Looking for European Knifemakers and places to visit this Spring

K

Kevin Casey

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Mar 20, 2002
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I am traveling to Europe this April and early May with my daughter who is a professional freelance photojournalist. She is interested in writing articles on European knifemakers for various publications. We would like to meet with knifemakers who be interested in talking about and showing their work, techniques and workshops/studios. Also we are interested in any local knife shows, small shops, museums and most anything related to knives and knifemaking. If you are interested in a possible visit with us, or can provide information of where to visit, please contact me either in thread or by emailing me at kevincasey@tds.net. I will need your address and contact information. Thanks for any help offered.- Kevin Casey

Kevin Casey Custom Knives
www.kevincaseycustomknives.com
10583 N.42nd Street
Hickory Corners, MI 49060
kevincasey@tds.net
269 719-7412
 
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If you com to Sweden there's quite a few of us knifemakers here that would welcome you I would think!
I could ask around on the Swedish knifeforum if you plan on comming our way?

Regards
/Magnus
 
Kevin, by the end of April there are two knifeshows one week and only about 100 km apart.

The first show is in the Netherlands called the Dutch Knife Exhibition on 23 April. Here is a link: http://www.dkeshow.nl/index.html

The other is in Solingen Germany a week later (30 April 30 and 1 May) called Messer Macher Show.
Here is a link: http://www.klingenmuseum.de/cms/index.php?id=218

In this part of Europe (Germany, Netherlands and Belgium) there are plenty of very talented makers and if you like I would gladly help you to get in contact with any of them. Just let me know.

Marcel
 
I'm not sure where you're going to be, but the following places have intersting blade collections.

Nuremberg - The Bavarian History Museum
Rothenberg - The Torture Museum
Munich - Both the History Museum and the Scientific Museum

DO NOT MISS -

The Hunting Museum in Munich.
The Armor Collection at the Residence in Vienna.
The Collection of Eastern (Middle East to Japan) Arms at Hradcany Castle, Prague. (This is rarely on display. If it is - detour out of your way to see it. They have over 100 naginata blades (for example) and most of this has been hidden away since before WWII.)

Also, in Nuremberg, there are two shops by the Water Gate that deal in blades. They are about a block from the gate, opposite the "fancy" shopping area.

Last, if you're in Vienna, go to the Doretheum, the oldest pawn shop around. they often have a good selection of antique arms and blades for sale.
 
There is a knife show in Thiers - France on 21 and 23 May. It may be too late for you. I second Marcel regarding both shows he mentioned. I think you can add Northern France to the list : "In this part of Europe (Germany, Netherlands and Belgium)".
 
Kevin,


There is a Forge in Belgium that is open every Saturday in a little village called Ostiches. Here is the webpage http://www.forge-ostiches.be
Its a great place with allot of talented guys that are all very friendly. Also on the 13 14 15 of May we will be having our annual hammer-in, and there will be allot of talented bladesmiths in attendance. MS Joe Keeslar is going to come as well. It should be a great time and well worth attending. If I can be of assistance please let me know.
 
The Dutch knife Exhibition, Solingen and the Ostiches Hammerin are only 3 of te 4 highlights in the knifemakers calendar! At least in my calendar....
 
erik markman said:
The Dutch knife Exhibition, Solingen and the Ostiches Hammerin are only 3 of te 4 highlights in the knifemakers calendar! At least in my calendar....
Click to expand...
The other being the big wooden shoe and stinky cheese festival in Tilsit? :D
 
Thanks for the responses of where to go and see. We will definitely be traveling and visiting people and the sites in France, Italy, Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.... so far :D. Let me know if you're are open for a visit.- kc
 
Another thought:

You'll be going too late to see the IWA show in Nuremberg, but if you could get a directory from the show it would list a fair number of makers. I used to keep them as references but it's been more than 10 years since I did the last one.
 
If you're around Paris, checkout armes bastille. Its a great knife shop with a lot of custom blades.
 
You might contact Samuel Lurquin, Belgium maker. All of my contact was through e-mail during a recent order. Can be located on his website. Had a good experience with Sam, and a rewarding result. I think we will be hearing more of him in the future.

- Joe
 
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