Michal Melichercik, traditional shepherd knives

[jfk1110]

An older piece, made around 2017. I created this set as a wedding gift. A knife and belt for the groom, and a hairpin with earrings for the bride. The design was inspired by traditional folk motifs from the Novohrad region and Podpoľanie in Slovakia. The embossed decoration is further enhanced with copper tauzia placed in the center of the floral patterns. Materials used: copper, nickel silver, carbon Damascus steel, and bog oak. I no longer remember the exact dimensions, but it was a small knife.

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Just keeps getting better here. .

 

[michalmelichercik]

Blade of N690
handle of walnut and bog oak
250 mm

 

[jfk1110]

Blade of N690
handle of walnut and bog oak
250 mm
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Very pretty..

 

[michalmelichercik]

I’ve already introduced myself here as a craftsman, but I would also like to introduce myself as an author. So once again, greetings to everyone who loves knives — and to all who are fascinated by objects created by the human mind and hands.

Since childhood, I have been drawn to shaping material and adapting objects to my own needs and imagination. Creating and drawing always felt natural to me, which later led me to study mechanical engineering. I live in the Carpathian region, where ancient traditions are still alive — my grandfather spent his entire life working as a shepherd in the mountainous areas of our region. Over time, things simply fell into place.

Today, I work in my own small workshop. I value objects that carry a story within them. I often think about this during the making process, and in many cases there is no need to invent anything — the story has already been written by life itself.

At the same time, I enjoy stepping outside of purely traditional themes. I am inspired by comics and visual storytelling, where strong imagery and deep lore play an important role. This way of thinking naturally finds its way into my concepts and sketches.

 

[michalmelichercik]

Three traditional shepherd’s knives made to order.
The handles are made of plum wood and walnut wood.
The knife in the middle is a combination of walnut wood and cattle horn.

In previous posts, I mentioned that inlaying horn with pewter is challenging. This piece of horn was properly dried and is estimated to be about 40 years old. This time, it worked out. I’m really happy about it.

250 mm

 

[jfk1110]

Three traditional shepherd’s knives made to order.
The handles are made of plum wood and walnut wood.
The knife in the middle is a combination of walnut wood and cattle horn.

In previous posts, I mentioned that inlaying horn with pewter is challenging. This piece of horn was properly dried and is estimated to be about 40 years old. This time, it worked out. I’m really happy about it.

250 mm

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Some beautiful work

 

[michalmelichercik]

Hi everyone, it’s been a while since I last checked in. Today I’m adding a bit of Carpathian aesthetics and a special project I was invited to take part in.This kitchen cutlery set was made for a military history club dedicated to living history. The kitchen knives carry the marking “Wlaszlovits Štós”, referring to the historical knife and sabre factory in the village of Štós. It was founded by Jozef Wlaszlovits in 1803 and became the largest facility of its kind in the Kingdom of Hungary, exporting its products worldwide.In the attached photo you can see a Czechoslovak field kitchen, model M09.Materials: spring steel and beech wood.






Materials used: N690, walnut, pewter and bogoak.


Materials used: Damasteel, N690, walnut, brass, pewter, and cow‑horn.


N690 brass, deer antler

 

[oldmanwilly]

Outstanding! I'm glad to see you return to the forums.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

Me too! Those are fantastic!

 

[jfk1110]

Hi everyone, it’s been a while since I last checked in. Today I’m adding a bit of Carpathian aesthetics and a special project I was invited to take part in.This kitchen cutlery set was made for a military history club dedicated to living history. The kitchen knives carry the marking “Wlaszlovits Štós”, referring to the historical knife and sabre factory in the village of Štós. It was founded by Jozef Wlaszlovits in 1803 and became the largest facility of its kind in the Kingdom of Hungary, exporting its products worldwide.In the attached photo you can see a Czechoslovak field kitchen, model M09.Materials: spring steel and beech wood.

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Materials used: N690, walnut, pewter and bogoak.
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Materials used: Damasteel, N690, walnut, brass, pewter, and cow‑horn.
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N690 brass, deer antler
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STUNNING WORK....... ALL OF THEM.............

Definitely was.missing your posts........

EXQUISITE JOB.....

 

[michalmelichercik]

A loose reconstruction of a 19th-century shepherd’s knife from the Novohrad region in central Slovakia.
Materials used: deer bone, sheep and cow horn from local sources.
An interesting detail is that the decorative spikes on the pommel of these knives served only an ornamental purpose. In terms of strength, they did not meet the requirements for any practical use.
The pommel was the only part of the knife that was always visible—it usually stuck out of the sheath or from behind the belt. That’s why shepherds felt the need to decorate this part. On the new knives I reinforce these tips with an M3 threaded rod. It likely evolved from the separate end of the blade tang.
There are known knives with five or more decorative spikes. I may share some of them in the future. I currently have several similar projects in progress.

a drawing from the archive of the Institute of Ethnology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences

 

[jfk1110]

Another stunner.............Fine job sir!!!

 

[michalmelichercik]

I’ve been thinking about starting a separate thread for folding knives and various creative experiments, so I can keep this one focused on shepherd’s knives. For now, I’m adding this piece here.

When making it, I drew inspiration from a traditional Hutsul folding knife. The Hutsuls are an ethnic group from the mountainous regions of western Ukraine, and their decorative style is known for its rich ornamentation. Stamped patterns, Christian symbolism, and geometric motifs often appear in their designs, especially on clothing accessories.

The original knife that served as a model dates back to the 19th century, and the authentic piece is kept in the Museum of Hutsul Culture in Kolomyia. Several examples have survived. It’s a very interesting and somewhat underrated phenomenon that definitely deserves more attention.

I slightly modified the construction compared to the original. There is a small protruding stop on the spring that functions as a blade stop. There is also a hidden copper bumper for added safety, which protects the edge from dulling. The blade, spring and the rivet pins are made of stainless steel.

The length when unfolded is 21 cm.

 

[SharpBits]

Thank you for sharing these bits of history with us and of course your own works. Looking forward to your new thread, whenever you’re ready.

 

[jfk1110]

I’ve been thinking about starting a separate thread for folding knives and various creative experiments, so I can keep this one focused on shepherd’s knives. For now, I’m adding this piece here.

When making it, I drew inspiration from a traditional Hutsul folding knife. The Hutsuls are an ethnic group from the mountainous regions of western Ukraine, and their decorative style is known for its rich ornamentation. Stamped patterns, Christian symbolism, and geometric motifs often appear in their designs, especially on clothing accessories.

The original knife that served as a model dates back to the 19th century, and the authentic piece is kept in the Museum of Hutsul Culture in Kolomyia. Several examples have survived. It’s a very interesting and somewhat underrated phenomenon that definitely deserves more attention.

I slightly modified the construction compared to the original. There is a small protruding stop on the spring that functions as a blade stop. There is also a hidden copper bumper for added safety, which protects the edge from dulling. The blade, spring and the rivet pins are made of stainless steel.

The length when unfolded is 21 cm.

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Always a pleasure to open this thread............

Great job as always and as mentioned above, thank you for the background info too...

 

[michalmelichercik]

handle made of sheep and cow horn. brass and deer bone,
blade of N690.
length approximately 220 mm.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

You’re just killing it! I really, really enjoy your designs.

 

[jfk1110]

You’re just killing it! I really, really enjoy your designs.

HERE, HERE..............