hardly ever even looked at.
I am a craftsman first and always, one of the reasons I started making kitchen knives is knowing that they would be used.
In no other area of knife making other than straight razors, are the performance standards so high for the finished product than in kitchen knives. They must perform, a hunting knife only has to perform occasionally, once very four years or so for the average hunter. For bird hunters and fisherman, it's more often, but deer hunters buy more custom knives.
Sorry if this sounds like a rant, but these are ideas and ideals very close to me. The low quality of some customs on the market is one of the reasons I like to help out the newer makers. The other is that I have found I like to teach.
Del

 

[Keith Sinclair]

Sometimes art and tools don't go hand in hand. Ok, it can work this way, first tool then art, not other way around.

Agree!! Some well respected knife makers esp. fancy Hunting blades have done kitchen knives and sold them to famous people.With fancy curves from handle butt to tip.In the sales pitch of one of these makers says with no culinary experience there are no pre conceived ideas of how things should be.I can believe that having repaired & sharpened some of his ridiculous profiles.

Then again a well forged functional blade in itself can be a work of Art. Katana from the Kamakura and Muromachi periods.

 

[Squilliam]

Del I have really enjoyed reading you comments.

 

[user 1925]

The first problem is that everybody has a different idea of what “art” is. The term is thrown around with reckless abandon and, at the risk of sounding highbrow, should be reserved for certain spheres of human production.

Knife making is a craft first and foremost. This is true historically. Knives are inanimate [functional] objects that do not speak to the human condition. One can possess a deep appreciation of the design aspects of knives. This does not elevate them to “art.”

Sure, some rich bloke can purchase a samurai sword and display it. But this does not mean it is an objet d'art as its original function was not as such. Taken out of context it becomes a fetishized object, which does not mitigate the fact that the original function was as a weapon. There is nothing wrong with this. Humans have been doing this since at least Roman times.

 

[Reede]

I guess my concern would be the heat treat. No mention, so are they just utilizing the heat treat that the rasp had? After it has been cut with a torch? And a lot of rasps these days are just case hardened.

 

[DevinT]

Any press is good for all of us. Women making knives are rare but not unheard of. Those who make it, usually do well. Most women making knives get lots of attention and help when needed.

The problem with new knife makers is that they try to innovate before understanding knives or knife making. It would be better for her to copy a specific makers work before branching out. She is also kind of locked in to using rasps for blades which will limit her sales over time.

I do wish her lots of luck in knife making. It has brought me a great deal of satisfaction over the years crafting things that can be used and admired. Knife making is an incurable disease once you get into it. Hopefully she sells lots of knives so that she can buy herself a new grinder.

Hoss

 

[Eric]

Devin, you are a class act!