Due to my Passion for Knives, I started collecting knives at the age of about 10 years old.

Then much later in life, about 3years ago did a knife course at Sarel Venter. Since then I started making knives as a hobby, and for the love of knives.

I am now on pension and this has become part of an income for me and my wife. Each knife I make is my pride and joy.

I was born and raised in the fresh air and sunshine of Kimberley in the Northern Cape in 1963 where I grew up on a farm and got to play with various guns, knives and motorcycles. Joining the corporate rat race after national service training was essential to keep these hobbies funded, even more so after we discovered the wonderful world of 4×4′s and quad bikes.

Over the years my knife collection kept on growing and includes a few pieces that are valuable for the material value, but more that are valuable to me simply for the sentiment attached to them either for being a gift from a special person, or for reminding me of a special occasion.

About 7 years ago I stumbled upon a well known SA website which sells knife parts and thought I should give it a try. That got me hooked on knifemaking and the hobby quickly grew to take up most of my spare time – and absorb a lot of hard earned savings spent on machines and materials.

Since the beginning of 2015 I have been making knives full time. The values “Creativity, Craftsmanship & Quality” best represent my approach to knifemaking and I am always looking to make the next knife better than the previous one. 

I started making knives in 1989 in Welkom joined the Knifemars guild in 1990 with a lot of help from Fanie la Grange , I moved to Richards bay in 1994 and I stopped making knives to raised my kids for 17 years fishing the coast of South Africa when the kids left school I lost my fishing partners, it was a good
time to start making knives again.

All my tools and materials I had just stored all those years, had some time on my hands and started building a few machines and set out to make some knives again, Got a fright when I started looking at knives as the quality had sky rocketed and Materials had really progressed .

I joined the guild again in 2013 and have been making knives since, I have moved away from fixed blade and make only IKBS flippers with a lot of thanks to Andre Thorburn for assistance and insparation

I started making knives in 1989 in Welkom joined the Knifemars guild in 1990 with a lot of help from Fanie la Grange, I moved to Richards bay in 1994 and I stopped making knives to raised my kids for 17 years fishing the coast of South Africa when the kids left school I lost my fishing partners, it was a good
time to start making knives again.

All my tools and materials I had just stored all those years, had some time on my hands and started building a few machines and set out to make some knives again, Got a fright when I started looking at knives as the quality had skyrocketed and Materials had really progressed.

I joined the guild again in 2013 and have been making knives since, I have moved away from fixed blade and make only IKBS flippers with a lot of thanks to Andre Thorburn for assistance and inspiration

My name is Niel van Heerden and I am from Klerksdorp in the North West province. 

My knife-making journey began in 2019 when I first tried making a knife with a file and some basic hand tools. After making a few fixed blade knives, I completed a liner lock course during December 2019 under the guidance of Mr. Andre Erasmus. This experience sparked a passion for making folding knives and this is what I am currently focusing all my energy on….

My passion for all things weaponry started as a small boy, along with my curiosity to figure out how things work. So when I bought my first handmade knife in 2016, my interest was piqued, and I asked the maker to show me the basics.

I went on to build my own grinder, then a year later bought a second one. You could say I was hooked, and from that “I think I can do this myself” moment, Eagle Blades was born.

A love of wildlife, nature and the outdoors means I have a passion for working with natural materials –
bone, horn and indigenous wood – and my training as a polymer chemist sparked my interest in combining these with manmade materials like polyester resin, epoxy and urethanes.

All Eagle Blades knives are unique, custom-made pieces designed and built around the owner’s interests and requirements in type of materials, design and ultimate use. I love rising to the challenge of customers’ requests for new and different materials and knife designs or restoring treasured old blades to their former glory.

I am a full time Bladesmith and Blacksmith.  My interests lie in uncovering and learning the skills of the metal workers of old and applying this knowledge to my metal creations whether they be edged tools or metal art.  I take commissions and create my own products which are shown below.

 I have been creating knives for the last 10 years. I enjoy working with my hands and creating a knife from scratch. I have made a variety of knives; fix blades, hunters, friction folders, locking liners and my ultimate inspiration are the classic folders. My biggest influences are knife makers like Bob Loveless, Ken Erickson, and Todd Davison to name a few. 

My family is very important to me and I have 3 lovely girls and a beautiful wife and she luckily understands why I spend so much time in the workshop or when I get frustrated by a process I am trying to perfect. My other hobbies are flying, hunting and spending time in the bush with family and my Landy!

I am a part-time knife maker from Beestekraal situated in the North West Province of South Africa.

Since I can remember I have always had a passion for knives, but it was only when I started my own Professional Hunting Company in the early nineties’ and then later becoming an outfitter that the true value of a good reliable knife with a comfortable handle was emphasized (skinning a giraffe is no joke), and my search for that for that perfect knife started.

As a self-employed engineer, I know that precision and durability work hand in hand. With that in mind, I spend much of my free time in the knife-shop striving and challenging myself with every new design to create working knives of the highest quality.

Loving outdoor and hunting activities, I focus mainly on designing and making fixed blade utility, hunting and kitchen knives.  I also make functional EDC equipment for the every day guy. Due to the diversity of South African’s fauna and flora, I favor natural handle materials like Indigenous woods, burls, ivories, horn and giraffe bone.

As passionate as I am about knives it does not displace my love for my LORD and Savior, Yeshua Messiah and of course I drive a Land Rover Defender!

These razors are all 100% handmade by myself in my workshop  Elegance, tradition, a timeless quality, style, the avant-garde, an eye for detail, form, function and excellent craftsmanship are my main objectives when working on any of my custom straight razors.

Knifemaking became my passion about 20 years ago. After building my own equipment, I attended three courses with Gawie and Thinus Herbst.

I enjoy making fixed blade knives. In my designs, I love shape, texture and colour because of an Electrical and Mechanical background,  I designed and built an electrical etching machine, a titanium anodizing unit to enhance the quality of my knives and to make life easier for my fellow knife makers in South Africa.

I see each knife as a project and dedicate myself to it in order to deliver a top-quality product. Every process in my knife-making I do personally as great enjoyment is derived from each step in the chain.
(Designing, building the knife, taper tang, heat treatment, finishing and leatherwork) My knives could be considered to be real hand made.

I attended my first knife making course back in 2001 with Andrè Thorburn. Some years later I was able to setup a workshop of my own. I have been making knives now for the past 5 year. I make mainly daggers, hunting knives and an Everyday Carry (EDC)

Gentleman’s Folder liner lock.The EDC Gentleman’s folder is one I particularly like. I find it is possible to carry this in any sort of attire from gym shorts to formal work trousers.

Hello, my name is Herman Venter. I am a hobby knife maker that lives in Pretoria South Africa. I am a Technical Advisor at a Refrigeration company and in my spare time I love knife
making. I went on a knife making course at Herbst Knife making Academy in September 2017.

So I have been making knives for just more than two years now. At the 2019 Boabab knife show I entered some competitions and won two awards. Best working fixed blade in the novice category for a hunting knife and best working folder in the novice category for a liner lock.

These awards really helped to boost my confidence as most novice knife makers often wonder if their work is up to scratch. I see the leather craft aspect of knife making as equally important and I love making sheaths to compliment my knives. 

I started making knives at the end of last year(2019)under the leadership of my father Barend.

I only completed my first knive during the coronavirus lock down.
I am currently only working on hunting knives and Siberian chefs knives.

I still have a lot to learn, but I am enjoying every step of the way. .

The Custom in the Making – The ideal behind a custom knife is the creation of something superior in its design, choice of materials, and the execution of its construction. Where did it all start? Herucus J Blomerus was born in 1958 in Upington, Northern Cape, and grew up in Pretoria. He bought knives with his pocket money as a young boy. His interest grew to a knife collection of over 300 knives. He made his first knife in 1998 and it was not long before the interest in handcrafted knives developed.

He started to setup his workshop and even built some of his own
machinery. He started under the mentorship of a friend, Andre Thorburn, and slowly developed his hobby into
part time knife making. First he designed his own biltong knife and followed up making hunting knives. After completing his liner lock folding knife course, he started his well-known series of
folding knives.

He continues to design new models, of which the HB 17 Motswiri and HB 18 Phiri models are the latest thereof. He continues to develop his craft and he focuses on custom builds. This gives the
customer the opportunity to select their chosen materials to be used. That’s how knife dreams come true. .

 We live in Vanderbijlpark. I started making knives in late 2017. First
knives, let’s call them practise, were made from concrete grinder wheels. (first knife) A few pressies to nearest and dearest later I went to visit KMTS shop in Pretoria and purchased my first 2 stainless steel blanks which was turned into kitchen utility knives.

From there on I purchased some 12C27 and 14C28N and started designing and making knives with basic hand tools (angle grinder, some files and wood working belt sander and plenty Elbow grease.

As time went on I refined the art of hand tools to the point of my first order in June 2018 In Dec 2018 my wife bought me a Ryobi Mini Belt and Disc Sander to assist in the making of knives.

And this is what I still use today (saving to buy proper belt sander)
In the meantime, I have also learned how to make my own sheaths and do scrimshaw.

So, ladies and gentlemen this is me. Striving to learn more each day. My late mother taught me the following lesson (in Afrikaans): “ ‘n mens is soos ‘n sykous… nooit te oud om te leer nie. “

My name is Shaun H Naude,born in the then highveld in Springs.
I am currently residing in bloemfontein and am married and have 3 children.

I started making knives in 2005 due to a friend requesting me to do so as a birthday gift to his father.

Following this I became aware of a knife making community and have been making since.

I am inspired by history and primarily forge my knives.

Retiring at the age of 68 ,4 years ago, I was able to take up the art of knife making.

After attending a course of knife making with Vincent French in George I could start my life long passion at the age of 68 ,4 years ago.

Since then we have moved to Die Dam in Cape Agulhas National park. This is situated 40 km from Gansbaai.

We market our products at Hermanus country market on Saturdays.

I am Fritz Boshoff. Growing up in Namibia I went hunting with my dad, so knives were always a part of me. 

I started fooling around in my garage, making knives for friends and family.

Bossie Knives was established in 2005 and I have never looked back.  Knife making is my passion..

I am a hobby-ist knifemaker, making knives for more than 20 years.
All the work is done by myself, sheaths included.

I attend 2-3 knife shows a year; Baobab, Brooklyn and Huntex..

Barend Zaayman, from Richards Bay,  KZN, South Africa. Growing up on a farm in the Eastern Cape a knife in your pocket was part of life. I Always admired a good looking knife and in 1993 while working at the then Iscor in Newcastle I  saw one of my colleges making a knife and that was the start of my knife making journey.1 st  couple knife were horrendous as I didn’t have anyone to guide me. I then got introduced to the  late Boekoe van Rensburg and Basie Jordaan and they helped me onto the right way with their vast knowledge and experience.

Was a part time maker till around 2000 when I got transferred for work, that was also the end of my knife making for 18 years, at the end of 2018 slowly got back into it again. With the lockdown I got full steam into it again and got a big liking in the making of slippies.

At beginning of the year my son also started making knives and nothing better than spending time in the workshop working on knives with him. I prefer making practical knifes, user knives and folders. Mainly using N690 and natural products for handles like wood and animal products.Huntex..

I am a novice knifemaker from the cape flats.
I do mostly stock removal but have on occasion forged some knives.
I use new as well as recycled materials.

I have no formal training wrt knifemaking, my interest started in 2017 and I have since acquired some tools and built some tools to set up a small workspace. I do knifemaking on a part time basis as I do have a day job.