This page is a tribute to a friend who passed in 2008 and is still missed.
With him I learned a lot about the art of forging blades and anything else that could be forged, because he was a master blacksmith and his knowledge came from a time when it was a need more than a talent but this is of no relevance compared with the lessons of being humble, loyal and a real friend that I got from him – and I got these lessons in the only way we can be taught anything: by example.
His knives were not super well finished luxury itens. They were solid workhorses made to perform in the hands of those who needed a good knife and still are a synonimous of quality among the people of my region and those lucky enough to still have one of his creations will not part with it easily. Fortunatelly, there is plenty of samples of his work spreaded around my place so I´ll post their pics as I get them.
“_Bíde, I think this knife you just made is slightly bent.”
“_So what?”
(part of a conversation between him and someone else at his shop, some fifiteen years ago)
A rare group shot of six Sorocabanas – the traditional knife of my region
I took this picture on the same day of the one that opens this page. This is a kitchen knife wih a blade made of an old plowshare disk and celeron (Brazilian made micarta) handle, and was still unfinished.
Top: a “Paraguai” or “peixeira”. This simple knife is very common in Brazil.
Botton: a kitchen knife, wich now resides in my collection.
A “pica fumo” (tobacco slicer) folding knife, another very popular style, wich he usually made in small groups.
