Knifemaker
Andries Olivier
A. Olivier knives
Lydenburg, Mpumalanga
In Andries’s own words
Since I was a young lad I had a strange urge to make weapons of all sorts, particularly sharp ones but life got in the way until 1999 when I met internationally renowned knife maker Neels Pretorius. Neels helped me build my first belt sander mostly from parts salvaged from an old shoe stitching machine and with a lot of patience from his side got me started on the road to become a "professional" knife maker.
I participated in the South African Knife makers guild competition for none guild members in 2003 and won 2nd price which included a liner locker folder making course by André Thorburn and was accepted as a member of the South African Knife makers guild in 2004 and won the certificate for best new knife maker that same year.
A few years later I attended a bladesmithing course at Heavin Forge presented by Kevin Harvey but due to a bad wrist my forging skills is only applied to manipulate small scraps of steel to fit my tiny needs.
Written for this directory in 2026.
Past work
These pieces show Andries’s style; most have found owners. Ask what’s on the bench now or commission your own.
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3 photos
Hunter & skinner set
Steel: N690 · Handle: Maple
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3 photos
Dagger
Steel: N690 · Handle: Stained maple
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3 photos
Gladius
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: African Blackwood & Arizona desert ironwood
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2 photos
Axes
Steel: Damascus steel · Handle: Panga panga
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Drop point hunters
Steel: N690 · Handle: Arizona desert ironwood
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4 photos
Kris
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: Warthog tusk · A little kris made of Damasteel, brass and warthog tusk.
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6 photos
Anvils
Steel: Brass/bronze/pewter/copper
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3 photos
Boot daggers
Steel: N690
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3 photos
Sword
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: African Blackwood
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4 photos
Viking sword
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: African Blackwood
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5 photos
Katana
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: African Blackwood
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3 photos
Sub hilt bowie
Steel: N690 · Handle: Red bushwillow & African Blackwood
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3 photos
Camp knife
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: African wild olive
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4 photos
Neck knife
Steel: High carbon damascus · Handle: Invisible
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3 photos
Ladies knife
Steel: Damascus steel · Handle: Elephant ivory
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7 photos
Space invader
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: Elephant ivory
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3 photos
Bush kings
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: Ivory & African blackwood.
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2 photos
Scalpels
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: Integral
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5 photos
Push daggers
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3 photos
Fancy dagger
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: Elephant ivory
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6 photos
Kwaiken
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3 photos
Dagger
Steel: N690 · Handle: Stained maple
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13 photos
Half scale
Half the size is twice the fun! I make any knife in ½ the size or smaller.
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3 photos
Golok
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: Stained maple
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Hunter & skinner set
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: Elephant ivory
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2 photos
Viking dagger
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: Stained maple
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3 photos
Victorian style dagger
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: African Blackwood
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Druid's sickle
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: Elephant ivory
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3 photos
Big bowies
Steel: Damasteel · Handle: Stained maple
