Michal Melichercik, traditional shepherd knives

michalmelichercik

michalmelichercik

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
May 13, 2024
Messages
8
Hello everyone. My name is Michal Melicherčík. I am a maker of traditional shepherd’s knives from Slovakia and the Carpathian region. I’ve been following this forum for quite a long time as a passive reader. After years, I decided to purchase a membership and also actively contribute. Here are some of my latest works.


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blades: 125mm ELMAX uddeholm. handles of plumwood and walnut wood, pewter inlay 120mm
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blade: 120mm Bohler N690, handle: walnut wood, pewter inlay an bone.
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oldmanwilly said:
These are cool! Thank you for posting them.

Can you tell us a little bit about how you built these? Work-in-progress pictures are always welcome.
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Yes, of course. Most of my knives are based on historical originals – I try to combine traditional designs with modern materials. Occasionally, when a customer requests it, I also make more accurate replicas. The steel used for these knives is Böhler N690 and Elmax Uddeholm. The original knife from the museum was, naturally, made from ordinary carbon steel. The original piece dates back to the 19th century and is kept in the Ethnographic Museum in the town of Martin, Slovakia.The handle is made of walnut wood and decorated with tin inlay. The molten tin alloy is poured directly into grooves in the wood. First, the decoration is carved. Then the casting mold is prepared. Most often, the handle is wrapped in paper and tied with a hemp string. The pommel and guard are made of brass. The construction is assembled using a threaded joint. I’ll look for a few photos from my workshop and add them here. You can also find some videos of the making process on my Instagram michalmelichercik michalmelichercik .

The knife in these photos is very similar to the previous one, but it has a blade made of stainless damascus.
length of the knife is 265mm


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Here are a few photos from the making process. I didn’t manage to capture the actual casting, only the finishing of the casting sprue.
using materials: cattle bone, walnut wood, an alloy of pewter and silver, and damasteel.

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Wow, that has to be one of the most complex handle construction methods I have ever seen. The results are incredible.

You mentioned that the handle was held together by a threaded joint, is that part of the traditional construction or were pommels typically held together with peened rivets?
 
oldmanwilly said:
Wow, that has to be one of the most complex handle construction methods I have ever seen. The results are incredible.

You mentioned that the handle was held together by a threaded joint, is that part of the traditional construction or were pommels typically held together with peened rivets?
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Originally, riveted joints were used, or the blade was simply driven into a drilled hole. A tin inlay around the edge prevented the handle from cracking. Subsequently, a tin guard was cast, which fused with the inlay. The tin casting fixed the blade in place. The brass decorations – small turrets on the handle’s pommel – were also attached using a simple nail joint. This type of joint was prone to damage.
 
Thank you for your interest. I'm glad that I’ve brought up a new topic.
In this photo, you can see the construction design I mentioned. It is a very old knife from the Carpathian region. The handle of this knife is completely covered with metal sheeting. The metal collar runs along the entire length of the handle and is decorated with stamped patterns.
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