Brazilian Bladesmiths - Under New Management!

B

BrB

Joined
Sep 16, 2003
Messages
452
Friends,

In 2003 I have publisehd the Brazilian Bladesmiths website. The idea came through during the São Paulo Knife Show of 2002 when I realized that the language barrier was the biggest challenge for Brazilians blademakers to get on the international market.

Particularly, my goal was to give show the brazilian work outside the country. On the personal level, my goal was that the sales would fund the equipment in my shop.

The time spent and the priorities changed. Today my family needs much more time than I have and keeping the site has been very complicated in recent months, especially after the arrival of the twins.

This, and other particular problems, led me to the decision of closing the site. Then I thought that this work could not stop. There were 5 years of investment with good results for many blademakers.

Then I spoke to Ivan Campos, he made an offer and we negotiated the site.

I am sure that Ivan is the most qualified person in Brazil to take this job on. He has excellent contacts here in Brazil and abroad. He traveled to the Blade Show several times. He has a site of national sales he can merge with the Brazilian Bladesmiths (creating the so dreamed version of the site in Portuguese) in addition to a magazine and the SPKS Show.

From my part, I thank for all the years of good work. I am definitely retiring from the "public" or "political" cutlery and also disaffiliating from SBC (brazilian ABS). I will dedicate my free time to do what I wanted from the beginning, 5 years ago ... Playing in the workshop and perhaps make some knives, without much pretension.

Good luck to Ivan and the Brazilian Bladesmiths team.

Jeff Velasco
 
Best of luck to you Jeff - it has been a real pleasure doing business with you in the past and I am sorry to see you leave. Welcome to Ivan!

Roger
 
Hi Jeff,

I want to thank you for FIVE years of unselfish promotion of some of the finest knives we have encountered here on Bladeforums--and all over the world.

Yes, I am pleased to hear that the site will not fold, and I am also confident, as you are, in the future success piloted by Ivan.

Many thanks to you, once again, and I wish you nothing but the very best! :D

Coop
 
I didn't buy anything off the site but it has really helped broaden my horizons. I visited the Brazilian makers' tables at Blade because of what I've seen when Jeff posted, and I've bought off of those tables as well as ordered commissions. So the site and Jeff have indeed helped the makers. Good luck to you Jeff. Thank you for your dedication.

I've met and dealt with Ivan and I'm totally confident that he'll carry on the great work.
 
If you guys keep posting those kind of words I can´t help it but getting emotional...

LOL

Thank you Jim and Grapevine... those words mean a lot, specially because one of the reasons I am moving on is that not all folks here in Brazil realize what the project was all about.

Jeff Velasco
 
Jeff,
I want to add my thanks to your contribution of getting these maker's noticed and helping to get their work out to people. I know I have benefitted greatly from having dealt with you and appreciate everything you've done. Good luck in future endeavours. I'm sure you are leaving the site in capable hands.

Nick
 
jeff,

you brought many excellent brazilian makers to my attention, and i'd like to thank you for that. the sfreddo personal carry knife, although it sports a dreadful giraffe bone handle :), is still one of my favourite knives. without you it would never have crossed the pond.

i wish you all the best,
hans
 
Thank you Jeff for the pleasure you have brought us here. And I wish you the best for your future.
I met Ivan at this past Blade Show and was quite impressed with him. He was very helpful in translating when I picked up STeven's Sfreddo Bowie from Gustavo.

He will no doubt carry on the tradition.
 
Many of those that are acquainted with me know how much of a hardnose I can be as a person.

Jeff cut right through that, and with humility, patience and resolve, made very good points for the work of his countrymen, and displayed the work, with labelling that MADE you want to buy it....which I did.

The man is simply one of the best, and I wish you great things in the future, Jeff.

Good luck to Ivan....anything that we can do to help the transition, please ask.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
It was fun watching the growth of Brazilian bladesmithing. You had a lot to do with that Jeff. Thanks for all the work you put in. You are a good man.

I've known Ivan for a long time. One of my first custom knives came from him. I'm sure he will do a great job of running Brazilian Bladesmiths.
 
Jeff,
It's really been a pleasure watching the hard work you have done which has helped many of us to make some great friends though your connection. Ivan introduced himself to me at Blade and I was excited to actually meet him. You both are worthy ambassadors. Best wishes, Lin Rhea
 
Jeff,

Best of luck moving forward man. Hopefully, you are staying on the forum.

Cheers,

JD
 
Joss,

I am staying on the forum, that´s for sure. But I intend to keep a lower profile now, and read much more than write from now on. When I say I am done with the political and public aspects of the custom knife world I really mean it. It was one of the main reasons I am leaving all that behind. When I have something worth showing (from my shop) I will be posting, that´s for sure! It will take some time though.. we had to move to an apartment and though I finally got a KMG style grinder, I have no room for it now.

STeven,

I understand your words man. Good to know we found a person to respect on each other. I carry the same great impressions about you and about the way we managed our first "contacts" LOL.

Thank you all guys. Now you are REALLY making me emotional about all this...
 
Thanks for the nice words.
Jeff has done an outstanding work on the last few years and I´ll do my best to continue from where he stopped using his same high standards.
Now Jeff please stop crying man! :D
 
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