“Simple” but exquisite knives

Jack Lewis said:
I’m interested in learning about makers who put a great deal of thought into their designs and work — but not ornamentation.

I put “simple” in quotes because there’s nothing simple about Tim Wright’s knives, for instance. But they’re not art pieces. They’re for using. I’d say the same of Scott Sawby’s knives. Those are both on the astronomically high end of the market, but I don’t think knives of this type have to be. I think of Hiro Ohta’s unadorned friction folders: thoughtfully made, but not filigreed in any way.

Who else might fit this category? Who would you say make the *finest* knives without tipping into the art market?

Curious to hear. Thanks!
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Cool thread idea ! Simplest/non-ornamental design (and “beauty”) for maximum utility (that’s how I interpret the OP anyways). That - BTW - is art by itself. For a non-knife example, consider the Alessi coffee maker below, as featured in the MOMA:

i-THzh22t-X3.jpg


Reg. Knives I first thought of my Cheburkov fixed blades. As I understand it, he takes classic/ethnic designs and modernizes them with a personal touch. The simplicity comes from centuries of design evolution, IMHO (notice the Puuko on the left, and the Leuku as 2nd from the right):

i-CXKGwMJ-X4.jpg


WRT new designs from scratch, I’d like to mention CPK knives. Very simple and clean lines, but extremely well balanced, comfortable and well thought out:

i-ZFKNVWD-X4.jpg


To better explain what I mean, put CPK in contrast to Busse knives, which I like and use too - just mentioning them here because they address similar applications but are much more “ornamental”.

Roland.
 
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ferider said:
Cool thread idea ! Simplest/non-ornamental design (and “beauty”) for maximum utility (that’s how I interpret the OP anyways). That - BTW - is art by itself. For a non-knife example, consider the Alessi coffee maker below, as featured in the MOMA:

i-THzh22t-X3.jpg


Reg. Knives I first thought of my Cheburkov fixed blades. As I understand it, he takes classic/ethnic designs and modernizes them with a personal touch. The simplicity comes from centuries of design evolution, IMHO (notice the Puuko on the left, and the Leuku as 2nd from the right):

i-CXKGwMJ-X4.jpg


WRT new designs from scratch, I’d like to mention CPK knives. Very simple and clean lines, but extremely well balanced, comfortable and well thought out:

i-ZFKNVWD-X4.jpg


To better explain what I mean, put CPK in contrast to Busse knives, which I like and use too - just mentioning them here because they address similar applications but are much more “ornamental”.

Roland.
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Wonderful, Roland. I didn’t expect to end up intrigued by a coffee pot! And those photos are fantastic.
 
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I’ve been looking at the work of a couple of French makers, David Lespect and Raphael Durand, as well. Their knives aren’t easy to come by, in the US, but their craft is impeccable.
 
French knives seem to have a flavour all their own, I've owned several made by the family Chambriard, miss every one of them too, my source in the States closed up shop after a long run, and I don't know of any supplier in the US that carries French made knives, with the exception of Opinel of course.

Chambriard_compagnon1 by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

and the Opinel Slim line is quite nice and very affordable, albeit the ebony one was higher than the other by a bit...

Slim-ebony-olive-1a by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Slim-ebony-olive-2 by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2
 
Gary W. Graley said:
French knives seem to have a flavour all their own, I've owned several made by the family Chambriard, miss every one of them too, my source in the States closed up shop after a long run, and I don't know of any supplier in the US that carries French made knives, with the exception of Opinel of course.

Chambriard_compagnon1 by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

and the Opinel Slim line is quite nice and very affordable, albeit the ebony one was higher than the other by a bit...

Slim-ebony-olive-1a by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Slim-ebony-olive-2 by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2
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Very nice, Gary. I’m always interested in traditional designs like Opinel’s that, like rocks in an old river, have been smoothed and refined by time. There’s always a reason they stay in use from generation to generation.
 
Jack Lewis said:
I’ve been looking at the work of a couple of French makers, David Lespect and Raphael Durand, as well. Their knives aren’t easy to come by, in the US, but their craft is impeccable.
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David Lespect makes some truly unique and appealing knives. They appear to be incredibly well made. I've never handled one but I know a guy (who knows his stuff) with several and he raves about them.
 
Jsega51 said:
Simple shape with clean lines yet elegant steel, grind details and micarta backed walnut scales. Titanium fasteners too.

xzovWo5.jpg
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Yeah, I really like this Kephart. The design is a century old and still ideal for its purpose. And I really like this example.

I wonder how Magnacut would work, for a Kephart?
 
Ah, I didn’t know you had unlimited funds
;)
G2
 
Gary W. Graley said:
Ah, I didn’t know you had unlimited funds
;)
G2
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I absolutely do not! Ha. But if someone *did* is there anyone else making knives this refined?

And on second thought, that’s a good point about the name adding cost. There’s a point where people are buying the name on the knife more than the craft, which is the antithesis of what I’m after in my list. Hm.
 
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